New pre-kindergarten sites to be created in R.I. this fall

GOV. GINA M. RAIMONDO said, “In order to continue to develop the Rhode Island economy, we need to have great schools and that starts with having high-quality prekindergarten programs that are accessible to all children.” / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
GOV. GINA M. RAIMONDO said, “In order to continue to develop the Rhode Island economy, we need to have great schools and that starts with having high-quality prekindergarten programs that are accessible to all children.” / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

PROVIDENCE – Twelve new pre-kindergarten program sites will be created this fall to increase access for residents to high-quality early learning opportunities.

Funds will be drawn from the $1.2 million earmarked for early learning from Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s fiscal 2017 budget and, once completed, Rhode Island’s pre-kindergarten program will have 29 sites and be the largest in the state’s history.

Raimondo said on Monday of the investment: “In order to continue to develop the Rhode Island economy, we need to have great schools and that starts with having high-quality prekindergarten programs that are accessible to all children.”

The 12 new pre-kindergarten program sites will be:

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  • Cranston: The Children’s Workshop   Johnston: Graniteville School 
  • North Providence: Tri-Town Community Action Agency
  • Pawtucket: Pawtucket School Department’s Fallon Memorial School and Children’s Friend and Service 
  • Providence: Providence School Department’s Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, Children’s Friend and Service, and Imagine Preschool
  • West Warwick: Academy for Little Children
  • Woonsocket: YWCA Rhode Island

As one of the initial Early Learning Challenge States, in 2011 Rhode Island received a $50 million grant to increase the number of its high-quality early learning programs. Four years later, according to the 2015 Progress Update on the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge initiative that the U.S. Department of Education released Aug. 1, more than triple the number of children with high needs are now attending high-quality, state-funded preschool programs and there are three times as many high-quality early learning programs with 70 earning the top rating under Rhode Island’s state quality rating and improvement system known as BrightStars.

R.I. Board of Education Chair, Barbara S. Cottam noted the positive growth.

“One of the priorities in our strategic plan for public education is to advance early learning and I am pleased to see that our efforts are leading to more opportunities for children and families,” she said.

Ken Wagner, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary education, said the addition of these facilities is just the beginning.

“In keeping with the goals of our strategic plan, we need to continue to expand the Rhode Island Pre-kindergarten Program, publicize the availability of high-quality preschool and form district and community partnerships to promote and invest in high-quality prekindergarten,” he said.

Those organizations involved in administering the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge grant formed a consortium, Exceed: Rhode Island’s Early Learning Commitment; partners include R.I. Department of Education; R.I. Department of Children, Youth, and Families, R.I. Department of Health, R.I. Department of Human Services, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and the Rhode Island Early Learning Council.

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