Testimony to Senate Finance Committee
The state’s new pre-k grant program, established by HB 4, is off to a strong start in its first year. However, the introduced budget bill falls short of maintaining the current $118 million per year, putting the program at risk just as it is getting started and undermining efforts to ensure that students enter kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed. We recognize that the Committee faces a difficult task in writing the budget, and that the current bill is a starting point. We look forward to working with the Committee to fully fund the grant program and ensure children have the support they need.