Governor-Elect Malloy on Pre-School for Low-Income Students: "Wholeheartedly Endorse the Idea"

December 2, 2010

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor-Elect Dan Malloy released the following statement regarding Education Commissioner Mark McQuillan's proposal to provide preschool for low-income students to fill any gaps created by the State Board of Education's decision to narrow the time frame for when children enter kindergarten.

"We need to ensure our children are being enrolled in kindergarten because they are ready, not because their parents are struggling to afford another year of pre-kindergarten or childcare. I wholeheartedly endorse Commissioner McQuillan's proposal to provide preschool for low-income students to fill any gaps created by the new enrollment date, but that comes with a cost. But as someone who created a universal pre-kindergarten program for children in Stamford, I know it can be done. Finding $36.7 million a year for an initiative like this is the challenge we face as a state while putting together a budget that is honest and balanced today and provides a platform for success in the future. I've spoken about the tough choices and sacrifices we'll all need to make, and this is a perfect example - we cannot add more to our budget without subtracting from it, too. If we have the passion to innovate, then we must also have the will to make these choices."

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