Kentucky to secure $36M in federal funding in a bid to get more 'kindergarten ready' children

LOUISVILLE, Ky.(WDRB) — Kentucky gets $36 million from the federal government to put more “kindergarten” kids in.

It’s called the Office of Early Childhood Development Preschool Birth Development through the Lima grant, which will provide the state $11.9 million annually over a three-year period.

Governor Andy Beshear said the funding will help the state develop and expand early learning programs, build talent pipelines for the early childhood education workforce, and expand access to high-quality education for children who need it most.

“This is an investment in our children as well as our future workforce and economy,” Beshear said in a news release. “It’s personal for me as a father, because I want all of our children to have the best chance here.”

With her daughter by her side, Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman said Thursday the funding is a big step in the right direction.

“We do everything we can, to ensure that we support our students from pre-K through higher education and into the workforce,” said Coleman.

However, he says, this is a long way from universal pre-K appointments for every 4-year-old in Kentucky, which the Beshear administration says is a priority.