WASHINGTON (AP) -
A think tank with close ties to the White House is outlining a plan to provide preschool for all children within five years.
The Center for American Progress released a road map Thursday for providing pre-kindergarten programs for all 3- and 4-year-olds. For families with younger children, federal subsidies for child care would increase to an average $7,200 per child and the number of students in Early Head Start programs would double.
The proposal's price tag: almost $200 billion over the next 10 years. Eventually, the program would cost almost $25 billion a year.
The Obama administration has signaled that early childhood education will be a priority during the second term.
It's not clear whether President Barack Obama will push a pre-kindergarten plan during Tuesday's State of the Union address.
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