EXCERPT FROM: Times-Herald.com
Editorial
Georgia's state lottery may be best known for its HOPE scholarship program which provides college tuition to qualifying Georgia high school students who choose to get their college education in our state.
But lottery money goes to another major education program -- the state's pre-kindergarten program which provides free schooling to 4 year olds throughout our state. The pre-K program came into existence in 1993 when the state lottery began after voter approval.
This month the state is celebrating having provided free pre-K to one million youngsters in our state during the past 17 years. Georgia becomes the first state in the nation to serve more than one million pre-K children in a voluntary, universal, lottery-funded program.
Pre-K is an important program in our state. We've all heard about the importance of early childhood education.
Our state's First Lady Mary Perdue has been a cheerleader for the "One-In-A-Million" celebration for this educational milestone.