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New state 4K program could push local providers to choose state funding over district partnerships, Waunakee staff warn
Summary
District staff told the budget committee that the state’s new ‘Get Kids Ready’ 4K program (2026-27) offers attractive per-child payments and different teacher-qualification rules that may prompt local 4K centers and licensed day cares to contract with the state rather than the district, complicating student counts and transportation in 2026–27.
District officials told the Waunakee Community School District Budget Committee Oct. 6 that a new one-year state program called Get Kids Ready, rolled into the 2026–27 state budget, could significantly alter local 4K partnerships and the district’s 2026–27 student counts.
Rebecca (staff member) summarized the change: “There’s a brand new state program called Get Kids Ready,” and she said an important provision is that “providers may not participate in Get Kids Ready if they also contract with a public school district to provide 4K in the same year.”
Staff said the state program is funded at about $66 million for 2026–27 and current estimates in preliminary materials place per-child payments for centers at roughly $7,000. Rebecca explained those terms make the program financially attractive to centers and licensed day cares but pointed to two material risks: the program is funded for a single year in the current budget, and payments per center could fall if many providers statewide participate.
Why it matters: if local centers choose to enroll with the state program rather than partner with the district, those students would no longer be counted by the district for the 2026–27 student count. That change would alter district funding, transportation (the district would not provide transportation for students not partnered with the district) and the centers’ staffing and enrollment decisions.
Timeline and operational concerns
Staff said centers must decide early in the school year because family-registration and state reporting timelines require providers to make selections months before the 2026–27 school year. Rebecca said the district needs to present likely scenarios and initial reactions to centers before they file with the state in January: “We have to be able to give them some feedback on where we’re going in ’27 … before they have to file with the state.”
Miranda (community partner) added that licensed day cares in Waunakee are also eligible and that the timeline is tight because registration usually opens in January and parents will make decisions based on program choice and transportation availability.
Staff direction and follow-up
The committee asked staff to run scenarios and return in November (or shortly after) with a range of options for 2026–27, including maintaining district-run 4K in school buildings, contracting with centers, and mixed models. Staff said they will bring the item back and communicate with centers so providers can make timely decisions.
Ending
No policy decision was recorded on Oct. 6; staff will present scenario analyses and bring Miranda and other stakeholders back to the committee as the district finalizes options before centers must file state choices.
