County officials, Kentucky Association of School Superintendents support Pre-K for All

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Andy Beshear is sharing the latest updates on support and goals for his Pre-K for All initiative.

On Tuesday, the governor’s office shared that, last week, 63 county judge/executives, 31 mayors and the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents endorsed Pre-K for All, urging the Kentucky General Assembly to make growing access to pre-K for all 4-year-olds a top priority in the next budget session.

“The endorsement of Pre-K for All from these leaders – many of whom are Republicans – shows that expanding pre-K for every Kentucky 4-year-old should be a nonpartisan issue,” Beshear said. “Pre-K for All will help our children with academic success, save our families money, boost our workforce and help businesses thrive. I am grateful to these leaders for putting politics aside and prioritizing what’s best for our Kentucky families.”

The endorsements were made through three letters, which were signed and delivered last week to members of the Kentucky General Assembly, officials say.

County judge/executives and mayors both stated in their letters, “Our counties and families cannot wait. We urge the General Assembly to make expanding pre-K access for all Kentucky 4-year-olds a top priority in the 2026 Budget Session. Together we can support our working families and build our communities.”

KASS executive director Jim Flynn shared that member superintendents stand ready to partner with the General Assembly to design and implement a preschool expansion plan, stating, “We cannot afford to let Kentucky’s children fall behind. They are the future leaders, innovators and workforce that will drive our state forward.”

During his weekly Team Kentucky Update, the governor was joined by Alvin Garrison, superintendent of Covington Independent Schools; Billy Parker, superintendent for Scott County Schools; Elizabethtown mayor Jeff Gregory and Anderson County judge/executive Orbrey Gritton III, each of whom voiced their support for Pre-K for All.

“Covington Independent proudly supports Pre-K for All and the expansion of educational access in our commonwealth,” Garrison said. “This initiative is not only beneficial for our families but also vital for enhancing the competitiveness of our state.”

“A child’s brain development is 90% completed by age five. When we miss out on giving children exposure to phonics, math skills and social skills during this critical window, we miss a major opportunity in a child’s development,” Parker said. “Teachers in the classroom know the challenges of helping students who start behind and need additional resources and interventions to help them perform on grade level. Kentucky schools can’t afford to play catch-up.”

“Studies have shown that, on average, parents will save about $7,000 when we guarantee Pre-K for All,” Gregory said. “Not only will families save on that out-of- pocket cost, but they will also be able to participate in the workforce – especially our working mothers, which I think is very important. Elizabethtown is proud to support a policy that is pro-family, pro-business and pro-education, and that will benefit all Kentuckians.”

“We’re going to need a greater workforce. To get a greater workforce, we need educated people. To get educated people, we need Pre-K for All,” Gritton said.

Since the launch of the initiative in May, officials say over 60,000 Kentuckians have written to their state legislators asking them to support expanding preschool access.

After several town halls held by Team Kentucky across the state, officials say nearly 90% of participants voiced their support for more funding for preschool.

To learn more about the benefits of Pre-K for All and to see how you can get involved, visit prek4all.ky.gov.