Democrats in the Legislature are looking for a way to ensure 90 percent of Iowa kids have access to preschool. One expert estimates it’d cost almost a quarter of a billion dollars to establish preschool programs in every school district, but Senate Democrat Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs says that’s not what they’re talking about. He says they’re talking about access to preschool, as he says not every parent is going to send their kids. Gronstal says some parents stay home with their preschoolers, and don’t intend to send their kids to preschool, so there will not be mandatory attendance for preschool like there is for kindergarten. But Gronstal says the state need to ensure parents who want preschool for their kids can get ’em into one, as all the research shows the ages of 0-5 are important in teaching children.Governor Vilsack put having preschool available to 90 percent of Iowa toddlers on his list of goals for the state, but he provided few details for how to achieve that goal.
Iowa's Radio News Network
