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Mayor Castro Uses National T.V. Appearance to Talk Early Education

Since his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro has become a national political figure. This morning, Castro was on NBC's "Today Show" talking about education.

Castro is in New York for a national education conference and took time to appear on the "Today Show" to trumpet the need for more parent involvement in their kids’ education.

%22Schools%20are%20now%20embracing%20parents%20more%2C%20creating%20family%20rooms%20and%20parent%20rooms%20within%20schools%2C%20starting%20initiatives%20where%20parents%20talk%20with%20parents%20and%20mentor%20them%20so%20they%20can%20get%20involved.%20It%27s%20that%20empowerment%20of%20parents%20to%20actually%2C%20don%27t%20just%20think%20that%20the%20teachers%20and%20schools%20are%20the%20experts%2C%20also%20read%20to%20your%20child%20and%20be%20involved%2C%22%20said%20Castro.

Castro also took the opportunity to plug his Pre-K 4 SA initiative.

“What we are doing in San Antonio is we actually have a ballot initiative to start early to significantly invest in pre-K education," said Castro. "It’s so important that research shows the greatest return on investment is if you get kids in at three, four years old.”

Pre-K 4 SA would raise the sales tax one eight of a cent to fund the full day pre-kindergarten program. Opponents say there are too many unanswered questions about the plan.

See the video (Mayor Castro begins at 3.25 in the clip):

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David Martin Davies can be reached at dmdavies@tpr.org and on Twitter at @DavidMartinDavi