Preschool is valuable and should be affordable

By The Des Moines Register

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Once government gives people something, it's hard to take it away. That is the case with universal preschool in Iowa. The 2007 Iowa Legislature established a statewide program that allows 4-year-olds to attend preschool for free, regardless of a family's income. About 90 percent of Iowa school districts now offer at least 10 hours a week of preschool to nearly 20,000 kids.

But just because it's popular doesn't mean it's financially sustainable. Annual state spending for preschool has grown from $15 million the first year to about $64 million.

Gov. Terry Branstad says the state can't afford to maintain the growing expense. So he has proposed reining in spending and requiring parents with higher incomes to pick up more of the cost of preschool. Though there are some details to be worked out, lawmakers should support House Study Bill 145.

The legislation repeals the existing preschool program. It creates a “preschool scholarship program,” which provides vouchers to eligible parents to help pay the cost. Families of four earning up to $67,000 annually could get financial assistance. All families would have to contribute at least some money - as little as $3 a month in some cases.

This is a reasonable approach to saving the state money while ensuring that state aid is directed to children in lower-income families.

If the state spends less, however, that means less money for school districts. They currently receive about $3,500 from the state for each preschool student. Under Branstad's proposal, that would be closer to $3,000 per child in a mix of public and private money.

That is a blow to schools, which are already struggling financially. However, the Iowa Legislature has many pressing financial obligations - including human services, nursing-home oversight and funding the K-12 schools. That makes it impossible to justify taxpayers continuing to fund the entire cost of a relatively new entitlement for middle- and high-income families.

Lawmakers should ensure that the new program does not create barriers to access to preschool, and they should ensure accountability. ...

Preschool is valuable. Democrats and Republicans generally agree on that. They should also be able to agree that Iowa can continue to offer preschool to 4-year-olds without saddling taxpayers with the entire expense.

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