ST. PAUL, MN - Today, Governor Mark Dayton visited Apple Valley's Westview Elementary, continuing his push to ensure every Minnesota four-year-old has access to high-quality preschool. Governor Dayton's preK proposal would provide universal access to voluntary half-day preschool programs, helping ensure that every Minnesota child gets a great start - preparing them for kindergarten, and future success in school and life.

 

During the stop, Governor Dayton visited with students in a preschool classroom, before hosting a discussion with several teachers, parents, and administrators. A recent survey conducted by Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools found that 81 percent of district parents believe preK is essential or very important in determining a student's academic success. The Governor was joined at the school by Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius, District Superintendent Jane Berenz, and Westview Principal Tami Staloch-Schultz.

 

Governor Dayton's visit to Apple Valley's Westview Elementary follows his /governor/assets/2015_05_19_Speaker_Daudt_Veto_Letter_tcm1055-114784.pdfveto of House File 884, which failed to include funding for voluntary, half-day preK access for all Minnesota four-year-olds.

 

Under the Governor's /governor/assets/universal_preK_fact_sheet_tcm1055-114727.pdfproposed $173 million proposal, Minnesota would be among the first states in the country to offer free, voluntary, half-day early learning programs for every four-year-old. In just the first year, an estimated 47,300 students would benefit from the program. Within just a few years, an estimated 57,000 four-year-olds statewide would benefit - giving every kid the great start they need to prepare for kindergarten, and succeed in school and life.

 

Participation in high-quality pre-kindergarten education programs can dramatically impact the lives of Minnesota children. But right now, Minnesota ranks last out of the 41 states with preK programs for access for four-year-olds. For years, Minnesota has faced persistent achievement gaps affecting students of color and students who live in poverty. But a growing body of research shows that giving kids a great early start is the best strategy to close those gaps, and help all students achieve their greatest potential.

 

Studies have shown that early learning programs have impressive and long-lasting benefits for low-income students, including increased high school graduation and employment rates, and decreased incarceration rates. Leading researchers and economists have found that these outcomes yield long-term benefits of as much as $16 for every $1 invested in early learning programs. Most of those cost savings are in education, human services, and justice system savings, as well as increased tax revenues.

 

Minnesota is already on its way to narrowing achievement gaps, thanks to new investments made over the last four years in early learning and all-day kindergarten. In fact, early learning scholarships funded by Governor Dayton and Legislature have already provided more than 12,500 early learners access to preschool statewide. Those scholarships are helping students achieve their greatest potential. Continuing the state's investment in scholarships, while providing universal access for all four-year-olds, would help even more at-risk children access high-quality preschool opportunities even earlier.

 

/governor/assets/universal_preK_fact_sheet_tcm1055-114727.pdfFor more information about Governor Dayton's proposal to provide every four-year-old access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, click here.