Fact Checker: Preschool funding

Introduction

'Branstad tried to abolish preschool funding.'

Source of claim

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Hatch's TV ad 'Yawn,' which started airing Tuesday

Analysis

Sixty percent of Iowa 4-year-olds are enrolled in state-funded preschool, which is more than double the share of 4-year-olds in similar programs nationwide, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research's State of Preschool 2013 report.

Iowa's voluntary universal preschool program, launched in 2007, incorporated 90 percent of Iowa's public school districts in 2013. Participating programs, which must be at least 10 hours a week, are free for all families.

When the Iowa Legislature faced revenue shortfalls in early 2011, $70 million proposed for universal preschool for fiscal 2012 was on the chopping block. Many House Republicans wanted to eliminate the state-sponsored program as too costly.

Branstad proposed a compromise in which $43.6 million in state money would be used to provide $3,000 scholarships to low-income families who enrolled their children in public or private preschools. Parents who made $67,000 or less would have paid between $3 and $133 a month depending on their incomes.

Branstad's plan failed and lawmakers ended up approving $58 million for the preschool program for fiscal 2012.

Voluntary universal preschool has continued to grow in Iowa with the state spending $64.7 million in 2013, according to NIEER's State of Preschool 2013 report. With 24,900 children enrolled that year, the state paid nearly $2,600 per student. In addition to the voluntary program for 4-year-olds, Iowa funds Shared Visions, which provides some services to 3- to 5-year-olds.

Conclusion

Hatch claims in his 30-second TV ad Branstad tried to 'abolish' preschool funding in 2011.

While Branstad's 2011 plan did call for reducing the amount of state money going to universal preschool programs, he did not propose eliminating the funding like some of his Republican peers.

Dictionary.com defines abolish as 'to do away with; put an end to; annul; make void.'

If Hatch's campaign had said Branstad tried to slash, cut, diminish, reduce or lessen preschool funding, the claim would have been 100 percent true. He did want to dramatically change the program and reduce state funding.

But Branstad did not propose eliminating public money for preschool programs. By using the word 'abolish' the claim is false.

Sources

Jack Hatch ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4sATI4ZUGU

National Institute for Early Education Research State of Preschool summary: http://www.nieer.org/publications/state-preschool-2013

Iowa preschool report: http://nieer.org/sites/nieer/files/Iowa_2013.pdf

Preschool funding on chopping block in 2011:

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2011/03/22/gop-preschool-plans-would-cut-state-spending-by-25-million-to-35-million-report-says/article

Governor's 2011 preschool proposal: http://thegazette.com/2011/02/14/branstad-unveils-details-of-preschool-program-restructuring/#ufBQkMQUipWzEdxM. 99