When households consist of a single parent or two working parents, they must pay for child care. Parents who earn a low enough salary can qualify for free pre-kindergarten, or pre-K, rather than paying for a daycare or private preschool. However, families who fall slightly above the income qualification for free pre-K often face issues. Due to their inability to afford private tuition, one parent may be forced to leave the workforce to provide full-time childcare. Additionally, children who do not receive early education before kindergarten frequently struggle once they start primary school. Kentucky Democratic legislators hope to fix this recurring issue by expanding free pre-K access to families, including those in the lower middle class.
“Too many families are caught in the middle,” Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Reggie Thomas said, according to LEX18. “[Senate Bill] 166 helps working parents stay in the workforce and ensures children have a strong start in school.”
As Kentucky Senate Chairman Thomas stated, if families in the lower middle class are able to access free pre-K, parents will not be forced to leave the workforce to provide childcare.
In addition to assisting working households, preschool prepares children for the transition to elementary school.
“Right now, too many kids start kindergarten already behind,” said Tina Bojanowski, a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from District 32.
According to state data, over 50% of children in Kentucky begin kindergarten without passing academic readiness benchmarks. Granting lower-middle class families who cannot afford private preschool free pre-K can allow children to acquire basic academic skills before the start of kindergarten.
“By focusing on readiness, accountability, and quality, this bill ensures we expand preschool the right way – without cutting corners,” Senate Democratic Caucus Whip Cassie Chambers Armstrong said on a LEX18 article.
Democratic legislators from both the Kentucky House of Representatives and the Kentucky Senate are determined to expand pre-kindergarten access in order to account for lower middle class parents. This will provide child care for children living in single-adult and double-income households who cannot attend a private preschool and academically prepare them for kindergarten.
