"Education officials in Minnesota are finding much to be happy about in Gov. Mark Dayton's budget proposal," writes MPR News reporter Tim Post. "All levels of education, from preschool to higher ed, would receive increases in funding under the plan."

Dayton said his budget proposal would help Minnesota students get a good start by first boosting the state's pre-K programs.

"In this budget I am proposing an additional $92 million in support for early learning, including early learning scholarships, and other help for families to afford high quality childcare," Dayton said.

Post continues,

That includes $44 million in scholarships so 10,000 low- to middle-income parents can enroll their kids in quality child care centers and preschools.

Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius said spending more on preschool is the best way to make sure students are ready to start kindergarten.

"That requires an investment," Cassellius said. "We wanted to insure that all of our families and all of our children had that investment so they could get that great start."

Tom Weber will get more reaction to Dayton's education budget plan from Gary Amoroso, executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, and Dennis Carlson, superintendent of the Anoka-Hennepin school district, on The Daily Circuit Wednesday, Jan. 23.

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