Report of Governors’ Pre-K Funding FYOs

This report indicates that while a few governors are stepping up to address the school readiness issue in their States, too many governors have failed to propose adequate funding for high quality prekindergarten programs. On average, the nation’s governors have failed to ask for the resources necessary to address the nation’s school readiness problem in their FY 2005 budget proposals. The unevenness of State budget proposals mirrors a wide variation in program quality and percentage of children served. Federal and State leaders who are committed to addressing the nation’s school readiness problem and improving student achievement in K-12 should begin to discuss a State/Federal prekindergarten partnership that would better serve all 4-year-olds. A chart presents a summary of governors’ proposals for investment in pre-K programs for FY 2005.