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When I look at those two boys and when I think of the young men they'll one day become, when I think about the world we're creating for all of our children and grandchildren, I'm certain that the work we're doing is important.

So many of these kids, we get them in kindergarten ... and we have a tough time. Somehow, we have got to make sure that every child comes to school ready and able to learn.

"As with a leaky roof, if we do not pay a little more now, even in these hard times, we will pay a lot more later. It is that simple."

"To move our system of education into the 21st century, we must strengthen our commitment to creating a continuum of learning that begins in early childhood and never ends.”

"If we are to embark on massive investments to stimulate the economy, we should do so with an eye toward producing benefits in the long term.... Education is one such investment."

"We simply cannot afford to sideline key priorities like education."

“Whatever the size of the state's pocketbook, new strides in education should be on the front burner.”

“Would you rather fix an airplane in midflight or make sure it's prepared before it leaves the hangar?”

“There's no doubt in my mind that we need a preschool program here. Our kids are coming to us from great homes with great people, but they're not ready to learn.”

 “Access to high-quality early education and learning opportunities is integral to helping today's children prepare for the highly competitive, fast-paced global economy. A number of high-quality independent studies and reports overwhelmingly demonstrate the benefits of early learning programs in the development of a child's social and cognitive skills. Creativity and emotional resilience.