One-hundred and fifty of Chattanooga's youngest residents will start the new year enrolled in Early Head Start, a prekindergarten program, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
A $2.1 million early childhood education grant -- the largest expansion grant for early education to be awarded to Chattanooga, and the first during Mayor Andy Berke's administration -- will allow many more children from low-income families to participate in the Early Head Start program.
"It's a big deal for us as we work to enhance and improve the educational status of our students," said Lurone Jennings, administrator of the Department of Youth and Family Development for the city of Chattanooga.
It costs approximately $13,500 per year for a child to attend Early Head Start, and many kids ranging from birth to 3-years-old are on the waiting list to enroll, Jennings said.
The grant will pay for some of those wait-listed children at Early Head Start locations across the city to be enrolled, according to Jennings.
"Mayor Andy Berke is really passionate about making sure the children and the city of Chattanooga are properly prepared to enter kindergarten," Jennings said. "A foundation has been laid, and we have already seen progress at the early stages of this administration's work with regard to early education."
The White House summit on Early Childhood Education announced Wednesday that more than $1 billion in these grants will be distributed across the country. The grants follow President Barack Obama's challenge to Congress last year to invest in the education and development of America's youngest learners.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan visited Chattanooga in September, and said federal grant money would become available to increase the number of prekindergarten classes around the country.
Lacie Stone, communications director for the city of Chattanooga, said, "Just a few months ago, when Mayor Berke welcomed U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan to town, we discussed how important this opportunity would be but had no idea we'd get the grant."
The grant to Chattanooga is the largest awarded in Tennessee.
A $1.2 million grant was also awarded to Sequatchie Valley's Early Head Start, allowing 72 new students to be enrolled in the program in Pikeville, Tracy City, South Pittsburg, Jasper, Dayton and Dunlap.
Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6592.