Preschool teachers would be forced to obtain a certain college degree if a new Democratic bill is passed by Congress. Tucked inside the 2,468-page spending bill (pdf) unveiled this week is a provision that says minimum standards for preschool teachers would require lead teachers to “a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or a related field by not later than 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.” Over 20 states already require preschool teachers to have a degree. Supporters of the requirement argue that early learning is so fundamental that educators should have adequate knowledge about child brain development, mathematics, and other subjects. “Young children are natural scientists and innovators who test ideas and evaluate results,” Anne Douglass, an associate professor of Early Childhood Education and Care at the University of Massachusetts Boston, wrote in a 2018 op-ed. “It requires skill, experience and knowledge to structure learning experiences and …