Preschool program in Tempe launches 7th year with permanent funding
Independent Newsmedia
Posted 7/27/23
Tempe PRE has launched its seventh school year serving preschool children and their families bolstered by city council action this budget year to provide permanent funding for the program.
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Early Education
Preschool program in Tempe launches 7th year with permanent funding
Courtesy City of Tempe
Since its launch in 2017, Tempe PRE has enrolled approximately 1,650 children in the full-day program.
Posted
Independent Newsmedia
Tempe PRE has launched its seventh school year serving preschool children and their families bolstered by city council action this budget year to provide permanent funding for the program.
The $1.5 million city investment, approved in June during the budget process, allows Tempe PRE, the city’s full-day preschool for three and four-year-olds, to continue fostering kindergarten readiness and improving families’ overall quality of life in partnership with the Tempe Elementary School District, a city release explained.
Importantly, the funding represents an investment in families by lessening the financial burden of the cost of preschool through financial assistance for qualifying families.
“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,” said Mayor Corey Woods in the release. “With this permanent funding, we are deepening our commitment to educational opportunity and strengthening our community.”
After establishing the two-year pilot in 2017, the City Council extended the program and introduced a sliding-scale tuition plan to widen availability and increase financial sustainability.
In addition to the permanent city funding, 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 has the capacity to provide early childhood education to approximately 200 children and their families through its unique partnership with the Tempe Elementary district. This year, the program is located in 11 classrooms on eight campuses in the district. Approximately 150 children are enrolled to date.
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, the release stated.
Though Tempe PRE has evolved since 2017, the goal of providing a quality program and improving quality of life has remained constant, the release stated.
Space is still available for the 2023-24 school year and families whose children are three and four years old may apply now. The city offers full-tuition, half-tuition and free options depending on eligibility.
For information, visit tempe.gov/TempePRE. Contact staff at pre-k@tempe.gov or call 480-662-6340.
