Pawlenty proposes pre-K funding

03/08/2006

$10 million aims at bettering curriculum

BY MEGAN BOLDT
Pioneer Press

Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Tuesday announced a $10 million legislative package aimed at enhancing early childhood education programs and improving kindergarten readiness curriculum offered by child care providers.

His proposal also would re-establish a screening program that helps identify children who aren’t ready for kindergarten and offers some training and incentives for caregivers who want to introduce more early education into their child care services.

“We should be able to say there are some basic social skills and early educational skills we want children to know before kindergarten,” Pawlenty said. “If government is going to put a lot of money into child care, let’s not put it into babysitting. Let’s put it into care plus learning.”

The money for his initiative would come from a bonus the state received for its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which is funded through federal welfare dollars.

Sen. John Hottinger, DFL, St. Peter, chairman of the Senate Early Childhood Education Policy and Budget Division, welcomed Pawlenty’s recommendations and said they are a good start.

“I think it’s good to have the governor on board, and that’s helpful to the discussion,” he said.

Hottinger said the missing link, though, is the need to improve quality and access to the state’s child care system.
Carole Specktor, advocacy and legislative affairs director for the Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota, agreed.

She said Pawlenty’s effort doesn’t come close to making up for the state cuts to child care programs over the past three years or help the approximately 5,000 families that are on a waiting list to receive subsidized child care.

“If it’s his goal to increase school readiness, we first need to address the access issue so working families can get affordable child care,” Specktor said.