Ragan Report

Helping more Iowa kids benefit from preschool

I was proud to support an initiative this week to help more Iowa kids get a good start on their education with high-quality preschool.  In 2007, Iowa established an excellent statewide voluntary preschool program for four-year-olds, but there just are not enough spots for all the kids who want to attend. Many school districts maintain waiting lists. In addition, 34 school districts during the 2012-13 school year did not even participate in Iowa's statewide program.

SF 2351 will help meet the demand among Iowa families who want to send their 4-year-olds to preschool. The bill will increase enrollment and eliminate waiting lists by providing a $1,200 per-pupil incentive for each student that a school adds to their program over the next three years. The bill will also expand eligible expenses for private preschools and encourage outreach to families who could benefit from Iowa's preschool offerings.

Children who attend a good preschool benefit from early reading and math education. A 2013 report by Iowa's Child & Family Policy Center found that kids who attend preschool are more proficient readers by third grade than those who do not go to preschool.

Expanding the availability of preschool will be particularly beneficial to minority students and kids from low-income families. Reports show that students from low-income families who attend preschool are less likely to require intensive intervention after they enter kindergarten. The children were less likely to drop out of school, repeat grades, need special education or get into trouble with the law. 

This is a legislative column by Senator Amanda Ragan, representing Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties. For newsletters, photos and further information, go to www.senate.iowa.gov/senator/ragan.

To contact Senator Ragan during the week, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise she can be reached at home at 641-424-0874. E-mail her at amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov. Senator Ragan is an Assistant Senate Majority Leader, chair of the Human Resources Committee and vice-chair of the Health & Human Services Budget Subcommittee. She also serves on the Appropriations, Natural Resources & Environment, Rules & Administration and Veterans Affairs committees.