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

LEXINGTON, KY - On June 4, 2025, Gov. Andy Beshear visited Gray’s Innovation and Conference Center in Lexington, where he joined Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, local officials, educators, business leaders and parents to launch the “Pre-K for All” initiative, which aims to advance the commonwealth’s public education system and job growth.

Those joining Gov. Beshear in Lexington said:

“Kentucky needs pre-K for all 4-year-olds to ensure young people from all walks of life will have a quality educational foundation,” said Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. “Investing early improves learning outcomes and ultimately contributes to a stronger economy and a stronger Kentucky.”

“As a single mother and an executive, the limited options for pre-K feel impossible,” said local parent Jamie Rodgers. “We must invest in child-care expansion, ensuring our children have the support they deserve and working mothers like me can participate fully in the workforce.”

“Every child in the commonwealth deserves equal opportunity to succeed,” former state Senator Alice Forgy Kerr said in a prepared statement. “At the present time this is not possible because of unequal socio-economic conditions. The addition of pre-K education is necessary to bring about the opportunity for all Kentucky’s children to succeed.”

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, 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, 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 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 to grow Kentucky’s workforce by up to 70,000 people.
• Grows Kentucky’s economy. In addition, a study 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 creating the Team Kentucky Pre-K for All Advisory Committee, comprising 28 leaders from across the commonwealth.

Today’s announcement 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.

To support the plan, the Governor will host a news conference in Bowling Green on Friday. Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Rocky Adkins, senior advisor to Gov. Beshear, will also visit Russell, Hazard and Paducah this week. Next week, the Governor will travel to Owensboro.