Gov. Beshear’s ‘Pre-K for All’ Initiative: What Owensboro Leaders Are Saying

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

OWENSBORO, Ky. (June 13, 2025) - Today, Gov. Andy Beshear traveled to the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce where he joined Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, local officials, educators, business leaders and parents to rally support for the "Pre-K for All" initiative, which aims to advance the commonwealth's public education system and job growth.

Those joining Gov. Beshear in Owensboro said:

"Access to quality child care and preschool opportunities are critical for Kentucky to ultimately advance educational attainment levels in all grades and to allow more parents to participate in the workforce," said Scott Davis, chair of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. "We know that children in early-learning environments frequently have better academic achievement and better language development skills. Also, a higher percentage of them are more likely to graduate high school and attend college. Furthermore, ensuring that more Kentucky children have access to early-learning opportunities can play a significant role in closing the socio-economic gap between those who have financial means and those who do not."

"Greater Owensboro just came off one of the strongest economic development years in our history," said Claude Bacon, president and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation. "To keep that momentum going, we must continue investing in the people who power our economy. Pre-K access helps parents stay in the workforce, sets children up for long-term success and strengthens our community as a place to work, raise a family and build a future."

"Our family business has thrived in the small communities we serve for 100 years only because we have amazing people on our team," said Clay Ford, partner at EM Ford. "Pre-K For All is important to our future as a company because it will make our Kentucky opportunity more attractive, our employees' lives less stressful, and will instill confidence in their children for a lifetime of success in school and beyond."

"We understand that access to quality child care creates quality of life and workforce participation," said Candance Castlen Brake, president and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. "In short, child care is an integral part of our economic infrastructure."

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.

The Governor launched the "Pre-K for All" initiative on Wednesday, June 3 with stops in Louisville, Northern Kentucky and Lexington. To further support the plan, the Governor, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Rocky Adkins, senior advisor to Gov. Beshear, visited several cities in Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky last week.

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