Wake County, NC
County Budget
The Wake County 2015 budget included $325,728 to expand NC Pre-K classrooms. By 2017, the budget was increased to $488,600 with another $100,000 dollar-for-dollar match to encourage community investment. By 2020 the budget increased to $600,000. In 2021 the County launched ThreeSchool, a high-quality child care program for three-year-olds from low income families. The initial investment was $350,000 and by 2024 the County made a $2.5 million investment.
Wake County 4-Year-Olds Eligible for NC Pre-K in 2015
Wake County 4-year-olds in NC Pre-K in 2021
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Percent of Eligible 4-year-olds in NC Pre-K in FY 2014-2015
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Percent of Eligible 4-year-olds in NC Pre-K in FY 2020-2021
Challenges
Early Learning Lifetime Benefits Not Well Understood
Key stakeholders were o en unfamiliar with research and evidence regarding the substantial lifetime benefits of high quality early childhood education.
Shifting Political Sands
Change in leadership in both elected bodies and professional staff (Wake County and school system) necessitated education of new stakeholders and cultivation of new champions.
Early Learning Not Prioritized
Many who are supportive of early childhood education did not necessarily see it as a top funding priority.
Advocates Lacked Coordination
Community education advocates were united in support of early childhood investments, but there was a lack of coordination in terms of strategy and tactics employed by various groups to achieve the same ends.
Getting to Action
The effort began over a decade ago when Wake SmartStart and Wake County Public Schools partnered to educate the public and community leaders about the importance of providing young children from economically disadvantaged families with high quality early learning experiences.
This collaborative effort to engage community leaders on the importance of early childhood policies and investments resulted in a historic action. For the first time, the Wake County Board of Commissioners pledged additional dollars to the NC Pre-K program and the School District has agreed to allocate those funds to give more four-year-olds a high quality prekindergarten experience that will prepare them to be successful in school.
Results
- With the support of key County Commissioners, Wake County Smart Start presented the County Manager with options for investment and provided specific numbers for expanded prekindergarten service. The result was a $325,728 investment to expand NC Pre-K classrooms to serve an additional 144 children. Since 2015, the county investments have continued to grow. In 2021, 86% of eligible four-year-olds attended NC Pre-K in Wake County.
- In April 2021, the Board of Commissioners announced the launching of ThreeSchool, a high-quality child care program for three-year-olds in 2022. The initial investment in 2021 was $350,000 for planning and capacity building.
- In 2024, Wake County expanded the ThreeSchool program with a $2.5 million investment, increasing access to free, high-quality preschool for three-year-olds from low-income families from 200 to 300 children, while demand continues to outpace available slots.
Keys to Success
