Kaine Panel to Push Pre-K for All 4-Year-Olds

Goal Is Universal Access By the End of His Term

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) has brought together a group of educators, officials and business leaders to help implement his plan to open the door to preschool to every 4-year-old in the state.

The 23-member panel, called the Start Strong Pre-K Council, will examine preschool services statewide -- government-funded programs as well as private and faith-based schools -- and recommend ways to build on that framework to make early instruction an option for all families. It will consider issues such as teacher qualifications and how children would be transported to preschool.

Kaine, whose promise to expand preschool was a centerpiece of his 2005 campaign for governor, said universal preschool would help close the achievement gap between black and Hispanic students and their white and Asian counterparts. Kaine said his office estimates that the program would cost $300 million a year if fully in place as planned at the end of his four-year term. He said the program would eventually save money now spent on remedial programs for students.

"Pre-K is about the best investment we can make," Kaine said during a recent conference call with the media and officials from Pre-K Now, a District-based early-childhood advocacy group. "Most achievement gaps are readiness gaps. The research makes a strong case that we need to change the paradigm and start education earlier."

Kaine's push comes as part of a nationwide movement to expand state-funded preschool, particularly for poor children. According to a recent Pre-K Now report, 23 governors have sought increased funding for state preschool programs this year.

About 27,000 of Virginia's 100,000 4-year-olds are enrolled in publicly funded preschool, including the Head Start program for children from poor families. Many others go to private preschools.

Virginia expanded its state-funded preschool program for disadvantaged children under Gov. Mark R. Warner (D). Kaine said that a high-quality universal preschool program "will not be cheap" and that he will work to convince lawmakers it is a worthy investment.

"This is not just a complete slam-dunk in terms of getting the legislature to spend money," he said.

Kaine said that he hopes to add money in each year of his term to eventually reach the $300 million in annual spending and that the first step is to figure out the best way to expand existing programs. "We wanted the first year to be heavily about planning," he said.

Judith M. Rosen, director of Fairfax County's Office for Children and a Pre-K Council member, said the group will look at how other states have expanded their programs and examine the services available across Virginia.

"There are part-day preschool programs and child-care centers. For low-income families, there are programs like Head Start. You need to find out what is out there, where the children are," Rosen said. "Working through all of these programs to make sure you don't duplicate services and can expand services will be a challenge."

She said children who attend preschool benefit by learning basic skills such as counting and identifying letters. They also learn to socialize with peers and are better prepared to enter kindergarten.

Alexandria City Council member Rob Krupicka (D), who was appointed to the Pre-K Council, said he has seen how preschool has benefited his 4-year-old daughter.

"All the data indicates these kids learn better, they require fewer services later in life, test scores are better," Krupicka said.

"All of that ultimately leads to a better workforce and a better economy."

Krupicka agreed a move to universal preschool would not be easy. He said Alexandria officials working to increase access to preschool have found that providers of early childhood education often have trouble finding affordable space in today's competitive real estate market.