For fiscal year 2009, 16 governors and the mayor of the District of Columbia acted boldly to protect and grow high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten programs. Their proposals total $261 million in increased funding for pre-k and would make early childhood education programs available to 60,000 more children, if passed by state legislatures.
Tested by fiscal challenges, these leaders remained committed to pre-k. Others named here failed to recognize that pre-k is vital to both children's success in school and the health of the economy.