Governor Gregoire Leads National Governors Association Education, Early Childhood and Workforce Committee

For Immediate Release: February 26, 2007

Governors hear testimony from Washington state expert

WASHINGTON, D.C. � Governor Chris Gregoire, Chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Education, Early Childhood and Workforce Committee, today led the committee in a discussion entitled �Early Childhood Education: Building Public-Private Partnerships for Reform.� Governor Gregoire was selected chair of the committee last year.

�Quality early childhood education is critical to developing and maintaining a competitive, highly-skilled workforce and a healthy economy,� said Governor Gregoire. �With the new Washington Department of Early Learning, we have made it clear that education in Washington begins long before kindergarten. I am happy to share my experience in our state with my colleagues across the nation.�

Jone Bosworth, Director of the Washington Department of Early Learning, addressed the committee, on public-private partnerships and the ability of states to leverage limited resources to provide quality early learning programs.

�Partnering with private companies and foundations has been critical to our success in Washington,� said Bosworth. �The creation of the Washington Department of Early Learning offers our partners an opportunity to collectively make strategic investments in education. Governor Gregoire has sent the message, we must get it right in the beginning to ensure every student has an opportunity to succeed.�

The Education, Early Education and Workforce Committee works on issues in the areas of early education, elementary and secondary education and special education as well as workforce development and labor. Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell is the vice-chair of the committee.

Governors Gregoire and Rell were also joined by two additional panelists for the discussion: Mary Ann Hanley, Governor Rell�s policy advisor for workforce development; and Michael N. Harreld, President of PNC Bank.

Governor Gregoire previously served as vice-chair of the committee.

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