Anti-Public Education Group Airs First Advertisement Against Prop 82

California Family Council’s Misleading Radio Ad is Wrong on the Facts.

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — The California Family Council, a key coalition member of the No on Proposition 82 campaign and an affiliate of the Focus on the Family ministries, is airing the first broadcast advertisements against Proposition 82, the Preschool for All initiative. The ads have recently started running on KKLA (99.5 FM), a southern California Christian talk radio station.

This ad is wrong on the facts, and it shows the true colors of the No on 82 campaign, which is composed of fringe groups and groups opposed to public education,” said Nathan James, spokesperson for Yes on 82. “While the No on 82 campaign claims to support public schools, they support no new funding for education. In fact, the California Family Council and many of the funders and organizations opposing preschool for all supported Proposition 76 last year, which would have slashed education funding for public schools.”

The 60-second radio ad airs during Focus on the Family, a syndicated talk show hosted by Dr. James Dobson.

No on 82 is supported by other groups opposed to public education. According to a March 26, 2006 report in the Los Angeles Times, “Other groups listed as opponents are outside the mainstream, such as homeschooling proponents ‘Excellence in Education,’ whose website declares that ‘schooling and education are mutually exclusive.’”

Studies show that children who go to quality preschool read earlier and learn faster. But only 20% of our children actually go to quality preschools. Prop 82 will provide a free, high-quality preschool education for every four-year old in California. It will provide trained, credentialed teachers in every classroom and more parental involvement. By sending more children to quality preschools, Prop 82 will strengthen our schools and improve education for all our kids. According to the Legislative Analyst, all revenues would be used for the new preschool program, and Prop 82 provides audits and criminal penalties, including possible jail time, for misuse of funds.

To obtain the full text of the ad and details on the buy, please contact the campaign. For more information about Prop. 82, visit: http://www.YesOn82.com.

Ad Fact Check

Ad Claim: “Proposition 82 would establish state sponsored and state run preschools for all California children, starting at age four.”

Fact: Proposition 82 establishes a mixed-delivery model for preschool, building on the existing network of public, private, and nonprofit preschool providers.

Preschool for All program providers shall be selected from among any or all qualified program providers, including school districts, colleges, universities and community colleges, classroom-based charter schools that offer at least kindergarten through third grade, and other licensed preschool providers, including centers and family child care programs…”(Sec. 14118. (c))

Private and nonprofit providers would not be managed or operated by the state.

Ad Claim: “Already, 66% of 4 year olds in California attend preschool. Prop 82 intends to expand attendance to 70%.”

Fact: This statistic measures all center-based child care, not quality preschool enrollment. Right now, less than 1 in 5 California 4-year-olds has access to quality preschool with a well-trained teacher, according to Children NOW. Prop. 82 would guarantee access to all children, making publicly-funded, quality preschool available to 400,000 who now either go without or are enrolled in sub-standard programs.

According to the Legislative Analyst, “Combining both private and public preschool expected participation rates, the percentage of 4-year olds attending center-based preschool may increase to as high as 80 percent statewide.”

Ad Claim: “More and more people are saying, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, especially with an expensive addition to the current public education system.”

Fact: Quality preschool remains out of reach for most California families. Part-day preschool programs in California on average cost $4,022 per year, more than one year of tuition at a California State University campus. In addition, 75% of publicly-funded programs have waiting lists that prevent low-income children from attending.