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PRIORITY in ACTION

PROTECT CHILDCARE IN
FORSYTH COUNTY

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. 

4 ways to take action

1

Advocate to Fully Fund NC Pre-K to Serve ALL Qualifying 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.

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2

Act to Stabilize Local Child Care Centers with Reimbursements that Match the Cost of Care.

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.

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Child Care Reimbursement in Forsyth County

3

Advocate to Support Early Childhood Educators with Child Care Subsidies.

Early 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.

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Child Care Subsidies in Forsyth County

4

Act to Protect Head Start & Early Head Start programs that serve 619 children 0-5 yr olds in Forsyth County

In 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.

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Head Start in Forsyth County

“With this model cohort of classrooms, we’re developing the roadmap to an accessible, equitable, high-quality Pre-K system for Forsyth County.”

–Leslie Mullinix
Project Director for The Pre-K Priority

act now

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.

1

Contact Local Elected Officials

Priority Level: High
Now is the time to contact our representatives.

REVIEW RELEVANT NC GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE AND SENATE BILLS FOR 2025

Child Care Act

Bill H316

  • Appropriates from the General Fund to DHHS and DCDEE the sum of $200 million in recurring funds for each year of the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium for the North Carolina Prekindergarten (NC Pre-K) program to expand the number of slots by 32,000 and cover all eligible 4 year olds.
  • From the General Fund, the sum of $35 million in recurring funds for each year of 2025-2027 fiscal biennium to increase funding for subsidized child care.

Universal Pre-K

Bill H715

  • Appropriates $13.3 million in recurring funds from the General Fund to DHHS and DCDEE for each year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium.

Review Effectiveness & Delivery of Child Care

Bill H800

  • Creates a 2-year pilot to help child care teachers afford care for their own children.

Childcare Subsidy Rate Increase & West Pilot

Bill S412

  • Appropriates $123.5 million from the General Fund T in recurring funds for each year of 2025-27 fiscal biennium to implement the market rate increases described.
  • Directs the Division to add 10% to each adjusted rate for a rural county (defined) and for infants & toddlers (birth to three).
  • Appropriates $8 million from the General Fund, to be allocated to five listed councils of government in specified amounts, for 2025-26 to establish two-year pilot program coordinated by councils of governments to build child care capacity in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene that qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Care Center Cost Support Act

Bill S594

  • Appropriates $110 million in recurring funds to the Division for 2025-27 to implement the market increases and to establish a floor for child care subsidy rates as provided in the act.
  • Sets child care subsidy rates in counties that have a county rate below the State rate for center-based and home-based care, beginning Oct 1, 2025, at the 75th percentile statewide market rate for birth through five years for licensed child care centers and homes.
  • Allows application of the county market rate if demonstrated that the application of the statewide ratio to a county with fewer than 50 children in each group is lower than the county market rate and would inhibit the county’s ability to purchase care for low-income children.

The Child Promise Act

Bill S647

  • Appropriates $90,250,000 in recurring funding for the 2025-27 biennium, from the General Fund, to DHHS and DCDEE for NC Pre-K.
  • Appropriates from the Economic Development Reserve Fund and available ARPA funds to the Division, $6.8 million in recurring funds for each year of 2025-27 biennium for a grant program for childcare facilities in census tracts where the ratio of children under age 5 to care providers exceeds 3:1.
  • Requires the Division to coordinate with other DHHS divisions to modernize inspection standards for childcare centers.
2

Attend Upcoming Local Events

Pre-K Expansion in Forsyth County

  • Child Care in Forsyth County: Time to Use Our Outside Voices
    Thursday, May 29 5:00-7:30pm
    Forsyth County Central Library, 660 W. 5th Street, Winston-Salem

    A community event by MomsRising, the M.A.L.E. Initiative, and the Board Advocacy Committee of the Smart Start of Forsyth County. A FREE evening of activities and action to come together and raise our voices for comprehensive child care solutions. We’ll provide dinner and fun for the kids.
    Link to RSVP
  • Family Childcare & Center Enrichment Foundation Annual Conference
    June 5-8
    Register
  • Impact Early Childhood Education Summit hosted by PBS North Carolina
    June 7
    Learn More and Register
  • Child Care Resource Center Business Event
    Coming Soon
3

Support The Pre-K Priority’s Coalition Members

The Pre-K Priority’s coalition members are working hard to advocate for children and families in our community.

Pre-K Expansion in Forsyth County

4

Share & Follow

The Pre-K Priority and our coalition partners use #ForsythCountyCaresAboutChildCare

Pre-K Expansion in Forsyth County

5

Explore Other Resources

Pre-K Expansion in Forsyth County

  • Watch the documentary Take Care NC.
    2024 documentary film looking at the child care crisis in North Carolina
    takecarenc.com
  • Research other regional organizations.
    NC Child | ncchild.org
    North Carolina Child Care Resource & Referral Council | childcarerrnc.org 
    MomsRising | momsrising.org
  • Read North Carolina Child Care Resource & Referral Council fact sheet on our specific region.

Show your support

1

Sign the Pledge

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 Pledge
2

Sign up to receive The Pre-K Priority e-newsletter

A 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.

3

Join us at a local city council or county commissioner meeting

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

4

Send a letter

Send a letter of encouragement to the students and teachers in the Pre-K Model Cohort classrooms:

Pre-K Model Cohort Classrooms
c/o Leslie Mullinix
1200 South Broad Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Resources

2023-2024 Our First Priority ARPA Report

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.

DOWNLOAD report

Forsyth County 2021–2022 Early Childhood Education Task Force Report

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.

DOWNLOAD report

ARPA Programmatic Services Overview

See details about how ARPA grant funding will support services for teachers, families, and children in the 30 Pre-K model cohort classrooms.

DOWNLOAD PDF