Illinois Governor’s Plan for 3-Year-Olds Drawing Attention

Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois has earned high marks from advocates of early-childhood education in recent years for keeping his promise to increase funding for preschool by $30 million each year since 2003. Now, with his latest plan to provide prekindergarten to all 3- and 4-year-olds in Illinois, his approval rating among supporters of preschool has shot up even higher.

In his budget address last month, the Democratic governor, who is running for re-election this year, said he wants to increase spending for preschool, which now amounts to $244 million, by $45 million each year for the next three years. The funding would allow 32,000 more children to attend preschool classes, offered by a variety of school- and community-based providers. In future years, Mr. Blagojevich said, even more funding might be required to cover al interested families.

“Nothing is more important to parents than their children. And nothing is more important to a child’s future than getting a good education,” the governor said in a Feb. 12 press release about his plan. “That’s...