Universal, free preschool is one of the more popular measures in President Biden’s social safety net bill, at least according to polls.
It also appears to be one of the most palatable elements of the bill for Senator Joe Manchin, a key moderate Democrat who has insisted on drastically cutting the bill’s $3.5 trillion price tag. While Mr. Manchin has repeatedly raised concerns about spending on paid leave, child care and child tax credits, he has said he is “all in” on the goal of universal pre-K.
That may be because all 4-year-olds in his own state, West Virginia, already have access to free public preschool. Indeed, the West Virginia program, considered a national model, was partially rolled out during Mr. Manchin’s time as governor, from 2005 to 2010, with bipartisan support.