INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WOWO): Governor Mike Pence testified in favor of a voluntary, pre-K program Wednesday afternoon, before the Indiana Senate Education & Career Development Committee. It was his first time testifying as Governor in support of a bill.
Here are his prepared remarks:
“Good afternoon Chairman Dennis Kruse, and Members of the Senate Education Committee:
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today regarding House Bill (“HB”) 1004.
First, let me thank the committee for your support for education, for expanding opportunities for disadvantaged children, and for funding full-day kindergarten for Indiana’s families.
The progress that we have made in test scores and graduation rates is a credit to our students, our teachers, our parents, and to the leadership that you have shown, but we still have work to do.
As you are aware, one out of five Indiana children lives in poverty. Reducing childhood poverty is a goal of our Administration, and I know it’s a goal all of us share. I have come to the conclusion that we will not succeed in this fight if we do not honestly deal with the fact that too many children do not do well in school because they simply aren’t ready to learn. They arrive in kindergarten and spend too much time trying to catch up, and when that fails, they spend too much of their lives dropping out – out of school, out of work, and out of our communities.
I would like to thank Senator Pete Miller, Speaker Brian Bosma, and Representative Bob Behning for continuing to champion the important issue of early learning choices for low-income children in our state.
Now, I'll always believe the best pre-K program is a prosperous family that can provide the enrichment at home that every child needs and deserves. But the sobering reality is, that’s not the case for too many Indiana children.
I’ve seen the challenge facing disadvantaged kids who start school unprepared to learn. It’s not that they are not willing and bright. They simply don’t have the basic knowledge or skills they need when they get to school. And it hurts their chances of succeeding in school and in life. As a parent and as your Governor, I find that not only unacceptable, but heartbreaking.
I understand there are reservations about moving forward with a pre-K program in Indiana. Just a few years ago I would have had some concerns about this approach, too. But, traveling the state, visiting high-quality pre-K programs has been a learning experience for me.
I’ve seen firsthand pre-K programs that work with disadvantaged kids to get them the help they need before they start school. We are indeed fortunate to have a broad range of public, faith-based and other private programs, all of which should be a part of our efforts to help give these children a better shot at success. That’s why I am so supportive of the voluntary pre-K scholarship program proposed in HB 1004.
We have a chance to do it right: to make it voluntary, to allow families to use scholarships to choose the program that’s right for them, and to ensure our programs are high-quality.
While I am here to support HB 1004, our Administration looks forward to ideas that this committee might bring forward to make this voluntary pre-K scholarship program more effective and more sustainable. But as we consider this legislation, I urge you to do so first and foremost with Indiana’s disadvantaged children in mind. For those of us blessed to call Indiana home, we owe it to all of our children, especially the least of these, to see to it that they start school ready to succeed. And I am determined to work with each of you to advance educational opportunities for all the children in Indiana.
So with great respect, I ask you to move this bill out of committee so that the Senate can continue consideration of this important measure.
Again, I thank Chairman Kruse and members of the committee for allowing me to join you today.”
