Pima County Averts Cuts to PEEPS Program
Supervisor Cano Statement on Preschool Scholarships in FY26
TUCSON, AZ – Pima County Supervisor Andrés Cano (District 5) today praised his colleagues on the Pima County Board of Supervisors for this week’s action to sustain and strengthen the County’s Pima Early Education Program Scholarships (PEEPS), protecting nearly 60 families from losing access to high-quality preschool this year.
“PEEPS lowers costs for parents and provides every eligible child with access to quality preschool,” said Supervisor Cano. “Nearly 2,000 Pima County families will continue to receive access to preschool scholarships in the year ahead, with no cuts to student enrollment.”
The item introduced by Supervisor Cano was supported by regional education leaders and parent advocate organizations, including the Sunnyside Unified School District, Amphitheater School District, Pima County School Superintendent Dustin Williams, Child & Family Resources, the Center for Economic Integrity, and preschool advocates.
Kelly Griffith, Executive Director of the Center for Economic Integrity, said:
“PEEPS is a bright light in an increasingly dim social and economic policy landscape. This is a signal to all PEEPS partners that the County is in this for the long haul.”
Pima County Superintendent of Public Schools Dustin Williams added:
“I commend the Board of Supervisors for its leadership in protecting and strengthening PEEPS. I look forward to continued partnership in advancing educational opportunities for every child in Pima County.”
(Photo courtesy of Pima County)
Key Actions from the August 18 Board of Supervisor’s Vote (4–1):
- Closed this year’s funding gap, averting nearly 60 families from PEEPS cuts. More than 2,000 children will now be served in the year ahead.
- Directed County Administration to explore expanding eligibility, especially for middle-income families increasingly priced out of preschool.
- Invited private-sector partners to contribute to PEEPS for long-term sustainability.
About PEEPS
Since its launch, PEEPS has provided scholarships to more than 3,000 children, helping them start school confident, curious, and ready to learn.
Nearly 2,000 students were supported in the last year alone, but with only four in ten children countywide able to access early education, significant gaps remain.
Supervisor Cano concluded:
“As PEEPS and our libraries operate under the same taxing district, I remain committed to securing critical funding to support both our librarians and our inner-city library branches. Both are pillars of learning, and both deserve additional pathways for funding.”
| About Supervisor Andrés Cano Andrés Cano is the Pima County Supervisor for District 5, representing Tucson’s midtown, downtown, west and south sides, and the Pascua Yaqui Nation. A lifelong Tucsonan and first-generation college graduate, Supervisor Cano was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2018, where he served three terms and became House Minority Leader in 2023. Most recently, Cano served as the City of Tucson’s Director of Federal & State Relations. He earned his Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2024. |
