{"id":25654,"date":"2019-11-05T16:37:02","date_gmt":"2019-11-05T16:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/ftf\/?p=25654"},"modified":"2022-05-18T18:12:06","modified_gmt":"2022-05-18T18:12:06","slug":"local-governments-eyeing-investments-in-quality-early-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ftf-stg.magnetry.com\/es\/2019\/11\/local-governments-eyeing-investments-in-quality-early-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Local governments eyeing investments in quality early learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

A city-funded high-quality preschool program is showing other Arizona cities and towns that investing in its youngest residents pays off.<\/p>\n

Now in its third year, Tempe PRE, the city\u2019s high-quality preschool program, serves 360 children at 12 elementary school campuses in the Tempe Elementary and Kyrene school districts. When it began in 2017, it was started as a two-year pilot program to serve 3- and 4-year-old children whose families were at or below the 200% poverty level in the city of Tempe.<\/p>\n

\u201cTempe PRE was a program initiated by the city council in 2015 based on research that a large population in the city was living in poverty and the families did not have access to, or their children were not attending, preschool programs,\u201d said Leslie Totten, Tempe PRE supervisor. \u201cIt is an important population that they wanted to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

That same research study showed two-thirds of the city\u2019s kindergarteners scored lower than expected in reading and language. In order to ensure more children arrived at kindergarten prepared for success, Tempe invested $6 million over two years to provide high-quality preschool to 3- and 4-year-olds from low-income families.<\/p>\n

This year, the initiative was extended for another two years, opening the program to more families on a sliding fee tuition scale, but the majority of the seats still remain tuition-free. The program continues to gain positive feedback and Tempe PRE officials have shared this model at state and national early childhood conferences.<\/p>\n

Investing for the future<\/h2>\n

Recently a team of researchers from Arizona State University spoke to the Tempe City Council about the Achieve60AZ initiative, which has a goal that by 2030, 60% of adults in Arizona ages 25-64 will hold a degree or high-value credential. Tempe set its mark at 65%.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ASU team told us that the city\u2019s investment in these preschool programs is the most important investment we can make to achieve this goal,\u201d Totten said. \u201cEveryone is starting to recognize that starting with the preschool classrooms will move the needle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although 2030 is more than a decade away, kindergarten teachers are already seeing the benefits of the city\u2019s preschool program, Totten said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnecdotally, teachers tell us that children enrolled in Tempe PRE are coming to their classrooms ready to learn,\u201d Totten said. \u201cThey have developed the critical social and emotional skills needed for school success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now other Arizona communities are touring the Tempe program and asking for more information as they seek to increase access to quality early childhood programs in their own areas. For example, in northern Arizona, a coalition of community partners called LAUNCH Flagstaff is seeking support to provide full-day, year-round preschool to low-income families. \u00a0They have already met with Tempe PRE officials to tour and ask questions.<\/p>\n

In the southern part of the state, another initiative in Pima County called the Pima County Preschool Investment Program hopes to expand access to high-quality preschools within Tucson and the rest of the county.<\/p>\n

The Tempe PRE model offers:<\/p>\n