Governor Andy Beshear has announced the launch of Pre-K for ALL, a bold and overdue initiative to give every 4-year-old in Kentucky access to early childhood education. This is not a sudden shift for his administration, it’s a continuation of a lifelong commitment to public education, made visible not only in his policies, but in his partnership with Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, a former public school teacher who knows exactly what’s at stake.
This wasn’t just a press event. It was a rallying cry, and leaders across Kentucky answered the call. Republicans and Democrats stood side by side. Local elected officials, business owners, and educators all showed up because they know this truth: if we want a smarter workforce, stronger families, safer communities, and a healthier economy, we must start with 4-year-olds.
The research is clear. 90% of brain development happens before age five. These early years are not just formative, they are determinative. This is when language, behavior, emotional regulation, and foundational learning take root. Miss this window, and we’re playing catch-up for the next 13 years. And too many Kentucky kids are already behind before they even walk into their first kindergarten classroom.
Some education policy experts have gone so far as to say we should end senior year of high school and invest those resources into universal Pre-K instead. Why? Because they know those early years matter more when it comes to addressing the achievement gap. Pre-K is what truly changes everything for a child.
Governor Beshear’s executive order establishes a 28-member council, including educators, business leaders, and local officials, to plan the path forward. But many districts aren’t waiting.
They’ve already begun building early childhood programs, scraping together funding and infrastructure with what little they have. This initiative doesn’t just spark a new idea, it provides lifeblood to communities that are already doing the work.
Pre-K for ALL will solve a lot of issues for our community.
It levels the playing field. Wealthy families can afford preschool. Their children enter kindergarten ready to learn. Meanwhile, working-class and middle-income families are stuck in a gray area, earning too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to pay out of pocket. Their children show up unprepared and fall behind fast.
It sets the stage for academic success. Children who attend high-quality Pre-K are more likely to read on grade level by third grade, a critical benchmark that predicts everything from graduation rates to adult earnings.
It strengthens the workforce. Kids who start strong stay strong. And business leaders know it. They’re not supporting this initiative out of charity, they’re doing it because an educated workforce means lower turnover, stronger companies, and long-term economic stability.
It interrupts generational poverty. One of the clearest ways to break the cycle is through early learning, but we can’t expect families to do this on their own while wages stagnate and the cost of living climbs.
And yet, some lawmakers still scoff at the idea of investing in early childhood education. They say it’s not worth the taxpayer money. Easy to say when you were born into privilege. When your parents could afford daycare. When your neighborhood had resources. When your family never had to choose between rent and tuition for preschool. When you didn’t grow up watching your mom count quarters at the gas pump or your dad work two jobs just to afford child care.
Any lawmaker who can find the money for private school vouchers can find the money for universal Pre-K. If you can fund elite choice for the few, you can fund opportunity for all.
And if we continue to turn up our nose at investing in early education, we shouldn’t be surprised when we’re forced to overfund prisons, remedial programs, or social services. You either invest now in a 4-year-old’s classroom, or you pay later for the consequences of neglect.
Kentucky is at a crossroads. The next legislative session is a budget year. That means the window is now. Call your legislators OFTEN. Write them. Email them. Ask for it if you see them out in the community. Do not let up on this.
Pre-K for ALL is not a handout. It’s not a partisan issue. It’s a strategic investment in the Commonwealth’s future. The question isn’t whether we can afford it.
It’s whether we can afford not to.
Carolyn Hankins Wolfe is a member of Boone County Board of Education.