An unexpected $1.9 million from state for District 220
An unexpected $1.9 million will be sent from the state to Barrington Area Unit District 220 for a preschool program serving at-risk children.
District 220 Superintendent Brian Harris said he received confirmation about the extra cash this week for the Preschool for All program from the Illinois State Board of Education. The district was honored last year for how it runs the state's Preschool for All at the early learning center on Dundee Road in Barrington,
Harris said District 220 received word about three weeks ago it was eligible for additional money that became available for the preschool program before the current fiscal year ends June 30. He said the district quickly resubmitted a grant application to receive the $1.9 million.
"This is significant," Harris said in response to a query by school board President Brian Battle at a meeting this week. "And I believe other districts just didn't use their funds. And the state was not going to not use (the money) for early childhood education. So, therefore, they knew we were always able and willing to complete the grant."
At-risk children ages 3 to 5 are served in the early learning center's Preschool for All. The program provides high-quality educational programs for children who are deemed in jeopardy of academic failure, according to the state board of education.
Children can be considered at risk because of language, cultural and economic disadvantages stemming from their home or community environments.
District 220 uses the Preschool for All grant money mostly for student transportation and teachers, aides and support employees, Harris said. In a district covering 72 square miles, that means children can be bused from as far away as Fox River Grove or Carpentersville to attend the program at the early learning center on Barrington's southern border.
"We go above and beyond to bus our kids to that program," Harris said.
District 220 typically has received $300,000 to $350,000 in annual state funding for Preschool for All.
In 2017, the district received the Gold Circle of Quality rating from ExceleRate Illinois for its operation of Preschool for All. ExceleRate is the state's quality recognition and improvement system for early learning and development providers.