By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd and Cave City Mayor Dwayne Hatcher are two of the 94 public officials who endorsed Governor Andy Beshear’s Pre-K for All initiative.
The endorsement of the initiative, which was announced publicly on June 4, came in the form of three letters that were signed and delivered to members of the Kentucky General Assembly last week, a governor’s office press release stated.
In her individual letter, Byrd expresses her “full support” for the initiative that aims to advance the commonwealth’s public education system and job growth.
“Expanding access to high-quality preschool is not only an investment in our children — it is a strategic decision that strengthens our workforce, grows our local economy, and gives every Kentucky child a chance to succeed,” Byrd wrote in the letter. “Across Barren County, I hear from working parents, educators, and employers about the ongoing struggle to find affordable, reliable childcare. For many families, the lack of access to early learning opportunities is keeping parents out of the workforce entirely. By making Pre-K available to all four-year-olds – including those who currently do not qualify — we can remove one of the largest barriers to employment and put thousands of Kentuckians back to work.”
Her letter also encourages legislators to “take a hard look” at state-level administrative costs that are “drawing critical funds away from local communities.”
Hatcher’s name is featured on a letter with several other city mayors that “urge [legislators to] support the Pre-K for All initiative” because of its potential to improve kindergarten readiness, boosts high school graduation rates, raises overall lifetime earnings, save parents’ money, support working families, and “fuel broader workforce participation.”
“Leading cities and towns, both large and small, we know firsthand the vital role early childhood education plays in helping our children succeed,” the mayors’ letter stated. “We also know it would provide financial relief to families, boost our local economies, and help invest in Kentucky’s long-term competitiveness. We’ve heard it from parents, teachers, and business owners: pre-K works.”
Since the launch of the initiative in May, over 60,000 Kentuckians have written to their state legislators asking them to support expanding preschool access, the press release stated.
“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,” said Gov. Beshear. “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 initiative also received an endorsement from the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents.
