The plan, created by the task force over a little more than six months, outlines 60 recommendations, including a dozen funding priorities. Without knowing exactly where money would come from, the group presented ways to reform the state's child-care system by pumping money into programs for the estimated 257,000 Kentuckians who are younger than 5 years. Research showing that the most critical brain development occurs in the first three years of life influenced Patton to make early child development a budget priority. He says the issue is as important as elementary, secondary and higher education. For that reason, legislators are expected during this session to consider at least some of the task force recommendations.
Some recommendations require new legislation or changes in state regulations.
Some will be phased in or tested in regions before they become statewide, and some might be paid for by businesses or foundations. Others require no money. Paying for all of the recommendations could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but children's advocates said lawmakers need to start somewhere. E-mail this story to a friend. All rights reserved.