Early Learning

Provide access to quality child care and other school-readiness programs for all children age 0-5 years by August 2010.

The focus of this initiative is to provide every child ages 0-5 years with access to a quality school-readiness program. This initiative will reduce poverty in the short run by providing quality early learning sites for children so that parents can work. The long-term impact on poverty will be to improve our schools by having students entering kindergarten at or above grade level.

Progress Report

The OneAthens Early Childhood Team is working with early childhood providers, community members, and the business community to develop strategies to increase the quantity and quality of early childhood programs. The Team has created a Hope For Babies Fund to develop scholarships for children 0-3 to participate in quality early learning, and is also focusing on developing advocacy strategies.