Gov. Easley Named One of Nation’s Top Governors for his Leadership on Pre-Kindergarten

A leading advocacy group for pre-kindergarten education programs has named Gov. Mike Easley as one of the nation’s top governors for his commitment to pre-k education.  A report released today, Leadership Matters: Governors’ Pre-K Proposals Fiscal Year 2008, calls Easley an “established champion” for his continuing efforts to expand North Carolina’s More at Four academic pre-k program, which he created in 2001. 

“When I came into office, we were one of two southern states that did not have an academic pre-k program for at risk four-year olds,” said Easley.  “In North Carolina, we have found the right formula to make sure children head to school ready to learn.”

In March, Easley announced that More at Four was one of only two pre-kindergarten programs in the nation to meet all 10 quality standards developed by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER).   NIEER ranks states’ preschool programs on early learning standards, teacher degrees, teacher specialized training, assistant teacher degrees, continuing professional development requirements, maximum class size, staff-child ratios, screening, referral and support services, meals and monitoring procedures. 

More at Four programs are operated in all 100 counties through public school districts, child care centers and Head Start agencies.  Nonpublic child care providers are also eligible for the program if they have a four- or five-star license, which are top quality ratings under North Carolina’s child care licensing system  All More at Four teachers in the state must have a bachelor’s degree with a birth-K license within four years.  The programs are evaluated annually on program quality and child developmental outcomes.

The Leadership Matters report praises Easley’s call for a $59.3 million, or 70 percent, funding increase for More at Four.  The governor’s proposal, if approved by the General Assembly, will give 10,000 more four year olds the opportunity to attend the school-readiness program.  The 2006-07 budget for More at Four was $84.6 million.

Libby Doggett, Ph.D., executive director of Pre-K Now, said, “From his first budget to his last, Gov. Easley has nurtured More at Four’s growth into a top-notch educational program for North Carolina children and a national model for school reform.”

Pre-K Now is a public education and advocacy organization that advances high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten for all three and four year olds.  This is the fourth year the organization has rated the performance of governors on their pre-k education efforts.