HighwayStarz / Depositphotos.com
By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Kentucky’s early care system is fragmented and Pre-K for All is achievable.
These were two of the five findings included in the Pre-K for All Advisory Committee’s report, which was issued following four months of town halls, 54 outreach events, and numerous meetings with educators, parents, elected officials and child-care providers, a governor’s office press release stated.
“The findings are clear: Pre-K for All will help our kids start school more prepared, save parents and families thousands of their hard-earned dollars, boost our workforce, and help our economy continue to thrive,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “In just four months, the Pre-K for All team and advisory committee have made it a priority to do their research and hear directly from our people. This thorough report will help set us on a path forward for success, and I am grateful to this team for their hard work and commitment.”
The initiative, which Beshear announced in May, has garnered support from a variety of public officials, including those of Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd and Cave City Mayor Dwayne Hatcher. Beshear has asked Kentucky’s General Assembly to “make expanding access to pre-K for all 4-year-olds a top priority in the 2026 Budget Session,” the release stated.
The other three findings in the report were that Kentucky’s existing system is inadequate, that successful Pre-K for All programs focus on quality, and that Pre-K for All pays off for children, families and communities.
Seven recommendations were also made by the committee:
- Expand its existing, state-funded public preschool program now
- Expand public preschool in a phased, responsible way over several years
- Ensure local flexibility in preschool expansion
- Provide services through mixed and integrated school district-level partnerships with head state, private regulated childcare and other community-based providers
- Prioritize quality and flexibility in implementation
- Establish regulatory flexibility for pre-K providers
- Establish a unified data system for agency partners and track education and workforce success data.
“Getting kids a better start is crucial to their development and to their long-term academic success,” said advisory committee member and superintendent of Rockcastle County Schools Carrie Ballinger. “Right now, we are failing our kids. Tens of thousands of Kentucky’s 4-year-olds are not enrolled in any public or private program before kindergarten. Today, 52 percent of kindergarteners are arriving to school unprepared. Research consistently shows that pre-K helps children prepare for school, helps working families and caregivers, and provides long-term economic benefits for communities.”
The full committee report can be found here.
Comments