COMMENTARY: Good news from governor can't erase decades of state neglect on preschool

It’s frustrating because it’s late, yes. And it’s likely political with campaigning beginning in earnest.

But it’s still good news because it shows a willingness to help kids.

Indiana has lagged behind the rest of the nation in support for preschool education despite the overwhelming evidence that high quality preschool pays huge dividends later in life, both for the individuals and society as a whole. Just two years ago, 40 other states understood this, but Indiana was one of 10 states that had no publicly funded preschool programs.

To his credit, Gov. Pence pushed the 2014 Indiana General Assembly to approve a pilot program for five of Indiana’s 92 counties to begin in 2015.

He took baby steps.

Then he toppled over, telling the federal government Indiana was happy to go slow, and no, Hoosiers would not be applying for $80 million in federal money to expand opportunities for low-income kids to go to preschool. That was despite largely bipartisan efforts to prepare Indiana to apply for a “development grant” designed to support high quality preschool programs that would allow children to be ready to enter kindergarten.

Here’s what he said then: “It is important not to allow the lure of federal grant dollars to define our state’s mission and programs. More federal dollars do not necessarily equal success, especially when those dollars come with requirements and conditions that will not help — and may even hinder — running a successful program of our own making. ... While accepting federal grant dollars can at times be justified to advance our state’s objectives, when it comes to early childhood education, I believe Indiana must develop our own pre-K program without federal intrusion.”

Thursday, the governor sent his letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell. He wrote that “we are interested in learning more about the Department of Health and Human Services intentions for the Preschool Development Grants program. ... We are encouraged that the program could be a good fit for Indiana now that ‘On My Way Pre-K’ has had the opportunity to build the necessary foundation to support future program expansion.”

While Indiana’s lawmakers have been testing and studying and posturing and rejecting significant steps on preschool, other states have been moving forward. California started funding preschool in 1965.

“But that’s California!,” some readers just shouted. So...

Michigan and Illinois started funding preschool in 1985, and by the 2012-13 school year had 21 and 27 percent of low-income 4-year-olds enrolled. Kentucky’s state-supported program began in 1990, and by 2012-13 had 29 percent enrollment in that same group.

Oklahoma’s program started in 1980; West Virginia’s in 1983; Arkansas in 1991; Nebraska’s in 1992; Georgia’s in 1995; Alabama’s in 2000; Nevada’s in 2001 — you get the picture. Indiana has been trailing on preschool support for decades.

“Because of the success of our first-ever, state-funded pre-K pilot program, I am committed to opening doors of opportunity to serve even more disadvantaged children in our state,” Pence said in announcing his new interest in federal funding. “Since the On My Way Pre-K pilot program has come online, we’ve served 2,300 kids in the five pilot project counties. I am committed to growing this program using state and available federal resources.”

While it truly is good news the state’s lawmakers seem to to be coming around, it’s stunning to think that it took this long to commit to “opening the doors of opportunity” to more Hoosier kids. How many lives could have been bettered if state lawmakers had come to this recognition earlier? Pence’s reluctance to apply for $80 million in 2014 was just the latest bad decision. There were many more before that.

But let’s not dwell on the past — with this exception: Voters this fall should hold public officials accountable for the state’s dismal record on support for preschool. What did those running for re-election do on the issue? And what would their challengers do if elected?