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Gov. Patrick's early-education plan promotes access, quality, and choice
Boston Globe, Letter to the editor by Matthew Malone, Feb 27, 2013

Governor Deval Patrick believes that universal access to high-quality early education is a game-changing strategy in the administration’s continued efforts to ensure that every child is placed on a path to lifelong success. In his Feb. 22 Op-ed column, Edward L. Glaeser endorses that strategy (“Preschool alters lives — or adds to status quo”), but his comments that the governor’s proposal lacks choice for families are off the mark.

The governor’s plan supports access and quality while allowing parents to choose among high-quality private, nonprofit, and public programs. Strategic investments coupled with this market-driven approach will drive the governor’s goal of providing every child with a platform for success.

Children who are prepared for kindergarten are more likely to maintain that positive trajectory throughout their lives, succeeding academically and economically, and making positive contributions to society. For Governor Patrick, this is an investment in our future that the Commonwealth cannot afford to pass on for any child, and he has a plan to get us there.