DENVER | Gov. Jared Polis is appearing before lawmakers to provide details on his plan to offer full-day kindergarten in Colorado schools.
Polis was appearing early Wednesday before the Joint Education Committee at the Capitol.
Colorado currently pays for half-day kindergarten.
Polis, who’s founded charter schools for disadvantaged students, insists early education provides an essential head start for students and, in the long term, a stronger economy.
He’s asked for $227 million for full-day kindergarten to start this fall. Funds for that and $25 million in implementation costs would come from surplus tax revenue lawmakers have to work with this session.
Minority Republicans worry about funding roads and paying down a multimillion-dollar state debt to public schools.
