State lawmakers are discussing a bill that could allow smaller, rural districts to establish preschool programs.
Currently, the state funds 4% of the cost of preschool students who qualify for free and reduced lunches in a district. That means if a district has 100 students who qualify for free and reduced lunches, the state will fund four students.
But for small, rural districts like the North Andrew School District just north of Savannah, that wouldn’t be enough to support a class. The district’s elementary school principal Craig Walker believes having a preschool class would make the biggest impact on the district.
“I think that’s probably one of the best things that we could do to increase academic achievement,” Walker said. “If we could get that where it would work out location-wise and money-wise to be able to provide that for our kids.”
State Rep. Brenda Shields, who represents part of Buchanan County, filed HB 118, which would increase the state cost share of a school district’s preschool to 10%.
“This is still just a small portion of students, but what we hope to be able to do is if we get to that 10%, we at least make a classroom size large enough for our rural schools to be able to participate and take advantage of this money that’s in the formula,” Shields told News-Press NOW.
Funding is the biggest hurdle for the North Andrew School District to have a preschool Walker, said.
“There’s always been roadblocks as far as allowing that or starting that process,” Walker said. “Any type of funding bills that are passed that would alleviate maybe some of those strains, it would be positive as far as the next step for the North Andrew School District.”
The district’s strategic, long-term plan includes a preschool. Having a preschool education makes a significant impact on the students Walker sees.
“We just see a big difference between kids that are participating there as opposed to kids that are just at home,” Walker said. “It’s a big good launching point for those kids and allows them, maybe, success at an early age.”
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