…from Gov. Mike Kehoe (r) and the right wingnut controlled Missouri General Assembly.

From HB 2002 (the Missouri Budget 2026-2027), truly passed:

[….]
1 Section 2.300. To the Department of Elementary and Secondary
2 Education
3 For the Office of Childhood
4 For a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children
5 from birth to age five
6 From General Revenue Fund (1101) ……………………………………………………………….$2,000,000
[….]

How nice, right?

Except, no:

Missouri cuts budget to Imagination Library, enrollment frozen
BY Jacob Meikel Missouri
PUBLISHED 10:16 AM CT Jun. 03, 2026

ST. LOUIS—The foundation that oversees Dolly Parton Imagination Library says it is working with the Missouri legislature to restore full funding for the program in the state.

The state legislature recently passed its fiscal year 2027 budget, but a cutback in funding for the Imagination Library from nearly $6 million to roughly $2 million puts the program at risk.

In a memo posted to its website, the program says the cutback in funding would close to new enrollments on July 1 of this year.

The program would also continue to send new books to kids enrolled as funding allows, which the program says could run out of funding within four to six months.

The Dollywood Foundation says it’s working with the Missouri House and Senate to restore funding before the budget is finalized and is signed by Governor Mike Kehoe.

Imagination Library is encouraging families to reach out to local representatives to share the importance the program is to their children.

“…The Dollywood Foundation says it’s working with the Missouri House and Senate to restore funding before the budget is finalized and is signed by Governor Mike Kehoe…”

It didn’t happen.

From the Imagination Library website today, in a response to an online query about the availability of the program for a child in Missouri:

Because, by a vote of the right wingnut controlled Missouri General Assembly, supporting a children’s reading program is less important than cutting taxes for billionaires and millionaires. Apparently.

Governor Mike Kehoe (r) tries to have it both ways:

Dolly Parton’s Passing and Imagination Library Funding
August 26, 2026

Governor Kehoe joins the nation and world in mourning the loss of the legendary Dolly Parton.

The Governor is a strong supporter of children’s literacy and education. Given the seriousness of Missouri’s budget imbalance, tough decisions are being made to restore responsible spending across the entirety of state government.

The state budget Governor Kehoe signed in June provided $2 million in funding to the Imagination Library program. Books continue to be provided to Missouri children enrolled in the program.

Yeah, right.

Future of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library children’s book program uncertain in Missouri
Program may not continue beyond 2026 due to funding cuts

The future of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library free book program for children is uncertain in Missouri due to funding cuts.

As part of the state fiscal year 2027 budget, funding for the program was slashed down to $2 million. Previously, the program operated with $6 million in funding.

Whether the program will continue beyond 2026 is still up in the air, according to a regional director for the Dollywood Foundation, which oversees the program.

“Unfortunately, the state has not fulfilled its commitment to sustain full funding for the program,” Regional Director Michelle Anthony said in an email. “The funds needed to continue Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Missouri have been significantly reduced in the state budget. With the currently allocated funding, the program can continue operating through the end of 2026.”

[….]

Kehoe’s statement went on to say that books “continue to be provided to Missouri children enrolled in the program.”

However, once the $2 million runs out, date unclear, children will not receive a monthly book in the mail.

The program cannot accept new families due to the shortage of funds.

[….]

Yeah, no.

Because, by a vote of the right wingnut controlled Missouri General Assembly and with the approval of Governor Mike Kehoe (r), supporting a children’s reading program is less important than cutting taxes for billionaires and millionaires.

The role call vote on HB 2002:

Rep. Brandon Phelps (r) voted for the budget with the $4,000,000.00 cut to cripple the program.

He has plenty of partisan/rubber stamp company.

Own it.

The punch line, two years ago:

Hello, Dolly! Dolly Parton to Visit Missouri for Statewide Imagination Library Celebration Event
Aug 14, 2024

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is hosting an event with Dolly Parton and her Imagination Library team on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at 11 a.m. in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will celebrate the success so far of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Missouri and encourage more Missouri families to enroll.

Imagination Library of Missouri partners, early childhood education stakeholders, and other special guests were invited to attend the event in-person. DESE has partnered with Kansas City PBS to livestream the event statewide so all of Missouri can share in the celebration. Families, parent groups, classrooms, and school and community partners can watch the livestream.

“As the former Senator who carried the Imagination Library of Missouri legislation, to now being in the role of Commissioner, this is a full-circle moment,” said Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger. “Since the program launched in November 2023, we have enrolled more than 137,000 Missouri children in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. We hope Dolly’s visit to Missouri will help us promote the program even further, reaching the families of the remaining 262,000 Missouri children who are eligible.”

Missouri is the 14th state to commit to a statewide Imagination Library program, but no other state has been fully funded, with all children under age five eligible, on the day the statewide program launched.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dolly to the Show-Me State and join her to celebrate the Imagination Library program,” said Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson. “Ensuring Missouri’s children have a quality education is near and dear to us, and we know the earlier we can get children excited about reading and learning the better equipped they are to find success and achieve their American Dream down the road. We appreciate Dolly, her team, and DESE for helping bring these quality educational resources to Missouri children and continue to encourage all eligible Missouri parents to utilize this program.”

All Missouri children under five years old are eligible to register for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. There is no deadline to register. The Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by providing age-appropriate books each month to children free of charge. To receive books, a parent or guardian must register their child on the Imagination Library national website. Books will be mailed directly to the homes of registered children every month, until their fifth birthday.

The statewide expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was made possible through Section 178.694, RSMo, and $11 million was included in DESE’s Fiscal Year 2024 and 2025 budgets for the distribution of books.
[….]

“…Ensuring Missouri’s children have a quality education is near and dear to us, and we know the earlier we can get children excited about reading and learning the better equipped they are to find success and achieve their American Dream down the road. We appreciate Dolly, her team, and DESE for helping bring these quality educational resources to Missouri children and continue to encourage all eligible Missouri parents to utilize this program…”

That was then. Not now.