Feb. 11, 2025 12:40p
(WGTD)---Gov. Evers emphasized the importance of daycares and pre-schools with a visit Monday to a Head Start facility in Racine.
Evers toured the Acelero Learning Next Generation Now Center, located adjacent to 21st Century Prep on Mound Ave.
He met with staff, highlighting the need to protect Head Start from possible attempts to defund the long-running program by the Trump Administration and the Republican-controlled Congress. "We're in a dangerous place as a country and our kids are right in the middle of it," he said.
A number of Head Start programs in the state experienced an inexplicable interruption in accessing federal funding last week. At least one was forced to close temporarily. The conservative budget playbook called Project 2025 includes a move to eliminate Head Start. An architect of the plan was confirmed just last week to head the federal budget office.
"I don't think we can abandon 60 years of quality education," Evers said. "We're going to have to fight every minute of every day."
At the state level, Evers said his budget proposal—to be formally rolled out next week—includes $480 million for the next two years to continue the state’s Child Care Counts program that provides subsidies to regulated day care centers.
Before leaving the Racine center, Evers, with reporters and photographers watching, took time out to read a book to a half-dozen toddlers.
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