Gov. Timothy M. Kaine wants to expand the state's pre-kindergarten offerings to include voluntary classes for all 4-year-olds in Virginia, not just those considered at-risk. That's about 102,000 kids…. Kaine said his proposal, which eventually would cost the state $300 million per year, "can dramatically increase the chance that students will be successful later on in their educational careers."… Critics say there is no proof that the program is working as it should.

"Is it totally as effective as it should be? I don't know. I don't think there's ever been a real assessment of the program," said Christian N. Braunlich, vice president of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy, a think tank in Virginia that focuses on education and other issues. Braunlich supports preschool for at-risk students but opposes the governor's universal plan….

The governor's Start Strong Council, which advises him on early-education matters, cites Oklahoma as evidence that at-risk children are not the only ones who benefit from preschool. Oklahoma has offered universal preschool for nearly 10 years, and at least one study found that while low-income children have seen the greatest gains, all children in the program have made academic strides….

The Virginia initiative got so-so marks in one evaluation. The National Institute for Early Education Research, at Rutgers University, gave Virginia's program a four out of 10 for quality…. The program met the institute's quality benchmarks for class size, children-to-staff ratios, required specialized teacher training and support services such as vision and hearing screenings. The state failed to meet other benchmarks, including requiring 15 hours a year of teacher training and regular site visits to monitor the program…. Neighboring states fared better Tennessee and North Carolina met nine of 10 benchmarks.

Lindsay Kastner. Richmond Times-Dispatch, Mar 11.