The House Select Committee on Early Childhood Education Improvement took up a draft report on changing the definition of “at risk” children and eligibility for pre-K programs. One original recommendation was to lower the income level from well above the federal poverty level to 100 percent of that figure, which is roughly $23,000 for a family of four. But the report distributed to the committee members dropped that definition.
The original draft proposals also included a recommendation for moving pre-K programs away from public schools and into private settings. But Rep. Rosa Gill (D-Wake) objected and drafted an amendment to delete that proposal and instead simply recommend Pre-K classrooms should be offered in an “array” of settings, including public schools.
Both original proposals would have saved the state money. Meanwhile, Gov. Bev Perdue ordered 2,000 more slots open for pre-K programs increasing the amount of reimbursements the state will have to come up with. She’s taking money away from federal child care subsidy funds to finance that move.
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