# Beshear expands Pre-K pilot to four school districts **Published:** 2026-08-06T18:12:35.000Z **Source:** [Office of the Governor](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2812) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/beshear-expands-pre-k-pilot-to-four-school-districts Gov. Andy Beshear continues his push for universal pre-kindergarten in Kentucky, expanding his [Pre-K for All pilot program](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2812) to serve approximately 3,000 students across four school districts beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. [Beshear announced Tuesday the expansion of Franklin County Schools and Glasgow Independent Schools in Barren County](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/kentucky-expands-pre-k-pilot-program-to-frankfort-and-glasgow-serving-4-school-districts), adding to the Robertson and Rockcastle county programs the governor launched via executive order in May. The full-day programs mark a continued effort by Beshear to address what he says is a critical gap in childhood education access. According to Beshear's administration, fewer than half of Kentucky's children arrive at kindergarten ready to learn. The governor argues that [preschool is the single most effective way for every child to get the start they need](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/07/14/kentucky-governor-expands-pre-k-pilot-programs-for-two-more-school-systems/), providing foundational reading, math and social skills. The expansion comes despite the Republican-controlled General Assembly declining to fund universal pre-K during the 2026 legislative session. [Beshear said his administration is funding the programs by redirecting dollars from workforce initiatives that were not maximizing outcomes](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/05/07/kentucky-governor-to-launch-pre-k-pilot-programs-in-two-counties/), using federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds. The move has drawn criticism from Republican lawmakers. [Senate President Robert Stivers raised concerns about how the state would fund future expansions and what impact the program might have on existing private-sector childcare providers](https://www.whas11.com/article/news/education/kentucky-governor-beshear-pre-k-for-all-pilot-programs-rural-counties/417-cd22a448-e6d7-4162-bf5f-5129612eb0e0). Beshear has made expanding early childhood education access a signature initiative, arguing it strengthens Kentucky's workforce and saves families money on childcare costs. The governor said he intends to continue building on these pilot programs. ## Sources - [Office of the Governor](https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2812) - [Lex18 coverage of Pre-K expansion to Franklin and Glasgow](https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/kentucky-expands-pre-k-pilot-program-to-frankfort-and-glasgow-serving-4-school-districts) - [Kentucky Lantern reporting on program expansion and funding](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/07/14/kentucky-governor-expands-pre-k-pilot-programs-for-two-more-school-systems/) - [WHAS11 coverage of Republican opposition and concerns](https://www.whas11.com/article/news/education/kentucky-governor-beshear-pre-k-for-all-pilot-programs-rural-counties/417-cd22a448-e6d7-4162-bf5f-5129612eb0e0) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Office of the Governor, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=GovernorBeshear&prId=2812.