[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today visited Eisenhower Elementary in Hopkins to kick off a statewide tour highlighting investments made in pre-K this year. Because of this legislation, 9,000 children will attend pre-K that wouldn’t have otherwise, saving families money and expanding access to early childhood education. Without this funding, Eisenhower Elementary would have lost up to 100 percent of their pre-k seats. Photos from today’s event are attached.

“We’re expanding free pre-k for thousands of families to make Minnesota the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Governor Walz. “These investments will give our kids a strong foundation while saving families thousands of dollars a year on child care. This is good for kids, families, and the future of our state.”

This year, Governor Walz secured funding to make permanent 4,000 pre-kindergarten seats across the state that were set to expire in 2024. An additional 5,200 seats will be added in the next two years, resulting in over 9,000 permanent pre-k seats funded in total. This investment ensures thousands of young students have access to high-quality early childhood education and saves families thousands of dollars on child care.

This is the Governor’s first stop on a statewide tour to highlight these investments.