“We have to really start looking at education and we have to go deeper. We have to focus on teacher practices to make learning more student-based and get them beyond the surface of learning.”

With schools facing increased costs from inflation and a growing educator shortage, it is imperative these federal resources are not taken away in future negotiations on spending caps. Indeed, we urge the president not only to defend these investments in Pre-K–12 programs, but to increase funding to, in his own words, “finish the job.”