WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — The State of Ohio’s bi-annual budget that passed this summer included additional funding for preschool Early Childhood Education Grants. These grants are intended to maximize a child’s early educational experience by providing high-quality preschool to children not yet eligible for kindergarten, whose families are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Washington Court House City Schools (WCHCS) received $276,250, an increase over last year, to serve 65 students in half-day preschool. In previous years, WCHCS has struggled to fill half-day slots due to preschool families needing a full-day program, according to district officials.

However, this year, due to a collaboration with the Community Action Commission of Fayette County, all 65 slots have been filled and all students are able to attend a full day of high-quality preschool.

This partnership allows both organizations to combine efforts to meet the needs of not only the students, but also the families of Washington Court House and Fayette County. Students will be attending preschool at either Cherry Hill Primary School or the Fayette County Early Learning Center at the Washington Court House and Jeffersonville locations. All three locations are five-star Step Up to Quality rated programs, the highest possible rating.

WCHCS is hoping to continue to grow its partnership with the Community Action Commission of Fayette County to provide more WCHCS students with the opportunity to attend a high-quality preschool, officials said.

This collaboration is building off the already successful partnership between the WCHCS and Fayette County Early Learning Center supporting literacy birth through kindergarten. This partnership was part of the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant which provided instructional coaching, professional development, and materials for both organizations the past four years.