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OFFICE OF GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR








*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*




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*Crystal Staley*
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*James Hatchett
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Gov. Beshear, Lt. Gov. Coleman Visit Western Kentucky 
To Highlight ‘Pre-K for All’ Initiative

"Leaders in business, education join call for
pre-K for all of Kentucky’s 4-year-olds"

*BOWLING GREEN / PADUCAH, Ky. (June 6, 2025)* – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear and his senior advisor, Rocky Adkins, traveled to Western Kentucky University (WKU) in Bowling Green and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman traveled to Paducah where they joined local officials, educators, business leaders and parents to rally support for the “Pre-K for All [ [link removed] ]” initiative, which aims to advance the commonwealth’s public education system and job growth.

“We are here, not as Democrats or Republicans, not as part of the right or the left,” *Gov. Beshear* said. “Instead, we are here as parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, educators and business leaders. We are here because we want the best for our Kentucky kids, the best for our Kentucky parents and caregivers, and we want to build and maintain the best workforce in America.”

“Kentucky will never reach its potential if our children’s zip code determines their place in the world by the first day of kindergarten,” *Lt. Gov. Coleman* said. “The time for pre-K is now.”

Those joining Gov. Beshear and Adkins in Bowling Green said:

“WKU stands ready to partner with Gov. Beshear and the commonwealth in ensuring a robust educator workforce in support of a community future founded in PreK for All,” said *Corinne Murphy*, dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at WKU. “These littlest Hilltoppers will, sooner than we’d like, become our biggest Hilltoppers and our next community leaders.”

“High-quality Pre-K boosts long-term economic growth by enhancing school readiness, and reducing achievement gaps, which decreases reliance on public assistance,” said *Ron Bunch*, president of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce. “It also supports parental workforce participation, driving economic activity.

*Joel Wolford*, incoming president of the Kentucky Education Association, said, “Kentucky needs pre-K for all 4-year-olds in the commonwealth so that they may have a solid foundation for a successful public-school education and to become lifelong learners who value the importance of acquiring new skills and knowledge to aid them in achieving both professional and personal goals.”

“Investing in this initiative is crucial,” said *Amanda Havard*, CEO of Origin Story Health and board chair of the Regional Technology Council. “The investment we make in pre-K now will greatly impact the Kentuckians filling our jobs, feeding their families and creating the world we’re all going to live in in 2050. But it’s not just about providing opportunity for children; it’s also about opportunity in our workforce, allowing educated, capable, working women the ability to reenter the job market.”

Those joining the Lieutenant Governor in Paducah said:

“I am proud to support the initiative for universal preschool because it would ensure that every child in Kentucky, regardless of income or background, gets a fair chance at success from the very beginning,” *Carlisle County Judge/Executive Greg Terry* said. “It will bring more parents into the workforce, save them money, relieve financial and time pressure and help our kids. This isn’t just an investment in our children; it is an investment in our future workforce, our economy and our communities.”

Kentucky Board of Education member *Holly Bloodworth* said, “We know from research that 90% of a child’s brain develops before the age of 5. In preschool, children are developing language skills and numeracy skills. They are learning how to listen, how to express themselves, how to take turns and how to try again when they fail. Not only are these the foundational skills of school success, but also life success.”

“Pre-K is vital for our children to get on the right path and continue through their entire educational journey,” said *Keith Murt*, management co-chair of the Kentucky Labor Management Conference. “Pre-K will ensure children have better opportunities to be business and civic leaders in their community. There is no investment we can make that will be more beneficial for the future of Kentucky.”

“Pre-K is not just good policy; it’s necessary for the future of our children and the stability of industries like mine,” said *Sarah Bradley*, chef and proprietor of Freight House in Paducah. “Pre-K doesn’t just help parents reenter the workforce sooner; it gives our kids a much stronger start, with access to consistent education paired with the healthy foods that are so important for their little brains to develop. It sets children up for long-term success”

During his remarks, the Governor mentioned key points that support how children, families and businesses will benefit from the initiative.

Pre-K for All:


* *Increases Kindergarten readiness for all Kentucky 4-year-olds. *According to KY Stats [ [link removed] ], more than half of Kentucky’s children – 53.8% – are unprepared when they show up for their first day of kindergarten.
* *Eliminates child-care deserts. *According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services [ [link removed] ], 79 of Kentucky’s 120 counties – nearly two-thirds – don’t have access to enough child care to serve every family who needs it, with the majority of those located in Eastern Kentucky.
* *Boosts parents take-home pay. *A long-term study [ [link removed] ] from Yale found that providing pre-K increased the earnings of parents and caregivers by nearly $9,000 annually, a trend that held for at least six years. This amounts to $54,000 for Kentucky families as their kids grow.
* *Saves Kentucky families out-of-pocket child-care costs.* By reducing child-care costs, Pre-K for All will ease financial strain for hard-working families and strengthen the foundation of Kentucky’s economy.
* *Grows Kentucky’s labor force by 40,000 to 70,000 Kentuckians. *According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, over time, Pre-K for All is projected [ [link removed] ] to grow Kentucky’s workforce by up to 70,000 people.
* *Grows Kentucky’s economy. *In addition, a study [ [link removed] ] from Yale shows that every dollar invested in pre-K generates $10 that cycles through the state economy.

Gov. Beshear stressed that Pre-K for All is a nonpartisan issue, noting that 18 states – including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia and West Virginia – offer pre-K access for all 4-year-olds.

“They have gotten it done, and so can we,” the Governor said in outlining his plans.

As part of the initiative, Gov. Beshear issued an executive order [ [link removed] ] creating the Team Kentucky Pre-K for All Advisory Committee, comprising 28 leaders from across the commonwealth.

Pre-K for All aims to build on Kentucky’s historic economic winning streak.

Under Gov. Beshear’s leadership, the state has broken its job-creation record, creating more than 60,000 good jobs. And while Kentucky has reached the highest point ever for the number of people employed, number of jobs filled and civilian labor force, the Governor said there is still important work to do.

“Pre-K for All is a step we must take to boost our economy, strengthen our workforce, better educate our kids and put more money in the pockets of hard-working Kentucky families,” Gov. Beshear added.

The Governor launched the “Pre-K for All [ [link removed] ]” initiative on Wednesday with stops in Louisville [ [link removed] ], Northern Kentucky [ [link removed] ] and Lexington [ [link removed] ].

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