Saving Pre-K

The Sampson County Board of Commissioners is mulling a request presented by Donna Jackson, executive director of the Sampson County Partnership for Children, for monies to assist the Pre-K program which involves both the city and county schools.

At Monday night’s commissioners’ meeting, Jackson requested the board consider funding of $5 per student involved in the program.

“The money is to support pre-K next year, and maintain the slots we currently have,” Jackson stressed.

Her request comes on the heels of the Sampson County Board of Education’s discussions about eliminating the program in its schools or, at least, cutting the number of seats allocated. The school board has been mulling its options since November, but no final decision has been reached on what to do about the 2025-26 slots.

Pre-K is a program that helps four-year-old children prepare for kindergarten, providing an educationally-backed learning experience. During the presentation, and later in an interview, Jackson reiterated how teachers notice positive differences in children who attended Pre-K before entering kindergarten, noting that those youngsters are more accustomed to how to go about school activities, from knowing how to line up single-file to leave the classroom to better in-class etiquette and stronger social skills. Children, she said, are more proficient in reading and math, and that with increased brain activity they are less likely to repeat a grade and have a higher graduation rate than those who do not attend the Pre-K program.

In addition to the county funding request, Jackson told commissioners the Partnership would be applying for grants, and seeking funding elsewhere to offset the cost, especially since a lack of sufficient funding is always a big concern.

In “humbly” asking commissioners for the financial backing, she also reminded them that the Partnership does not make any money from Pre-K.

“We do not benefit financially from this program; we benefit from knowing we serve the community,” stressed Jackson. “The money is to support Pre-K next year, and maintain the slots we currently have.”

Pre-K is funded by several different entities. State funds provided are $496 per child, the minimum amount required. The Sampson County Partnership Pays $497 per child, and supplemental Smart Start TANF funds total $70 per child for 160 children.

Total cost to fund a classroom is $11,330 per year/per student. Dividing the $11,330 by 10 months equals a total cost per child per month at $1,133.

Of that money, Sampson County Schools is currently paying $1.3 million for its share of the cost to run Pre-K in its system; Clinton City is currently expending $702, 120 for its Pre-K students.

Jackson’s request of commissioners would add another $16,650 to the Pre-K coffers helping to eliminate some of the financial burden to the two school systems.

While no decision was made on the request, it comes at time when the county is beginning its budget planning season. Allen McLamb, commissioners’ chairman, said they will consider the request as they work on the fiscal plan in the coming weeks and months.

“Ms Jackson gave a great presentation, very to the point,” McLamb said. “I enjoyed it, and I think everyone on the Board of Commissioners received it very well. We are into the budget cycle and will sit down and start budgeting on Monday. We have a lot of requests from other departments and will look at everything.”

McLamb added that this is something that will be discussed. “We will seriously consider her request and go from there.”

Jackson noted the funding received for next school year’s Pre-K does not have to be committed until mid to late summer.