22,500 Kids Heading to Preschool This Fall with State Funding Secured by Governor Mark Dayton

School-based preKindergarten programs and Early Learning Scholarships will help 22,500 Minnesota children get the great starts they need to succeed in school and life

Despite significant progress, thousands of young learners across Minnesota will still lack access to affordable early learning opportunities, compounding persistent achievement gaps

Governor Dayton’s proposed budget would have funded all 223 school districts and charter schools that applied for new school-based preKindergarten funding this year; Governor’s plan could have served an additional 9,000 four-year-olds across Minnesota

ST. PAUL, MN – This fall, 6,100 four-year-olds will be attending free, school-based preKindergarten programs across Minnesota, thanks to funding secured by Governor Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature since 2016. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) today released a list of 59 school districts and charter schools that will receive new preK funding this year – programs that have significantly expanded access to high-quality early learning opportunities across the state. Additionally, Early Learning Scholarships funded by Governor Dayton and the Legislature will help 16,400 young learners attend early learning programs in Minnesota this year. In total, these funds will help 22,500 young learners across Minnesota attend early learning programs this year.

“With new preK programs and Early Learning Scholarships, over 22,500 young learners will get the great starts they need this school year to succeed in school and life,” said Governor Dayton. “I thank the many legislators who supported these investments to combat our state’s persistent achievement gaps. However, I regret that with a $1.65 billion surplus, the Legislature would not provide the funding needed to ensure all Minnesota four-year-olds have access to these crucial learning opportunities.”

School-Based PreK for 6,100 Minnesota Four-Year-Olds This Year
In 2016, Governor Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature invested $25 million in ongoing funds for school-based preK programs. In total, 74 school districts received the funding, serving 3,000 four-year-olds during the 2016-17 school year. These school districts will continue receiving funding for their preK programming for the 2017-18 school year, and beyond.

This year, Governor Dayton proposed investing an additional $175 million to expand voluntary preK for 17,100 Minnesota kids. Unfortunately, the Legislature agreed to provide only $50 million in new one-time funding, to be used for either voluntary preK or school readiness plus programs over the next two years alone. This summer, 223 Minnesota school districts and charter schools applied for that new state funding, seeking funding for 243 voluntary preK sites and 84 school readiness plus sites that would have served over 12,000 four-year-olds. Limited funds provided by the Legislature allowed for only 59 of those school districts, serving about 3,000 kids, to receive funding – meeting less than 25 percent of the need.

“About 9,000 more four-year-olds could have – and should have – gone to high-quality preschool programs this year. Those programs would have given them a better start in school, and saved their families thousands of dollars,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “We have made significant, meaningful progress to expand access to early learning opportunities in Minnesota. But we have so much more work to do to ensure that all children, everywhere in Minnesota get the world-class educations they need and deserve. Our families, our economy, and our future depend on it.”

“Every child deserves the chance to have a great start,” said Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. “The opportunity to attend a high-quality pre-K program can make an enormous difference in a student’s school years and beyond. Too many children in Minnesota are still waiting in line for their chance to go to preschool, and we need to keep working to make sure they are given that opportunity.”

Comprehensive lists of which school districts and charter schools received ongoing funding beginning in 2016-2017, and one-time funding in 2017-2018, are included below. A list is also included of the districts and charter schools that applied for, but did not receive funding during this year’s application round due to limited funds.

Early Learning Scholarships for 16,400 Young Minnesota Learners This Year
Under Governor Dayton’s leadership, Minnesota has made significant investments in Early Learning Scholarships to close achievement gaps and help more kids reach their full potential in school and life. In fact, more than 29,500 children have received Early Learning Scholarships funded by the Governor and Legislature since the program began in 2013, providing more early learners access to high-quality preschool statewide.

During the 2017 Legislative Session, Governor Dayton and the Legislature invested an additional $20 million in Early Learning Scholarships, expanding the program to serve another 4,900 kids. Combined with existing Early Learning Scholarships, these new funds will allow a total of 16,400 children to enroll in early learning programs across Minnesota this year.

To learn more about who is eligible for Early Learning Scholarships, and how to apply, visit the Minnesota Department of Education website.

Governor Dayton Has Invested $257 Million in Early Learning Since 2011
Under the leadership of Governor Dayton, Minnesota has made historic investments in giving more kids a great start, securing free all-day Kindergarten across the state, investing in Early Learning Scholarships, and beginning to offer free, voluntary preK to Minnesota families in school districts around the state.

Since taking office in January 2011, Governor Dayton has invested $2 billion in E-12 education, keeping his promise to increase funding for education every year he is governor – no excuses, no exceptions. Early learning funding has been a big focus of that new funding, with $257 million invested in the state’s youngest students since 2011. With those funds, more than 168,000 five-year-olds have benefited from the 99 percent of Minnesota schools that offer full-day Kindergarten; 16,400 young kids have access to early learning programs with Early Learning Scholarships; and 6,100 four-year-olds are enrolled in school-based preK and school readiness plus programs this fall in 109 school districts and charter schools across Minnesota.

Thanks in part to these efforts, Minnesota secured an “A” ranking for “early foundations” in a national survey of states’ education policies. These early learning opportunities help close the state’s persistent achievement gaps, and expand opportunities for success to families across Minnesota. But there is much more work to do, and more resources needed, to ensure every child has affordable access to the high-quality early learning opportunities they need to succeed in school and life.

59 Minnesota School Districts and Charter Schools Receiving New, One-Time Funding for School-Based PreKindergarten and School Readiness Plus

74 Minnesota School Districts and Charter Schools That Received Ongoing Funding for School-Based PreKindergarten in 2016

Minnesota School Districts and Charter Schools That Applied for New, One-Time PreKindergarten and School Readiness Plus Funding in 2017, But Did Not Receive Funding Due to Limited Resources

*Notes that the district or charter school’s request was partially-funded