Dive Brief:
- Following the rejection of his $343 million universal preschool proposal, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton’s shot down a $17 billion education bill.
- The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party member is also refusing to call a now-necessary special session until state Republicans concede and accept the pre-K program.
- Dayton's plan would have offered free, all-day class to all 4-year-olds in the state, but Republicans were concerned that there wasn't enough space for that many children — especially if existing pre-K programs wouldn't have time to prepare before the expansion.
Dive Insight:
House Republicans in the state were most skeptical about the bill because of the massive financial responsibility it put on the state by expanding the concept of K-12 to include mandatory pre-K. Dayton, however, argues that with the state's current $2 billion surplus, that reasoning doesn't make sense.
The governor's decision to take down the $17 billion ed bill is an interesting one, as it momentarily places many plans in jeopardy.
Of course, while pre-K may be costly, it is also known to be effective in getting students ready for later grades. With only 15% of the state's 4-year-olds currently enrolled in pre-K, the move is more than necessary.