(The Center Square) – Ohio expects to spend more than $120 million over the next two years to give nearly 15,000 more low-income students access to preschool across the state.
Grants went to 435 new facilities and, combined with the 339 current preschools receiving state funding, 31,569 3- and 4-year-olds will have access to early education.
“The Early Childhood Education Grant demonstrates the state’s commitment to Ohio’s youngest learners,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a news release. “Children participating in these programs are more likely to start kindergarten ready to learn.”
The facilities must provide “high-quality” programming that includes a curriculum that goes along with the state’s early learning and development standards, along with establishing learning goals based on assessment data and have degreed teachers participating in ongoing professional development.
Programs that receive the grant include public preschool programs, joint vocational schools, boards of developmental disabilities, chartered nonpublic schools, private preschool programs, Head Start programs, child care centers and family child care homes.
Each grant winner receives $4,250 per pupil, a $250 increase. It’s the first increase since 2009, according to DeWine.
“Thanks to Governor DeWine and the General Assembly, we are increasing the number of Early Childhood Education grantees by 56%,” said Chris Woolard, interim superintendent of public instruction. “This creates a wonderful opportunity to provide some of our most vulnerable students with access to high-quality early child care learning in high-needs areas of the state.”
The announcement comes on the heels of the state announcing $54 million in federal funding to nearly 300 community learning centers in high-poverty areas with low-performing schools for after-school centers.
The $53.9 million will go to 299 grantees for fiscal year 2024. The list includes 140 new recipients, and priority went to programs that deal with students in rural areas. Also, 157 continuation funding totaling $25.7 million was awarded.
