As 2022 winds down, the PRE4CLE team is taking some time to reflect on our accomplishments from this year. As the world continues to recover from the effects of COVID, we’ve been hard at work making sure that the smallest learners in Cleveland have every opportunity possible to receive high-quality preschool.

February: New Energy for Cleveland’s Kids

We started the year off on a high note, with a new mayor’s office energized behind The Cleveland Plan and educational opportunities in the city. In his first 100 days, Mayor Bibb prioritized investing ARPA funds in Early Learning Spaces, and on February 15 Mayor Bibb appointed Sonya Pryor-Jones to his cabinet on as the Chief of Youth and Family Success, along with Chief Education Officer Holly Trifiro.

Spring: Investing in the city’s future

The spring saw the launch of our groundbreaking Cleveland Early Learning Spaces program, and with that a multi-million dollar promise to renovate early learning facilities across the City of Cleveland. Through the end of 2022, two sites have been completed, with two more in the process of renovation.

May: Education Forward

In May, partners across the City of Cleveland, including PRE4CLE, created Education Forward, a collaborative effort to identify the impacts of COVID on Cleveland’s education and propose solutions for recovery. The report and video series uses both national data and voices from Cleveland’s students, parents, educators, and community leaders.

June: Building back stronger

After a tumultuous two years in enrollment, June brought brighter news: enrollment numbers for 2022 have begun to bounce back, signaling a light at the end of the tunnel. The COVID pandemic pushed the early childhood education to the brink, lowering enrollment by 45 percent from 2019 to 2021. Even with ongoing recruitment struggles, June’s news showed that parents and kids alike were ready to learn again, with enrollment in high-quality preschools reported at 3,779 kids, up from 2,644 in 2021.

Summer: The PRE4CLE Annual Report is released

Our 2021 Annual Report recounted a dynamic year for preschool in Cleveland. Even with a changing landscape and challenges no one could anticipate, our report showed that Cleveland’s preschools have resiliency and strength, with the help of a community dedicated to seeing kids thrive. This is also where we shared the great news that more than two thirds of Cleveland’s preschoolers are in high-quality programs.

Fall: The City of Cleveland goes all in on Early Childhood Education with $4.4m allocated in ARPA funds

In October, the Cleveland City Council dedicated $4.4 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to early childhood education through PRE4CLE’s lead partner Starting Point, an amount that will be split between staff recruitment and retention efforts and family scholarships. This investment signaled a commitment to jump-starting preschool in Cleveland post-pandemic and is a great first step in the right direction.

December: Expanding the Team

December was a big month for the PRE4CLE staff as we welcomed Mary Carter to the team as our new Communication Manager. Mary comes with years of experience in marketing and communications both in Cleveland and across the country, and will be working hard on our communication efforts in the community and beyond!

December: Step Up To Quality gets a shining endorsement

After more than a year of research and insights, the bi-partisan Step Up To Quality State Senate Study Committee released their final report. Informed by expert testimony throughout the state, including by our own Executive Director, this report reinforced what early childhood education advocates and experts have said for years: our system desperately needs funding, data, and support from our lawmakers.

Year End Celebration: PRE4CLE is awarded $1.29m in federal funding for Early Learning Spaces

Representative Shontel Brown (OH-11) worked hard to advocate for federal funding on behalf of Cleveland’s child care centers and the kids who attend, securing $1.29m through the Community Project Funds in the FY23 Federal Budget. This funding will support renovations at six different early childhood sites around the city of Cleveland.

We have so much to be thankful for in 2022. Our partners, providers, families, and friends make all the work we do worth it, and we cannot wait to see what 2023 brings.

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