In a move to bolster early childhood education, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott has unveiled a strategic investment aimed at increasing access and quality of Pre-K and child care services across the city. A $500,000 grant has been allocated to The Fund for Educational Excellence, intending to enhance the current state of these programs in Baltimore, as reported by Baltimore City's official press release.
The city's Department of Planning is tasked with scouting for underused or vacant properties that hold potential to be transformed into centers for early childhood education, creatively utilizing space in partnership with the private sector, Mayor Scott's plans follow the previous month's commitment of $1,000,000 to support child care amid city shutdowns, demonstrating a continued effort to support the youngest of Baltimore's residents in their educational journeys and in his statement Mayor Brandon Scott emphasized "This announcement, and the work to come, is about investing in Baltimore's greatest resource: our young people" recognizing the dedicated individuals and educators who have already been laboring in pursuit of this goal for considerable time.
The numerous benefits of early childhood education are not to be overlooked as data suggests that children who are prepared for kindergarten stand 4.8 times more likely to read at their grade level by third grade, which is a strong indicator of their further academic progress and likelihood of graduating on time, this is contrasted starkly against the concerning statistic which indicates that a significant number of Baltimore City children start kindergarten without any prior care, thereby beginning their educational life at a disadvantage; this is a gap that the city's leadership aims to close.
According to city's official press release, Backing Mayor Scott's initiative, Crystal Francis, Baltimore City Public Schools Executive Director of Early Learning Programs, made a definitive statement on the value of early childhood education, saying, "Early childhood education is one of the most powerful investments we can make in our city's future," and her commitment alongside the Mayor's initiative aims to usher in an era where every child in Baltimore has the chance to enter school poised for learning and success, the resources provided by the grant will be strategically allocated to provide data on enrollment and access and will also be utilized for provider improvement through special needs care training.
