Gubernatorial Support

The governor has made pre-k one of his or her policy priorities.

Rationale: Every governor has the power to set agenda priorities and use the office to stimulate public debate about important state issues. Their unique position affords governors exclusive venues not open to other state leaders. State of the State addresses command undivided attention from lawmakers, the public, and the media and provide an opportunity to set policy, propose and defend new or expanded programs, and initiate discussion. Through their prominent role in the budget process, governors are further able to establish policy priorities and promote an agenda. Together, these gubernatorial powers provide unmatched influence over media coverage of and public discussion about major policy priorities. Strong gubernatorial leadership can be the single most important element in creating a positive climate for high-quality pre-k in any state.

Examples: Many significant successes in state pre-k are attributable to strong gubernatorial leadership: Former Governor Zell Miller of Georgia and North Carolina Governor Mike Easley are two excellent examples. Miller oversaw the creation of a lottery to fund pre-k, and Easley initiated North Carolina's pre-kindergarten program called More at Four. More recently Governor Bredesen of Tennessee, the Richardson-Denish Administration in New Mexico, and Governor Vilsack of Iowa have all made pre-k a top state policy agenda item. However, by virtue of these same, influential powers, a governor can play a negative role, undermining pre-k by opposing development efforts or, as Governor Pataki has done in New York, threatening to eliminate funding.