Statewide Pre-School For All Four-Year-Olds Bill Signed Into Law

On Thursday, May 10th, education partners who provide a rich foundation for children to enter school ready to learn were a part of a historic bill signing ceremony. Stakeholders gathered at Dunlap Early Childhood Center in an early childhood classroom where the possibilities for Iowa's youngest are provided enriched experiences.

House File 877 establishes a program for school districts to offer a minimum 10 hours a week of tuition-free preschool. Districts wouldn't need to operate their own preschools. They could participate in the new program through contracts with church-operated preschools and other private providers, as long as licensed teachers are used and other standards are met.

Next year's state budget includes $15 million to get the preschool expansion program started. The cost per child will be about $3,420. The allocation is slated to increase by $15 million annually over the following three years.

Culver, said it is essential to invest in the education of children at an earlier age. "We now know that 90 percent of brain development takes place before they even take a step in a kindergartner's classroom," he said.

By expanding preschool access to at least 90 percent of 4-year-olds, the education initiative "will position Iowa well to become the first state in the nation to offer universal preschool for all," Culver said.