Some grim preschool losses

With a rising number of students who need state preschool services, the state budget is providing a smaller total amount, guaranteeing that the funding for each student will decline. 

The chart above shows a 13% cut for students in every preschool need category, and that is without any adjustment for inflation.  It's a decline of over $400 for each at-risk (low-income) four-year old and each three- or four-year-old with a speech/language challenge. When the needs are even more serious, the cuts are still worse: over $600 for a child with developmental delays, and over $800 for a child with severe or multiple disabilities.

Source: as required by state regulation, the Kentucky Department of Education recommends the rates that are possible within state funding to the Kentucky Board of Education for review and approval.  The most recent action was taken at the August 3-4, 2011 KBE meeting, and the numbers above come from the staff note stating what will be possible this year.