Legislation enabling local communities to plan voluntary standards-based pre-k programs for children coming from low income families passed an initial test Thursday, winning approval from the Senate Education Committee on a 4-2 vote.

Sen. Tom Dempster, R-Sioux Falls, pitched SB 191, stressing its voluntary nature while articulating the need and value for increased access to high quality pre-k programs.

More than 1,500 South Dakota children are currently on a waiting list to join federally funded pre-k programs – a fact that Sen. Dempster said creates early academic divides and will eventually lead to more stress on the state’s budgetary commitments to social assistance programs.

A parade of proponents – including ASBSD, state agencies, public and private pre-k providers, pre-k teachers and parents – urged lawmakers to support the measure, praising pre-k programming for its benefits on early learning. They also tried to head-off anticipated attacks against the plan by highlighting cooperation with private pre-k providers and steadfastly declaring pre-k programs as voluntary.

“There is no state in the nation that has, or has contemplated, mandatory pre-k,” said Greg Boris, a pre-k policy expert with South Dakota Voices for Children.

The measure drew familiar opposition from Concerned Women from America and the Family Policy Counsel, who have rallied against similar measures in the past. Detractors painted the legislation as deceptive, anti-family, budget-busting and mandatory.

Following nearly an hour of committee testimony, legislators entered briefly debated the legislation.

Sen. Russell Olson, R-Madison, opposed the plan, telling committee members that the he believes students belong with their parents until they enter kindergarten.

“In a perfect world, I would agree with you,” Sen. Ben Nesselhuf, D-Vermillion, said, responding to the Madison lawmaker’s statement. “But we live in far less than that.”

The measure moves to the Senate next.