COLORADO SPRINGS – On Thursday, Governor Jared Polis signed a huge multi-billion dollar budget into law.
The more than $30.5 billion Long Bill or SB19-207 includes funding for saving people money on healthcare, investments for water and transportation, and free full-day kindergarten.
During a visit to High Plains Elementary in Colorado Springs Governor Polis said, “When kids go back to school in August – free full day kindergarten.”
It’s been part of the governor’s platform long before getting elected and now funding free full-day kindergarten is finally a reality.
Governor Polis said, “On our 100th day in office yes, we’re here, but also we will be signing the budget that funds full-day kindergarten today so we’re very excited about that.”
During his visit to High Plains the governor read to kindergartners and talked with parents and teachers about his plan to introduce this to all kids.
‘”Really what I told your kindergarteners just now is “Aren’t you every bit as important as first graders?” And they said “Yes!”‘
All of this was made possible by signing the Long Bill into law.
The budget includes $175 million for free full-day kindergarten throughout the state and an additional $327 for each Colorado student.
$300 million is going towards transportation needs. $10 million will be used to help secure our state’s water by implementing the Colorado Water Plan.
The budget also provides about $216 million that will give health services to 1.25 million Coloradans including low-income children and adults, pregnant women, older adults, and people with physical and developmental disabilities.
District 20 has already started offering the free full-day kindergarten option on its own starting this fall and registration is open.
