Expanding Iowa’s Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program: Advocacy Group’s Efforts
A coalition of groups in Iowa is making a powerful push for change, urging state officials to provide funding for a full-day preschool program for four-year-olds from low-income households. The current statewide Voluntary Preschool Program only covers a half day for each four-year-old, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet. Des Moines School Board chair Jackie Norris highlighted the challenges faced by working parents trying to navigate just four hours of preschool for their children.
Advocating for Young Children’s Education
Norris emphasized the importance of fully funding and supporting 16,000 young children, around the age of four, who are at 185% of the poverty level. By providing these children with a full day of preschool, the coalition believes that it would not only benefit the kids but also open up additional child care slots. Moving four-year-olds into a formal educational setting, whether public, private, or Christian schools, allows them to receive quality preK education from accredited teachers.
Long-term Benefits of Preschool
Research cited by Norris indicates that investing in preschool education can lead to significant improvements in literacy, math skills, and attendance rates among students. The difference in testing scores and abilities between children who attended preschool and those who did not can be as high as 15%, underscoring the long-term benefits of early childhood education.
Coalition for Change
In addition to public school districts, the coalition advocating for this preschool expansion includes the Iowa Catholic Conference, the Iowa Association of Christian Schools, and the Iowa Association of School Boards. Norris expressed hope that this issue transcends politics and focuses on what is truly best for the children of Iowa. The coalition’s goal is to find common ground and secure the necessary funding to ensure that all eligible four-year-olds have access to full-day preschool.
The estimated cost to the state for enrolling all four-year-olds from low-income households in full-day preschool is $15 million. This investment could have a lasting impact on the educational outcomes and future success of thousands of young children across Iowa. It’s time for state officials to prioritize early childhood education and support the expansion of the Voluntary Preschool Program.
