Governor Culver and Lt. Governor Patty Judge have always believed in the value of early childhood education. They're not alone. Local law enforcement weighed in on the issue and they agree with the Governor and Lt. Governor.
KCRG covered the story:
CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids Police Chief and the Linn County Sheriff are speaking out in support of early childhood education.
They cite a study from Michigan that shows high-quality preschool education actually reduce the crime rate. Kids who succeed in school, starting at a young age, tend to avoid trouble as they get older.
"I've seen all too often once they hit that cycle, it's extremely difficult to get them out. What this tries to do is keep them out of that cycle to begin with," said Brian Gardner, Linn County Sheriff.
The studies also show kids who attend great pre-schools, tend to need fewer special education services. That alone can save a lot of money, Iowa spends $1-billion a year on special education, but only about $36-million on state-funded, half-day pre-kindergarten programs.