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Governor Malloy Proposes New Office Of Early Childhood

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Advocates have been saying for years, that the needs of young children get lost inside Connecticut’s larger school system. 

Governor Malloy has just proposed a new Office of Early Childhood, focused exclusively on children ages zero to five years old.

Multiple state agencies have administered Connecticut’s early childhood programs, and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman says its been hard for parents to figure out.  

"To get through the bureaucratic mess in government was terrible. Because you’d have to go from one department to the other department."

Governor Malloy says a new Office of Early Childhood or OEC, will fundamentally transform how the state helps Connecticut’s nearly 400 thousand young children.  

"From school readiness to teacher training to partnering programs, we are proposing a system that will put these systems and services in one place."

Last year, the state invested 9.8 million dollars in early childhood initiatives. Malloy says the new OEC would cost $370,000 in fiscal year 2014, and $280,000 the following year. 

The Office would have backup administrative support from Connecticut’s Department of Education. 

Governor Malloy’s early childhood plan is expected to be part of the legislative package he announces Wednesday. 

Diane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public. She is a longtime reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition and Here And Now. Diane spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.

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