The Tempe City Council has invested $1.5 million in Tempe PRE to assist preschool children and their families.

Tempe PRE has begun its seventh school year, and the council funding approved in June will allow the program to continue preparing 3- and 4-year-old children for kindergarten.

After establishing the two-year pilot in 2017, the council extended the program and introduced a sliding-scale tuition plan to widen availability and increase financial sustainability, city officials said in a release.

The program is also supported by tuition and funding through the federal Head Start program, Arizona Department of Economic Security child care assistance and Quality First scholarships.

Tempe PRE partners with the Tempe Elementary School District and has the ability to provide early childhood education to about 200.

This year, officials said, the program is located in 11 classrooms on eight campuses in the district. Approximately 150 children are enrolled.

“We launched Tempe PRE as a pilot program, with a vision to make sure all children and families in Tempe have access to high-quality preschool to improve school success,” Mayor Corey Woods said.

“With this permanent funding, we are deepening our commitment to educational opportunity and strengthening our community.”

Tempe PRE has a new supervisor, Alicia Tunstall, a longtime elementary school teacher in Tempe and Chandler, and former Quality First coach who coached Tempe PRE for five years.

Space remains available for the 2023-24 school year, and families whose children are 3 or 4 years old may apply now. The city offers full-tuition, half-tuition and free options depending on eligibility.

For more: tempe.gov/TempePRE. To contact staff: pre-k@tempe.gov or call 480-662-6340.