Dive Brief:

• A law mandating at minimum of 10 hours of public pre-k instruction to every 3- and 4-year-old in the state of Vermont was signed Wednesday by Gov. Peter Shumlin.
• The bill will cost the state's Education Fund an estimated $10 million by 2021, which is expected to be offset by lower special and remedial learning costs as a result.
• The bill will also allow funds to follow children across district lines, allowing more convenience, for example, when it comes to attending a preschool near a parent's workplace.  

Dive Insight:

This bill is a massive jump for Vermont, but isn't the first early childhood measure enacted by the state in recent years.  Last summer, Shumlin allocated $800,000 in public and private funds to help 400 3- and 4-year-olds attend preschool. That was a big deal at the time, but pales in comparison to this latest promise.  

The decision, however, is not surprising as more states move towards instating universal pre-K laws. Advocates of the law believe the $10 million over the next few years is nothing compared to the funds the state will save in other areas now that students will be getting solid educational foundations. Some, however, are critical when it comes to allowing funds to follow students between districts.