Gov. Steve Beshear Tuesday announced $952,500 in funding for 39 Community Early Childhood Councils across Kentucky to promote school readiness for children. “These funds will provide critical support to our local communities,” Gov. Steve Beshear said in a press release. “We owe our children – every one of them in our inner cities to our suburbs to our farms and our mountain communities – the opportunity for a promising life. This investment is the best way to promote family and community support around early childhood.”
The grant amounts range from $7,500 to $97,000 and were awarded based on the child population in the community. The grants will fund professional development for childcare providers, assist with community outreach and public health programs for prenatal services, and even help children entering school.
Children will be able to make a successful transition from public and private childcare to school thanks to this funding, Beshear said.
Terry Tolan, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood, said the councils rally communities to support young children and their families.
“There is no greater return on investment than investing in the success and school readiness of our youngest children,” she said.
The Office of Early Childhood, which works with the local councils to provide support and outreach, is the result of an executive order signed by Beshear in July that created the Early Childhood Advisory Council to unite stakeholders behind common strategies, standards and goals for Kentucky’s early childhood system.
A part of that initiative is the Community Early Childhood Councils, which address the unique needs and strengths of local communities related to early childhood. The councils are a vehicle for bringing together community members to support issues of importance to children and families.
The 68 councils across the state include community representatives from local school districts, public health departments, childcare providers, Head Start and local libraries.
The following is a list of local Community Early Childhood Councils that received grants:
Allen/Logan/Simpson CECC, $47,500; Boone County CECC, $25,000;
Butler-Edmonson CECC, $20,000; Caldwell/Lyon/Crittenden CECC, $25,000;
Calloway County CECC, $17,500; Casey County CECC, $10,000;
Christian County CECC, $25,000; Clark County CECC, $20,000; Clay County CECC, $17,500; Daviess County CECC, $25,000; Fleming County CECC, $10,000;
Four Rivers Counties (Ballard, Fulton, Carlisle, Hickman) CECC, $30,000; Graves/Marshall CECC, $37,500; Green/Taylor CECC, $25,000; Hancock County CECC, $7,500;
Hart, Metcalfe and Monroe CECC, $35,000; Jefferson County CECC, $50,000;
Johnson County CECC, $17,500; Kenton/Campbell ECC, $50,000;
Larue County CECC, $10,000; Livingston County CECC, $7,500;
Madison County CECC, $25,000; Marion/Washington CECC, $25,000;
McCracken County CECC, $25,000; McCreary County CECC, $15,000;
McLean County CECC, $7,500; Montgomery County CECC, $17,500;
Nelson County CECC, $20,000; Ohio County CECC, $17,500;
Pendleton County CECC, $10,000; Rural KIPDA (Bullitt, Shelby, Spencer, Henry, Oldham, Trigg) CECC, $97,500; Scott County CECC, $25,000; Todd County CECC, $10,000; Tri-County (Laurel, Knox, Whitley) CECC, $65,000; Trigg County CECC, $10,000; Union County CECC, $15,000; Warren County CECC, $25,000; Wayne County CECC, $15,000; and Webster County CECC, $15,000.