In researching a bill that would create a preschool pilot program, Rep. Hy Kloc cited a factoid long used by early education advocates: Idaho is one of only 10 states that do not fund pre-K.
As it turns out, Idaho is in an even smaller minority.
Two states are piloting new pre-K programs: Mississippi has a pilot for 1,325 4-year-olds, and Hawaii’s program will serve about 1,000 kids.
“The list is getting shorter and I have no doubt that Idaho will one day join the list of states offering preschool,” Kloc, D-Boise, wrote on his Facebook page Saturday.
The seven other states that do not fund pre-K programs: Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
Kloc is working on a bill that would create a three-year pre-K pilot. The first 55 percent of the funding would come from private sources.
More reading: Here’s a link to Kloc’s Voices guest opinion on pre-K.
