For the 2007 budget, Gov. Rod Blagojevich is proposing voluntary universal preschool for all children ages three and four.

This program is receiving support from officials who feel this is a strong investment for the state to make.

“Illinois would become the first and only state in the country to offer preschool to every three-year-old, and studies have shown that a pre-kindergarten program would improve the state education system and the economy,” said Meta Minton, press secretary for the Illinois State Board of Education.

Under the program, students who are enrolled in a preschool program are 20 percent more likely to graduate high school and 41 percent less likely to need special education. For every dollar spent in pre-kindergarten education, the state saves $7 in other social services, Minton said.

Early childhood teachers also have expressed excitement and support for this legislation.

The goal of early childhood education is to develop social skills, improve the learning experience, promote learning after high school, reduce delinquency, attain better jobs and set the foundation for life-long learning.

“When we investigated the success of this program, we [saw] success at or above the desired learning level,” said Chris Brady, coordinator of the program.

The program also has gained support from advocates of early education.

“This program will do more to promote the state’s education and economy than any other investment,” said Don Owens, senior communication manager at Pre-K Now. “Still, there is more to do. We need to make sure teachers are well-educated and we need to make sure classroom sizes stay small.”

In addition, Blagojevich is proposing additional funding to cover the program.

“Funding for preschool programs will increase by $45 million per year in each of the next three years,” Minton said. “This means that the program will have more than enough money and none of our other programs will suffer as a result of this new one.”