| Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has introduced | | | | every $100 of purchases within the city. If |
| the "Preschool Matters" program that will greatly | | | | passed, the Denver sales tax will still be highly |
| impact future Denver schools students, if passed | | | | competitive with other Front Range communities. |
| by voters in the November election. The early | | | | Funding of the program covers: |
| childhood education program is endorsed by the | | | | • Tuition Credits — Open to children only |
| mayor and other Denver officials. | | | | for the year before entering kindergarten. Children |
| City Council President Michael Hancock believes | | | | are generally four-year-olds, and the program |
| the measure to be extremely important to the | | | | may be used only for one year. Credits are |
| city and the Denver schools. Denver schools | | | | distributed based on need and the quality of the |
| Superintendent Michael Bennett agrees, stating | | | | preschool program selected. |
| that Denver schools educators will do everything | | | | • Outreach and Enrollment. |
| they can to pass the measure in November. | | | | • A Quality Improvement System for |
| The program was developed from | | | | preschool providers and programs. |
| recommendations submitted to the mayor by his | | | | • Administration of the program by a nonprofit |
| task force, which was charged with increasing | | | | organization that still must be created. |
| preschool access for Denver's children. | | | | • Internal and External Accountability, |
| Hickenlooper believes that access to quality and | | | | Measurement and Reporting — Covers the |
| affordable preschools is crucial to the city's future, | | | | number of children enrolled in preschool, the |
| as well as an essential part of improving the | | | | number of quality rated providers, the program |
| Denver schools. | | | | finances, and the academic success of the children |
| Documented studies show that preschool is one | | | | who attend preschool. |
| of the best investments for any city and its | | | | Preschool Matters is similar to a defeated |
| youth. A recent study in California by the Rand | | | | California measure, called Proposition 82. Though |
| Corporation found that a return on investment of | | | | both programs expand preschool for |
| $2.62 in savings could be garnered for every dollar | | | | four-year-olds, the California measure was much |
| spent on preschool. The savings is realized through | | | | broader in application and based on an income tax |
| lower juvenile crime and high school dropout costs | | | | increase only for incomes of $400,000 or more |
| — saving dollars for both Denver and the | | | | annually — as compared to Denver's sales tax |
| Denver schools, as well as graduating better | | | | increase for everyone, making individual |
| educated Denver schools students. | | | | contributions minimal. The California measure also |
| Other studies have shown that the Denver | | | | was in competition with an alternative offering by |
| schools children will be more likely to read by the | | | | Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. |
| third grade, less likely to require remedial | | | | Opponents to Preschool Matters believe there |
| education, and more likely to graduate high school | | | | already are opportunities in place through the |
| and enter college. | | | | Denver schools that may be used to expand |
| Preschool Matters, which will greatly benefit the | | | | early childhood education. They believe the mayor |
| Denver schools and their students, will cost $12 | | | | is only creating a bureaucracy with administrative |
| million annually. The mayor is asking for an | | | | overhead. Opponents, as well as all Denver |
| increase in sales tax that will equal 12 cents on | | | | voters, will have their say in November. |