LOUISVILLE (Kentucky Today) – Gov. Andy Beshear and first lady Britainy Beshear joined Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, local officials, educators, business leaders and parents Wednesday at MMY US, a modular housing manufacturer in Louisville, to launch the “Pre-K for All” initiative, which aims to advance the state’s public education system and job growth.
“We are here, not as Democrats or Republicans, not as part of the right or the left,” Gov. Beshear said. “Instead, we are here as parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, educators and business leaders. We are here because we want the best for our Kentucky kids, the best for our Kentucky parents and caregivers, and we want to build and maintain the best workforce in America.”
The governor noted that, according to KY Stats, more than half of Kentucky’s children – 53.8% – are unprepared when they show up for their first day of kindergarten. “Before they even step through the door, they are behind. This creates an achievement gap that is nearly impossible to close. To increase kindergarten-readiness, we need to offer pre-K for every 4-year-old across the state of Kentucky.”
“We must provide pre-K to every Kentucky child to ensure that they are prepared for Kindergarten and that they don’t feel behind from day one,” the First Lady stated. “When our kids start school feeling excited and ready to learn, they have the confidence to speak up in class, challenge themselves, ask questions and connect with their peers. That strong beginning has a long-term impact, and it will help them succeed and build the life they dream of.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg noted, “Louisville is proud to be the first Kentucky city to support Pre-K for All with the launch of our new ‘Thrive by Five’ initiative. I appreciate Gov. Beshear’s work to provide access to high quality early learning for children in Louisville and across the Commonwealth and I look forward to more exciting announcements in the future.”
A long-term study from Yale found that providing pre-K increased the earnings of parents and caregivers by nearly $9,000 annually, a trend that held for at least six years. This amounts to $54,000 during that time.
The overnor also made stops in Florence and Lexington on Wednesday, and heads to Bowling Green on Friday. Lt. Gov. Coleman and Rocky Adkins, senior advisor to Gov. Beshear, will visit Russell, Hazard and Paducah this week.
