LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mayor Craig Greenberg is doubling down on one of his campaign priorities, promising to establish education opportunities before Kindergarten for every three and four-year-old child who needs it in Louisville.
Greenberg is asking Kentucky lawmakers for $40 million over the course of two years to kickstart a universal Pre-K model he hopes would eventually expand across Kentucky. On Thursday, he reiterated that proposal in an announcement of his extensive economic development plan.
"This is an ambitious goal that we have," Greenberg told WHAS11 Friday. "It's not going to happen overnight."
The deficit of accessible childcare and early education across the city, particularly in areas of west Louisville, is well documented. Louisville's mayor has pledged to make the system more equitable since his run on the campaign trail in 2022, prior to being elected.
According to a study from Kids Count Data, a program like this would help Kindergarten preparedness. Only 43% of Kindergarteners are ready for school, which is a drop from 2018. For context, researchers measured things like social and emotional readiness and cognitive skills.
Metro Council President Markus Winkler told WHAS11 this latest pitch may have a shot in the years to come.
Greenberg plans to propose additional funding in the next city budget to establish the program, which Metro Council would have to approve.
Winkler supports the effort, but said the question of whether significant funding is feasible will depend.
"If current trends continue, and we have the type of growth that we've had, than I think there could very likely be room for this type of initiative or something similar, without too much hardship elsewhere," Winkler said.
Meanwhile, as far as concerns from existing childcare centers of being overrun, Greenberg promises partners are welcome and needed.
"It has to be [a collaborative effort]," he said. "They are going to be part of the solution. We need more early learning locations for children across the city."
WHAS11 also talked to Felicia Alfred, the executive director for the St. Benedict Center for Early Childhood Education in the California neighborhood. She leads the effort to take care of and teach nearly 100 kids up to age five.
The childcare center also provides a safe space for children and meals three times a day, as well as mental health therapy.
"I love children," Alfred said. "I understand that these children are going to be the people who are going to be taking care of us when we get older. And I don't know about you, but I want them to be able to do that well."
Alfred told WHAS11 she wants the city to know their doors are open, and to reach out.
"It's great that they want to put in that $20 million [annually], but make sure they ask us what we need and what we want, and what we want it to look like," she said, speaking about the pilot program.
Greenberg said the money wouldn't just be for infrastructure, but also to attract, hire, and train more childcare workers. Many centers across the city are experiencing a shortage of staff.
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