Back up preschool promise

By The Gazette Editorial Board

Free preschool isn't exactly free in some parts of Iowa.

Reports surfaced this month of parents who are being asked to pay tuition to enroll their children in preschool programs funded through the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for 4-year-olds. State leaders who approved the program intended for it to provide at least 10 hours of instruction at no cost to parents.

In some cases, tuition is being charged for instruction extending beyond 10 hours, which is legal. But in a few cases, parents are being asked to pay for the 10-hour program, which violates at least the spirit, if not the letter of the law.

That's disappointing, considering Iowa will spend $65 million this year on the program, which serves 22,000-plus kids in 326 school districts.

The tuition issue should spur lawmakers to reconsider whether the program is adequately funded. School districts should not be forced to charge parents because state resources don't cover costs.

We do, however, think it's reasonable for districts to set fees for programs above and beyond the mandated 10 hours. And because the program is strictly voluntary, no parents are required to participate.

We also still believe the program's objectives are sound.

Although it was signed into law by Gov. Chet Culver in 2007, it was former Gov. Tom Vilsack's administration that started the preschool push. A panel of business leaders convened by Vilsack identified high-quality early childhood education as a primary ingredient in the state's future economic prospects.

The voluntary program was designed to provide more opportunities for children to receive high-quality, rigorous preschool instruction for at least 10 hours each week. It also gives parents seeking good programs another option.

The effort also has paved the way for public-private partnerships. In each district, schools partner with non-profit, for-profit or church-based preschools to administer the program.

The overall goal is to give children a good educational foundation before they get to kindergarten, with hopes that early skill-building will propel them to future educational success. It's an upfront investment that could pay big dividends in the future.

It's still too soon to get a thorough measurement of the program's impact. We'll know more over the next few years, as today's preschoolers are tested in elementary grades.

It's the uncertainty that dissuades us from embracing the argument advanced by some education advocates that the state's preschool program be made mandatory, creating a P-12 system. For now, we think the current mix of public, private and non-profit providers is appropriate and gives parents choices.

It's a valuable effort that should be adequately funded and remain voluntary.