Business leaders and policy makers in the Show Me State are laying the groundwork to expand pre-k to all three and four year olds – a move that will save taxpayers money in both the long- and short-term by reducing remedial and special education expenses, improving graduation rates, and increasing economic productivity. Senate Bill 980 – which is gaining bipartisan support – would require the Joint Committee on Education to study voluntary pre-k in Missouri and make legislative recommendations to the general assembly by the end of 2010. Policy leaders have an impressive blueprint to work from – after two years of research and deliberation, the Missouri Coordinating Board for Early Education (CBEC) approved pre-k policy recommendations in December 2009.

After 16 years, the Georgia Pre-K Program is now proudly serving its millionth student. This news comes just weeks after Gov. Sonny Perdue proposed diverting money from the state lottery – which funds the pre-k program – to other education-related expenses. Georgia is the first state in the nation to serve more than one million pre-k children in a voluntary, pre-k for all, lottery-funded program. “The millionth child campaign emphasizes the importance of a quality learning experience that includes a strong early literacy program for all of Georgia’s children,” said Mary Mazarky, Georgia’s assistant commissioner of pre-k. The unnamed millionth child now attends Sumner County primary school in Americus, Ga.

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