Early childhood education, the cornerstone of the President's 2014 budget for education, is a smart investment and we're happy to see that high standards are being set for these programs and their teachers. The Department of Ed's budget justification calls for teachers with at least a bachelor's degree and "comparable" compensation to K-12 teachers. This would be a big shift for many preschool programs, and a major step in the right direction for getting kids ready for kindergarten.