Governor’s Budget Increases School Readiness Slots by nearly one-third in 11 key school districts. Target is 4-year-olds soon to enter kindergarten

Governor Rowland’s budget proposes two program expansions aimed at increasing early education investments, and helping priority school districts address some of the concerns from No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

From the Governor’s Budget Summary

“The Governor's plan will add $14 million in funding to expand pre-school slots in all current Priority School Districts, 11 of which have schools identified in August 2003 as having schools "not making adequate yearly progress" with "whole school achievement deficiencies" under the criteria of NCLB. Slots will be offered first to 4 year-olds, who would be entering kindergarten the following school year.

In the 2002-03 school year, the average percentage of children who attended pre-school in the municipalities that make up Education Reference Group (ERG) A was 85%, while in ERG I the average percentage was 58%.

All 11 districts identified as having schools "not making adequate yearly progress" with "whole school achievement deficiencies" are currently designated as Priority School Districts and fall into ERG designations H and I.

The current school readiness program provides funding for nearly 6,300 children. The additional funding recommended in the Governor's plan would allow for 2,000 new full-time, full-day slots.

Initiatives on Early Reading Success

The Governor's proposal would add $1 million in funding to the existing Early Reading Success Program targeted to the current Priority School Districts, 11 of which have schools identified as of August 2003 as "not making adequate yearly progress" with "whole school achievement deficiencies" in accordance with NCLB criteria. These funds will complement the approximately $13 million in federal "Reading First Initiative" funds the State has received, which are to be dedicated to the same purpose. The state currently spends about $20 million on Early Reading Success.

The Early Reading Success program is designed to implement a three-year plan to improve the reading skills of students in grades kindergarten to three, who are in Priority School Districts.

Funds can be used for:

(1) establishing full day kindergartens;
(2) reducing class size in grades kindergarten to three; and
(3) establishing intensive early intervention reading programs, including after-school and summer programs, for students identified as being at risk of failing to read by the end of first grade, and students in grades one to three, inclusive, who are reading below grade level.