Research shows that high-quality pre-kindergarten has many benefits: children who attend strong programs are less likely to be held back, more likely to graduate from high school, and have higher earnings as an adult. However, NC Pre-K, North Carolina’s affordable, quality program for four-year olds, does not meet enough of the need. Locally, less than 25 percent of four-year-olds are enrolled in quality pre-K programs, and in 2017, there was a waitlist of 267 for the NC Pre-K program. We also know more than half of the children arriving at kindergarten in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County public schools are already at risk of falling behind.

Political leaders in the state have demonstrated their commitment to increasing access to NC Pre-K by funding additional slots across the state. These funds, however, are not enough to meet the need, and legislative priorities can quickly shift.

Locally, organizations have come together to explore opportunities for providing pre-K access to all Forsyth County four-year-olds, which aligns with Great Expectations’ goal of ensuring all children enter kindergarten prepared for success. This effort, called the Pre-K Priority, aims to educate, engage, and mobilize the public and secure a commitment from civic leaders to support universal high-quality Pre-K programs in the county. This collaborative has launched a website and a communications campaign. They have also conducted surveys and produced a feasibility study. Now the groups want to build a broader and stronger commitment to early childhood programming for all four-year-olds in Forsyth. The Trust plans to support organizations that are convening stakeholders to keep the universal pre-K campaign coordinated. We also plan to partner with groups that represent marginalized populations or communities of color to ensure that this effort represents the full diversity and strength of Forsyth County.