Quality and education-based early childhood education is a crucial element in the development of young children, who grow up to be Erie’s work force. Lack of school readiness among many children entering kindergarten will have a significant impact on the future on Erie County’s economy and quality of life.
To address this Vital Sign, The Erie Community Foundation’s Early Childhood Advisory Panel, in partnership with United Way of Erie County, Success By 6, members of the Early Learning Investment Commission and Erie Together, created Erie’s Future Fund in 2011 under the umbrella of Erie Vital Signs and under the direction of Early Connections Executive Director Nancy A. Kalista.
For the 2012-13 school year, Erie’s Future Fund provided 230 scholarships, valued at $2,100 per child. These scholarships allowed children to attend a high-quality early childhood education program at ages 3 and 4. Families selected from area public and private early childhood education programs that met the STARS* criteria of Level 3 or 4.
“Next year, we hope to serve 285 children; however, there are still many more children who are in need of a scholarship,” notes Scholarship Director Michelle Harkins. “For the coming year, we are able to provide approximately 40 program locations, covering a large area in Erie County. In fact, early childhood programs are now contacting Erie’s Future Fund because they have improved their standards becoming a STARS 3 or 4 program.”
Read more in the June 2013 Business Magazine.
