Gov. John Carney and Secretary of Education Susan Bunting this week announced a $7.65 million federal grant towards expanding early childhood education.
The Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant targets early learning for children from low-income family. This grant will focus on Kent and Sussex counties specifically.
“A high-quality early learning experience is important for all children, and research shows this is especially true for our children from low-income families. High quality early learning yields substantial benefits for these children,” Carney said. “Thanks to this grant, all children in these centers’ classrooms will benefit from teachers with higher education and classrooms with higher quality materials and structural supports.”
Carney added that research shows that early education leads to a 39 percent reduction in special education placements, 30 percent increase in high school graduation, 50 percent increase in college attendance and 20 percent reduction in the likelihood of serving time in jail.
The grant brings together the financial and program support of three programs – Delaware Stars, federal Early Head Start, and Delaware’s Purchase of Care program.
