Gov. Tony Evers hasn't had much luck since he took office in persuading Republicans who control the state Legislature to adopt his proposals for early childhood education.

His first budget proposal provided $85 million to fund increases in the Wisconsin Shares childcare program and a little over $1 million to improve child care options in one Milwaukee ZIP code. But Republicans rejected his efforts to provide grants for childhood education, summer school and teacher certification in urban school districts. 

They also blocked his push to count 4-year-old kindergarten students for state aid and revenue purposes. 

This budget cycle, Evers' Child Care Strong initiative would have put about $106 million toward child care quality improvement programs that would have provided monthly payments to providers that are certified, licensed or established by a school board. He also included more than $3 million to fund social emotional learning for young children, which helps kids develop skills to manage their emotions and attitudes.

Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee chopped both from the budget. 

They did agree on nearly $100 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families over the next two fiscal years, which Evers said in his veto message would make child care more affordable and accessible for parents. 

And Evers did commit more than $130 million in CARES Act money to childcare and early childhood education last fall, including $50 million for Child Care Counts, a program to distribute federal relief money to child care providers. 

So although he didn't see all that he wanted in the budget for early childhood education, funds did come from elsewhere. And with these ratings, we focus on the outcome.

We rate this Promise Kept.

Gov. Tony Evers' 2019-'21 budget included a host of child-focused initiatives, including additional spending for childhood education and childcare — as he promised on the campaign trail.

But Republicans who control the state Legislature didn't sign off on everything. 

A plan to provide grants for childhood education, summer school and teacher certification in urban school districts didn't escape the chopping block, nor did Evers' push to count 4-year-old kindergarten students for state aid and revenue purposes.

According to Evers' veto message, the final budget he signed into law provides more than $85 million through 2021 to fund increases in the Wisconsin Shares childcare program and $1.4 million to improve childcare options in Milwaukee's struggling 53206 zip code.

Evers' staff didn't identify any spending increases for early childhood education, which was also part of this promise. But this promise didn't have a timeframe, so he could still fulfill that promise in the second budget of his term.

That leaves our rating as In the Works.

After years as the state school superintendent, Gov. Tony Evers brought his emphasis on education with him to the statehouse.

His 2018 campaign pledges included increasing spending on "early childhood education and quality childcare." And his first budget includes a couple items would address those points.

One would commit $5 million in 2021 to support the expansion and creation of early childhood programs in the state's five largest school districts. The other would change the funding formula to give the full per-student state aid to schools that provide full-day 4K programs.

Evers' budget also includes a number of items on the childcare front, including raising the maximum reimbursement rate for licensed child care providers through the Wisconsin Shares program and grants to improve overall child care in high-poverty areas.

Evers didn't promise to raise spending by any specific amount, so these are steps toward fulfilling this pledge.

With this and all other budget proposals expected to get pushback from Republicans in the Legislature, we rate this promise In the Works.