FRANKFORT (Kentucky Today) — After Kentucky lawmakers declined to fund his universal pre-K proposal in the recent session of the General Assembly, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday he is moving forward with a pilot program in Rockcastle and Robertson counties through executive action.
Beshear was joined by superintendents from the two districts as they unveiled the initiative, which will expand access to pre-K for all 4-year-olds in those school systems, impacting 700 students.
The governor has pushed for universal pre-K for several years and intensified that effort during the 2025 legislative session. But the Republican-led General Assembly did not include funding for the proposal in the state’s two-year budget approved in April.
“Unfortunately, the Republican supermajority refused to fund Pre-K for All this session, turning a no-brainer into a partisan issue,” Beshear said. “We will not accept that outcome, because Kentucky’s kids deserve better. So do our families who need childcare, and our businesses which need a strong workforce to remain successful.”
Beshear said the pilot will be created through executive order and funded using already appropriated economic development dollars.
Rockcastle County Public Schools serves more than 2,600 students, while Robertson County Schools has roughly 430 students. During Thursday’s announcement, children from Robertson County held signs reading, “Our Kids Deserve Pre-K.”
“They’ll be some of Kentucky’s first kids experiencing the benefits of all day pre-K, which every child deserves,” Beshear said.
The executive order establishes the pilot program within the Education and Labor Cabinet and directs the agency to contract with the two districts to provide full-day universal public childcare for all 4-year-olds.
“Expanding pre-school is a no-brainer,” said Robertson County Schools superintendent Sanford Holbrook. “Pre-K for All will move Kentucky forward, get kids on the right track and help parents get to work. So, I’m over the moon excited for Robertson County to be one of the first districts in the Pre-K for All Pilot Program, and I would like to thank Gov. Beshear for his leadership on this and for putting public education first.”
Dr. Carrie Ballinger, the superintendent of Rockcastle County schools, embraced the program as well.
“This pilot program will help us put a stop to the learning gap before it ever begins. Pre-K for All in Rockcastle County will provide students with a strong foundation, thus allowing our kindergarten teachers to spend less time on remediation and more time teaching,” Ballinger said. “As an educator, I have seen for myself the immediate and lasting effects of preschool. … And for our Rockcastle County parents, this pilot program is going to provide much needed peace and financial relief. … Rockcastle County Schools is extremely proud to participate in the pilot program as we build a brighter future one 4-year-old at a time.”
Republican legislative leaders quickly criticized the move.
House Speaker David Osborne questioned Beshear’s decision to redirect workforce training funds toward the pilot.
“Today’s announcement comes as little surprise. Time and again, the governor has demonstrated an ability to identify funding when it serves to expand the scope and reach of government, even while ignoring serious and longstanding issues within the systems already under the state’s care,” Osborne said. “At a time when vulnerable children are sleeping on office floors and going without resources and services required under state law, Kentuckians are right to question if the governor understands his role in state government.”
Osborne added that the idea deserves “careful consideration, meaningful collaboration with the legislature, and a long-term strategy,” saying Beshear has failed to present a plan capable of winning legislative support.
Senate President Robert Stivers also voiced concerns, while emphasizing support for early childhood education.
“This discussion is not about whether early childhood education matters. It absolutely does,” Stivers said. “Lawmakers across Kentucky recognize that childcare access, kindergarten readiness and workforce participation remain serious challenges for many families, particularly in rural communities, and we have continually demonstrated a willingness to support early learning initiatives through existing preschool funding and legislation like House Bill 6, which included a provision establishing the kindergarten readiness pilot program.”
Stivers said the possibility of expanding the pilot raises concerns about future costs and obligations.
“That naturally raises additional questions regarding future costs, sustainability and what long-term obligations this may create for future budgets and taxpayers,” he said. “These are not political questions. They are fundamental questions of governance and budgeting. When taxpayer dollars are repurposed, Kentuckians are owed a clear accounting of where those dollars are coming from, what tradeoffs may follow and how those decisions are being made. That level of transparency is essential to maintaining public trust.”
