S.314 – A Disservice to Kids and Taxpayers

Montpelier — The Vermont Senate yesterday (3/23/06) voted in favor of S.314, punting any meaningful legislation on universal preschool beyond next November’s election. They also voted down an amendment to place a moratorium on school districts’ ability to raid the education fund to implement new U-Pre-K programs during this period of study.

This is irresponsible government.

Essentially, the Senate is not sure if U-Pre-K is good or bad for children, affordable for taxpayers, and how many private childcare providers will be driven out of business. But while the Senate conducts its study, school districts will be permitted to keep adding U-Pre-K programs to the public school system. According to a Vermont Department of Education survey, thirty-four school districts are currently considering doing just that. This would be a twenty-five percent increase in a program the Senate admittedly doesn’t know enough about to craft good law.

In his State of the State Address, Governor Douglas commented, “Last year, this General Assembly added a provision into the final budget bill that I fear will lead to an unacceptable outcome: adding two more pre-kindergarten grades to the already stressed K-12 education system and putting taxpayers on the hook to fund it.” Since then:

1. On Feb 21 the State Board of Education’s Ad Hoc Committee on Early Education, after months of intense study, recommended AGAINST U-Pre-K as a policy Vermont should pursue, citing high-cost/lack of benefit.

2. S.132, the bill that would have codified and regulated U-Pre-K in Vermont, failed in committee
for the second straight year due to wide-spread opposition to U-Pre-K. (S.166 failed to pass the
House in 2004.)

3. March 7, 119 towns voted to stop raids on the education fund that would increase property taxes – a handful specifically called for limiting the education fund for K-12 only.

4. Studies of U-Pre-K in Georgia and Oklahoma (the only two states that have fully implemented u-pre-k programs since the mid and late 90’s) show that NAEP reading scores for kids with access to U-Pre-K have dramatically declined since U-Pre-K became available, indicating that U-Pre-K may actually be harmful to children.

What S.314 really is a backdoor way of implementing programs that Vermonters do not want and can not afford. The Vermont Senate is pushing U-Pre-K down Vermonter’s throats despite the will of the voters, despite the inability of taxpayers to pay, despite what’s best for children, and despite their own admitted ignorance of the issue.

FreedomWorks-Vermont hopes that the House and the Governor will have more common sense than to let this bad legislation stand, and to put the horse back before the cart – first study the issue, then come up with legislation, then implement the programs!