Federal Grant to Help Expand District 200 Preschool Program for At-Risk Students

Photo credit: Jefferson Early Childhood Center website 

Community Unit School District 200 recently received a preschool expansion grant earlier this year from the U.S. Department of Education and Health and Human Services.

In partnership with Metropolitan Family Services DuPage, KinderCare, and Positive Parenting DuPage, the will allow the school district to expand access to full-day preschool services for its 4 year old students, according to a Community Unit School District 200 press release.

Only 18 other communities around the state received the grant.

Beginning this past February, the grant helped to support early childhood education for 20 additional at-risk students in the community.

Due to lack of space at Jefferson Early Childhood Center and throughout the district’s elementary schools, the school district has been working with KinderCare in Winfield for classroom space, according to the news release.

“For the 2015-16 School Year, we are still securing space to open an additional two classrooms—allowing a total of 60 additional students a high-quality early childhood education,” according to the new release.

District 200 provided the following additional information in its press release:

The first five years of a child’s life are vitally important because they lay the foundation for everything that follows—learning, behavior, physical and mental health. It is important that schools, parents and other service providers work together to lay a solid foundation for every child in our community.

At-risk children who do not receive an early childhood education are more likely to drop out of school, more likely to be placed in special education, more likely to never attend college and more likely to be arrested for a violent crime. Early childhood programs and interventions are the most cost-effective way to ensure the healthy development of children and offer a high level of return to our community.

A little over a year ago through the generous support of the DuPage Community Foundation, District 200 joined forces with Metropolitan Family Services to form the Wheaton Warrenville Early Childhood Collaborative.

The collaborative is a group of more than 25 community agencies, early childhood service providers and supporters of early childhood programs in DuPage County. Working together to improve kindergarten and school readiness, the collaborative focuses on increasing access to services for those in under-resourced areas of the community.

Jefferson Early Childhood Center (ECC) is home to the District’s youngest learners, ages 3-5. Jefferson plays a critical and vital role in the collaborative by providing developmental screenings for children, staff development for partner organizations and parent education and family support through common messaging, materials and community connections.

To learn more about Jefferson ECC visit www.cusd200.org/jefferson.