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Governor directs about $3,860 to each of NC’s 2,098 Pre-K classrooms

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A Greene County Schools Pre-K Center student enjoys the school's new playground. Liz Bell/EducationNC

Editor’s Note: This is a press release from the Office of the NC Governor.

As another week passes without a state budget, Governor Roy Cooper is directing $8 million in federal funding to provide a one-time special allocation to help address classroom needs for the new school year — about $3,860 for each of our 2,098 NC Pre-K classrooms.

The NC Pre-K Program operates in every county statewide to provide high-quality early childhood education for eligible children. The Governor made this announcement at Mary Washington Howe Pre-K Center of New Hanover County Schools where he toured the center and called on the legislature to pass a budget that invests in public schools and early childhood education.

“As the new school year starts, we are still waiting on Republican legislators to pass a budget that makes meaningful investments in public education,” said Governor Cooper. “NC Pre-K is a highly effective program that provides opportunities for young children to grow, learn, and develop new skills to put them on a path for success in school and this one time funding will help their classrooms right now.”

Earlier this year, Governor Cooper proposed an investment in NC Pre-K of $108.3 million for 2023-24 and $199.5 million for 2024-25 to increase the state reimbursement rates for operating NC Pre-K classrooms in child care centers and public schools, provide start-up grants, and serve more children. Insufficient state reimbursement rates, rising startup and operating costs, and recruitment and retention of qualified teachers are key obstacles to NC Pre-K expansion, which currently serves only 52 percent of eligible children. The House and Senate budgets under consideration do not provide a funding increase for the NC Pre-K program despite extensive evidence of the program’s effectiveness and a court mandate under the Leandro case to increase state funding and expand the program to serve at least 75 percent of eligible children in every county.

This one-time special allocation can be used for upgrading classroom materials, toys, supplies, playground equipment, supplemental curriculum materials, ongoing facility maintenance needs, mental health support for children and staff, professional development for staff, and other needs. The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) will distribute the funding to provide approximately $3,860 per classroom for the 2,098 NC Pre-K funded classrooms statewide that are serving students this year.

“When we invest in our network of early childhood and NC Pre-K classrooms and teachers, we help strengthen all families and boost our state’s economy,” said Ariel Ford, the Director of the Division of Child Development and Early Education at NCDHHS. “We are thankful for this federal funding to allow us to continue to create nurturing environments that prepare young children for success in school and life.”  

Funding for this new investment in NC Pre-K is from federal Emergency Assistance for Non-Public Schools (EANS) funds that have reverted to the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund.