"Women are saying loud and clear, 'I care about this and I want to make quality preschool education for all children a priority," said pollster Celinda Lake, President of Lake Snell Perry and Associates. "Women want lawmakers to put voluntary preschool education on the national agenda." Lake said that this research, being presented today at the National Governor's Association Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, mined new data demonstrating that issue can be a powerful motivating force for women, and she urged elected officials and policy makers to take note.

Women support voluntary access to preschool education programs with a high level of intensity: 55% of women surveyed said that preschool education would be an important factor in their decision to vote. When asked to rank their greatest priorities for improving public education, ensuring a quality early childhood education for all children is second only to smaller class sizes. A majority of women, 57%, would support a candidate who came out in support of a federal preschool education program. In fact, 73% of the women surveyed would be willing to support such a program, even after hearing that it would cost $6,000 per child.

The nationwide poll surveyed 761 women who are registered but infrequent voters to gauge attitudes on early childhood education issues and the potential these issues have to engage women in civic participation. 40% of the women surveyed were Democrats, 33% were Republicans, 22% were Independents, 5% did not identify with a party. The poll was conducted by Lake Snell Perry & Associates, Oct.16 - Oct. 21, 2003 and Oct. 30 to Nov. 4, 2003. The margin of error is +/- 3.6%.

Education is a daily concern for women with young children and for grandmothers who care for small children. For this reason, the People For the American Way Foundation Women's Council has undertaken a new initiative - Start Smart America: Working Together for Children's Future. Start Smart America's goal is to influence and advance the debate about the need for voluntary preschool education for all children by educating women and letting elected officials and policy makers know that this is an issue that resonates with women.

Scientific research shows that children who go to preschool education programs achieve better in school and throughout their lives. Preschoolers who enter school from structured early education environments make the transition to school more easily and are more ready to enter the classroom than children without early education. These children are more likely to be happy and self confident, do better in math and reading, and are more likely to graduate from high school and do well in college. Women know this, and want to see something done so that all children have the opportunity to have a successful educational experience, where parents can have the peace of mind knowing their children are being looked after while gaining learning skills. Start Smart America will provide strategies and opportunities for women to advocate for their children's futures.

"Women want the best for their children and they have the power to tell Washington to put quality preschool education in every state so that every child has the best start possible," said Julie Burton, Director of the PFAWF Women's Council and the Start Smart America initiative. "Voluntary, quality preschool education is a promise we can and should deliver to every American child."

Scientific studies demonstrate that a child's brain develops most dramatically in the first five years of life, and by providing children with enriching and structured preschool education programs, we are effectively guaranteeing better academic achievement from kindergarten through college. Currently, 57% women do not think that there are enough programs available, and they are even more likely to think that there is an even greater lack of affordable programs available (63%).

"One of the most effective ways to improve America's educational system is to invest in children before they get to kindergarten," said Ralph G. Neas, President of People For the American Way Foundation. "Improving America's educational system has been a priority for our organization for many years. People For the American Way Foundation is excited about this data and eager to help organize and broadcast women's support for a national program on preschool education. The combination of this data with the scientific research on brain development makes supporting this issue a top priority. We all have a responsibility for children in America and this is the right thing to do and the right time to do it."