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PRIORITY in ACTION
Forsyth County’s early childhood education infrastructure is at risk, and The Pre-K Priority coalition is asking you to join us in taking immediate action to ensure families in our community have access to affordable, quality care for their children.
Fewer than 45% of eligible 4-year-olds in Forsyth County are enrolled in NC Pre-K, leaving thousands without the early learning they need for kindergarten readiness and long-term mobility. We should be serving at least 75% equitably across our diverse community.
NC Pre-K is a free, state-funded early childhood education program focused on school readiness for 4-year-olds and operated in public schools, private child care centers and Head Start centers. Current NC Pre-K funding serves less than half of the eligible children. NC lawmakers are proposing significant increases to NC Pre-K funding to cover all eligible children.
Centers operating in Guilford County receive a higher reimbursement rate than those in Forsyth County. We need to address those discrepancies as well as the rates themselves in order to have a more sustainable and equitable system.
Local child care centers face tremendous financial pressure to keep enrollment costs low while their operational expenses increase. Adding to that pressure are inequitable and insufficient child care subsidy reimbursements from the state for the hundreds of providers who enroll children through NC Pre-K and other subsidy programs. NC lawmakers want to create a more consistent reimbursement funding structure to meet the centers’ actual cost of care.
take actionlearn moreEarly childhood educators are some of the lowest paid workers in our state, yet without them most families could not enter the workforce. NC lawmakers want to support our educators with a pilot program that would qualify them for subsidies so their own cost of child care is affordable and they stay a part of this vital workforce.
take actionlearn moreIn April 2025, the U.S. government shut down 5 of the 12 regional offices that support Head Start programs, disrupting funding for local Head Start centers. Further elimination of federal funding is under discussion.
take actionlearn more–Leslie Mullinix
Project Director for The Pre-K Priority
There are immediate threats to funding for programs like Head Start on the federal level as well as pending legislation here in the North Carolina General Assembly that could have a profound impact on the availability and affordability of quality early care and education. Access is key to Forsyth County’s economic vitality and to developing our future leaders of tomorrow. Your voice matters in demonstrating to our national and state leaders that we must support Early Childhood Education.
Priority Level: High
Now is the time to contact our representatives.
The Pre-K Priority’s coalition members are working hard to advocate for children and families in our community.
The Pre-K Priority and our coalition partners use #ForsythCountyCaresAboutChildCare
If you believe all children have the right to equitable learning opportunities that help them achieve their full potential in school, work, and life, sign our pledge to show community support for Pre-K in our community.
Sign the PledgeA few times a quarter, we send out a newsletter with the latest news on Pre-K in Forsyth County. We will be sharing updates on the 30 cohort classrooms, as well as information on other opportunities to get involved.
Our elected officials need to hear from you, and maintaining our strong momentum as we move towards more permanent funding for Pre-K is critical. Show your support at City Council meetings and County Commissioners meetings
Learn about the progress and impact of ARPA-funded initiatives in early childhood education over the 2023-2024 year. It will highlight key findings, outline our vision for the future, and celebrate our successes.
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The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Task Force was established in the spring of 2021 to help determine recommendations and create a plan for the implementation of a Pre—K system in Forsyth County to provide all families with the opportunity to enroll their children in a high-quality program.
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See details about how ARPA grant funding will support services for teachers, families, and children in the 30 Pre-K model cohort classrooms.
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