Pew Report Finds Gov. Bredesen Protects Pre-Kindergarten Program Amid Budget Squeeze

Pre-k addition to nation's major education law would strengthen Tennessee's reform efforts

WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gov. Phil Bredesen's budget proposal to protect funding for Tennessee's pre-kindergarten program earns national commendation in a state-by-state analysis released today by Pre-K Now, a project of the Pew Center on the States.

Leadership Matters: Governors' Pre-K Budget Proposals Fiscal Year 2011 reports that Tennessee leaders, consistent with their governor's firm commitment to high-quality pre-k, included early learning throughout their state's application for a federal Race to the Top competitive grant, which promotes school reform. The proposal was one of only two winners out of 41 applications.

One of the state's early education proposals called for improving Tennessee's early education workforce by establishing a requirement that all pre-k teacher assistants hold a Child Development Associate (CDA) certification. Currently, high school graduates with no training in early childhood education can serve as teacher assistants in many state-funded pre-k classrooms.

The state plans to make training opportunities more accessible for all child care and pre-k providers through the use of school systems' online technology. In doing so, Tennessee's Voluntary Pre-K program will meet the only National Institute for Early Education Research pre-k quality benchmark it has not yet achieved.

"Gov. Bredesen and the Tennessee General Assembly have written the playbook on how to creatively target limited public resources to improve our state's early education system over the last eight years," Tennessee Alliance for Early Education chair Diane Neighbors said. "We hope the next governor follows the smart, bipartisan strategy of investing in Tennessee's future by continuing to invest in our children."

As states struggle to close sizeable budget gaps caused by high unemployment and the lagging economy, Pew's survey found that many governors take Bredesen's view that pre-k is a prudent investment, proven to deliver worthwhile results.

"Many state leaders continue to see pre-k as a smart reform strategy for improving public education that generates high returns on taxpayer investments even in a tough economy," said Marci Young, project director of Pre-K Now. "To improve our schools, Congress should include incentives in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that strengthen state investments and capitalize on pre-k's proven ability to multiply the effects of other education reforms."

Leadership Matters annually evaluates budget proposals for the coming school year and documents governors' remarks in recent state of the state addresses to determine which leaders count voluntary, high-quality pre-k among their top education reform and economic development strategies. Highlights from this year's report include:

• Nine governors would increase pre-k investments. These proposals would increase funding for early learning in these states by a total of $78.5 million.
• Three other states and the District of Columbia anticipate an increase for pre-k through their school funding formulas.
• Ten governors are proposing to flat fund pre-k. These proposals maintain funding for early learning at FY10 levels and include Alaska and Rhode Island, which both started new programs in FY10.
• Twelve governors are proposing to decrease pre-k funding. In these states, early learning investments would decline by a total of $100.6 million.
• Ten states provide no state-funded pre-k.

Pre-k played a prominent role in applications from 12 of the 16 states selected as Phase 1 finalists for federal Race to the Top competitive grants to promote school reform, and the report explores these and other creative state strategies that support early education using federal resources from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Research shows children who complete quality pre-k programs enter school more prepared cognitively, emotionally and socially, are less likely to be held back or need special education services and are more likely to complete high school and become successful and productive adults. States without pre-k programs miss out on these short- and long-term benefits.

This year's Leadership Matters, with funding trend data, neighboring state comparisons and related news links, is available at: www.preknow.org/leadershipmatters.

About the Pew Center on the States

The Pew Center on the States is a division of The Pew Charitable Trusts that identifies and advances effective solutions to critical issues facing states. Pew is a nonprofit organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. www.pewcenteronthestates.org.

SOURCE Pew Center on the States