The recommendations of Governor Kaine’s Start Strong Council include some with merit, such as establishment of a pilot program and collection of data. But there are missing pieces to each that should be included before they are funded by the General Assembly. More important is the fundamental flaw in the report’s assumptions: that universal preschool is fiscally viable; that preschool is needed by all children regardless of their socio-economic status; and that preschool is not only a prescription, but the only prescription for improving academic achievement in K-12 education.
