Ensuring all District 3- and 4-year-olds have access to pre-kindergarten programs would save the city millions of dollars, reduce crime and build a stronger work force, education advocates said Monday as they launched a campaign to increase funding for early childhood learning.

Preliminary findings of a report detailing the advantages of pre-kindergarten programs found the District could spend $58.5 million on improved and expanded pre-K and realize more than $81 million in benefits, according to Pre-K for All, an initiative of the National Black Child Development Institute.