Since the Early Childhood Education Act was initiated in the 60s, various laws have been passed and continue to be passed as part of the Early Childhood Education Act to better prepare young children for school.
Head start
Founded in 1965 by Jule sugarman, Head start was one of the first programs initiated as a result of the Early Childhood Education Act. Its goal is to enhance the social and cognitive development of children offering services in the area of education, health, social and nutrition.
National Academy of Early Childhood Programs
In 1985 the National Association for the Education of Young Children established the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs for voluntary accreditation according to health, safety and education standards. This program was intended to create a more reliable standard of accreditation for early childhood education programs.
Even Start Program
In 1988, The U.S Department of Education established the Even Start Program to improve parent and family literacy at home. This program was designed to improve parents literacy so they can ultimately help their children become literate and reach their full potential as learners. It integrates early childhood education, adult education and family literacy.
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act was proposed by George W. Bush and passed by United States House of Representatives in 2001. The Act requires that all public schools receive federal funding to administer a standardized test annually to assess if students have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Schools must provide services to students who do not meet AYP in order to help them succeed and pass AYP the following year.
Preschool for All Initiative
In 2013, President Obama proposed the Preschool for All initiative. The goal of this program is to expand funding in all fifty states to allow low and mid-income families the opportunity to provide their four-year-old children with high quality preschool.