TECEC
Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition

Business Leaders Gather in Houston for Early Education Summit

Austin, Texas—June 11, 2009— On June 16, 2009, 7:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. business, education, and community leaders from across Texas will attend the Texas Leadership Summit on Early Education at the United Way of Greater Houston.

Keynote speaker, Robert H. Dugger Ph.D., Chairman of the Partnership for America’s Economic Success will address the audience with the key message that investing in children is investing in Texas’ economic success. His presentation will be followed by a panel of state and national speakers, including:

• Robert G. Lynch Ph.D., Author of Exceptional Returns: Economic, Fiscal, and Social Benefits of Investment in Early Childhood Development

• Marcia Page, President and CEO, Foundation for Community Empowerment

• Ken Zornes, Executive Director, Texas Business and Education Coalition

• Ken Wilson, President, Bank of America, Central and South Texas Market

“The best way we can ask for support from the business community is to provide these leaders with great examples of what works, and how to lead on this issue,” said Kara Johnson Executive Director of the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition (TECEC). “These speakers know what is needed and what can be done to help,” she continued.

The Texas Leadership Summit on Early Education is sponsored by ExxonMobil and is an initiative of TECEC, United Ways of Texas, and United Way of Greater Houston’s Bright Beginnings. The purpose of the event is to build a bridge between business and early education policymakers in Texas. Policymakers and early education experts are attending the event to serve as a resource to business leaders on this important topic.

The summit comes at a particularly interesting time in Texas early education politics, as early education supporters throughout the state are anxiously awaiting that Governor Rick Perry’s HB 130, the popular full-day high-quality pre-k bill that recently passed the Texas Legislature with overwhelming majorities in both the House and the Senate. The Governor has until June 21, 2009 to sign bills into law. After that deadline, pending bills will become law, unless the Governor elects to exercise his veto power.

“HB 130 and the upcoming Leadership Summit reflect the strong bi-partisan support behind early childhood education in Texas,” said Dr. Donald Smith, TECEC Director of Research and Public Policy. “This is an exceptional opportunity for Governor Perry to affirm bi-partisan politics in Texas, while supporting the education of thousands of our youngest Texans. We are hoping we can announce the signing of HB 130 to all of our important guest on June 16,” he continued.

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COMING SOON!



Only 2.2 percent of media coverage of education focuses on education of preschool-aged children

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