SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois’ governor plans to propose universal schooling for 3- and 4-year-olds, starting with hundreds of millions of dollars going to instruction, intervention, home visits and facility construction. In the first year, spending in the proposal that Gov. J.B. Pritzker plans to announce in Wednesday’s State of the State and budget address would be $440 million. With continued and unexpected revenue increases in the past two years, Pritzker told reporters Tuesday that the time is ripe for expanded preschool. Some state lawmakers have urged a constrained budget because of an anticipated revenue downturn, but mentioned education as an exception for spending increases.
