"After Michael Brown was laid off from his job in September, he didn't know how he was going to be able to afford a preschool program for his 4-year-old twin boys."
National research shows children who attend high-quality preschool do better throughout school, and as adults, are more likely to go to college, get jobs and pay taxes. But with three older children to support and only his wife's income to lean on, the Browns could not afford to send Nia and Noah to a tuition-based program. They tried to enroll the boys in the state-supported pre-kindergarten program, but there were no more spots available.
"I was so worried about us not being able to afford anything," said Michael's wife, Leslie.
Thanks to a pilot program in the Christina School District, Nia and Noah now are among 30 children from low-income families attending preschool for free. Federal stimulus dollars are helping support the effort.
The children attend the program at Leasure Elementary School in Bear for two hours, three afternoons a week.
"Providing children with high quality preschool programming prior to kindergarten does make a difference in all areas of development, not just pre-academics," said Lisa Lawson, Christina's supervisor for early childhood programs.