In addition, with so many working parents in our state, high quality, affordable childcare is a must. To help ease the current shortage, I'm proposing new investments in both better physical facilities and better trained providers. By the year 2003, when Chase and Kennedy turn five, the full-day kindergarten program I commend to you tonight could be available all over Indiana. Although we've made it optional for school corporations, the benefits of full-day kindergarten are so great that I hope every community takes advantage of this opportunity. Evansville's full day kindergarten has been making a difference for 10 years.
Participants achieve higher test scores into seventh and eighth grade.
With us here tonight are outstanding kindergarten teachers from around the state. They're ready to get full-day kindergarten up and running. I want to sign full-day kindergarten into law this session. Now, elementary school will always pose special challenges for some students, even when they're well prepared. Unfortunately, we know what happens to those who don't get help.