Corbett to Seek Boost for Pre-K, Mentally Disabled

Gov. Tom Corbett says his budget proposal next week will request more money for pre-kindergarten programs and the intellectually disabled.
 
Corbett on Thursday read "Stop Snoring, Bernard!" to children at a KinderCare in suburban Harrisburg and told reporters he'll ask the Legislature to increase funding through the Pre-K Counts program by $10 million to $97 million.
 
The money is designed to help another 1,670 children from middle and lower-income families attend pre-kindergarten programs that meet standards for certified teachers and curriculum design.
 
Currently, about 12,000 kids benefit from the program, and the Department of Education estimates that several thousand children are waiting to get in.
 
He'll propose another $22 million to help 1,100 more people get services for the intellectually disabled. Currently, about 49,000 are served and 14,000 are waiting.