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SEEKING PRESCHOOL

PRESCHOOL

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 |  216.901.4257 | info@pre4cle.org

When our smallest students
shine, Cleveland thrives.

Our vision is that every child in
Cleveland will start kindergarten
ready to succeed.

WHAT WE DO

PRE4CLE is a collective impact initiative working to expand access to high-quality preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds in the City of Cleveland so that every child enters kindergarten ready to succeed by:

HELPING FAMILIES

 find and enroll in high-quality preschool programs

CONNECTING PRESCHOOL PROVIDERS

 to tools, resources, and key partners to increase their quality and serve more children

PROVIDING STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY

to accelerate the availability of high-quality preschool in Cleveland

Research shows high-quality preschool prepares children for success in kindergarten, throughout school, and into adulthood.  PRE4CLE fulfills a core priority of Cleveland’s Plan for Transforming Schools (The Cleveland Plan), a plan that is reinventing public education in the City of Cleveland. The vision of PRE4CLE is that every child in Cleveland enters kindergarten ready to succeed.

“The expected outcome is that students enter kindergarten ready, nothing less.”
–Eric Gordon, Founding Co-Chair Early Childhood Compact

THE PRE4CLE PLAN

The PRE4CLE Plan was created with input from stakeholders from education, early childhood development, civic, philanthropy, business, religious, labor, and community organizations, as well as hundreds of parents, families, and educators. In 2023, PRE4CLE, under the guidance of the PRE4CLE Steering Committee,  thoroughly reviewed the PRE4CLE Plan and refreshed its goals and strategies to reflect changing dynamics, evolving priorities, and the work done over the past nine years. The Plan is grounded in research and designed to meet the unique needs and leverage the rich opportunities of the Cleveland community.

Cleveland Kindergarten
Readiness Snapshot

PRE4CLE is committed to evaluating our community’s progress toward Cleveland’s preschool goals using both child-level and system-level indicators. The annual Cleveland Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot is an online tool that includes these indicators along with important context about the preschool landscape.

Learn More

THE EARLIER THE INVESTMENT,
THE GREATER THE RETURN

When PRE4CLE began, only 16% of Cleveland’s children entering kindergarten are fully prepared for success (Ohio’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment results, 2013). Indisputable research shows a significant return on investment (ROI) in high-quality early education in the form of reduced remedial education costs, increased school readiness, and reduced dependents on social supports during adulthood. Children who participate in high-quality preschool programs are far more likely to experience greater educational achievements and strive toward higher career goals, contributing to their community as they grow.

LEAD PARTNERS

 

PRE4CLE is a collective impact initiative implemented by several lead partners. These lead partners are all working toward the common goal of ensuring all children in Cleveland have access to high-quality preschool and enter kindergarten ready to succeed.

Special thanks to our partners at Cleveland Metropolitan School District, The City of Cleveland, Starting Point, Cuyahoga County Office of Early Childhood | Invest in Children, and our PRE4CLE Preschools. The Cleveland Early Childhood Compact is responsible for the governance and oversight of PRE4CLE, and the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio is leading the implementation of the PRE4CLE Plan.

100% OF PUBLICLY FUNDED CLEVELAND PRESCHOOLS

have received at least a 1-star Step Up To Quality rating.

MERRICK HOUSE

quickly shifted operations to become a pandemic child care site for essential workers.

THE CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT

provided iPads to all preschool students, so they could participate in virtual preschool.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES EARLY LEARNING CENTER

provided meal pick-up and delivery to their families.

PRE4CLE

provided learn-at-home kits for 750 preschoolers.

67% OF KIDS WHO ATTENDED A PRE4CLE PRESCHOOL

are approaching or demonstrating kindergarten readiness.

CORINNA BRYANT

created a hand-washing station on her front porch.

CUYAHOGA COUNTY VOTERS

overwhelmingly supported the health and human services levy, which included significant funds for the county’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program.

PRE4CLE STEERING COMMITTEE

The PRE4CLE Steering Committee is a public-private leadership body that is responsible for developing, guiding, and collaboratively participating in the PRE4CLE Plan. The PRE4CLE Steering Committee is chaired by Marcia Egbert, Program Officer, Thriving Families and Social Justice, The George Gund Foundation.

EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE

Cleveland Early Childhood Compact

Marcia Egbert
Chair

Program Director for Thriving Families & Social Justice

The George Gund Foundation

Shawna Rohrman

Director

Invest In Children/Cuyahoga County Office of Early Childhood

Mark Sniderman

Executive in Residence

Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management

Sonya Pryor-Jones

Advisor to Mayor Justin Bibb, & Chief of Youth and Family Success

City of Cleveland

Nancy Mendez

President and CEO

Starting Point

PRE4CLE STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Michelle Rzucidlo

Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Cleveland Teachers Union Secretary

Teacher

Jennifer Dodd

Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio

Assistant Superintendent

Marianne Wolf

Cleveland Metropolitan School District

Director of Special Education Preschool

Kristen Baird Adams

Office of the Regional Presidents
PNC Bank

Chief of Staff

Karen Mintzer

Bright Beginnings

Director

Kathleen Hallissey

The Cleveland Foundation

Director, Community-Responsive Grantmaking

Ann Mullin

The George Gund Foundation

Associate Director and Program Director for Public Education

Felton Thomas

Cleveland Public Library

Director

Bob Mengerink

Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio

Superintendent

Dr. Jacklyn A. Chisholm

Step Forward

President and Chief Executive Officer

Erin Deimling

PNC Bank

Vice President and Director, Client and Community Relations

Meagan Ray-Novak

Case Western Reserve University

Research Associate, Center on Poverty and Community Development

Rob Fischer

Case Western Reserve University

Co-Director, Center on Poverty and Community Development

Denise Hallman

Ideastream Public Media

Early Childhood Education Manager

Linda Schettler

Catholic Charities Early Learning Program & Head Start

Director, Early Learning Programs

Eric Morse

The Centers for Families and Children

President and CEO

Meghann Marnecheck

Cleveland Transformation Alliance

Executive Director

Kara Porter

Starting Point

Vice President, Strategy

Samantha Whatley

Carl B. Stokes Head Start

Site Administrator

Mary Rose Molnar

Villa Head Start

Site Administrator

OUR STAFF


PRE4CLE
Katie Kelly

Executive Director

PRE4CLE

216-901-4208

Michelle Connavino

Deputy Director & Chief of Staff

PRE4CLE

216-901-4214

Mary Carter

Communication Manager

PRE4CLE

216-264-1257

Dani Elliott

Cleveland Early Learning Spaces Manager

PRE4CLE

216-236-0809

Barb Pritschau

Administrative Assistant

PRE4CLE

216-901-4257 x4392

Jazmyne Lewis

Outreach and Provider Engagement Manager

PRE4CLE

216-264-1254 x4284

 

 

 

 

Staff emails are first initial followed by last name @pre4cle.org (ie: jsmith@pre4cle.org)

 

EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER OF NORTHEAST OHIO

The Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio (ESCNEO) provides backbone support for PRE4CLE through administrative and fiscal oversight. PRE4CLE staff are charged with leading the implementation of the PRE4CLE Plan.

PRE4CLE RESOURCES

PRE4CLE IN THE NEWS

  • PRE4CLE is building back stronger for children, families, and the economy

    Freshwater Cleveland | November 19, 2020

    Last March, Fumiko had just started her new position with Cuyahoga Job and Family Services. Her two-year-old was thriving at Catholic Charities’ at Rainbow Terrace Head Start.

    “Then COVID-19 blew up in the news,” Famiko recalls.

    State mandates forced everything to close, so the young mother did what all families had to do. She learned a new balancing act—working from home, supervising her two school age children’s learning time, and caring for her rambunctious two-year-old.

    Read Article

  • How Cleveland revamped its preschool programs in just five years

    Hechinger Report | October 31, 2019

    Enrollment in high-quality preschool is up after dramatic community-led effort

    Three years ago, Chalfonte Smith’s childcare center in north Cleveland, Ohio, was struggling academically. The problem was not for a lack of trying. Smith couldn’t afford a curriculum, which can cost thousands of dollars. Her teachers did not have enough training. And classrooms needed more books and educational materials.

    In September 2016, that all changed abruptly. Smith’s center, A Jubilee Academy, was chosen to participate in an improvement program by PRE4CLE, a city initiative with the goal of expanding access to high-quality preschool across Cleveland.

    Read More…

  • PRE4CLE Keeps Expanding

    The Plain Dealer | October 7, 2019

    Cleveland preschool program is growing, but at a slower pace than organizers expected.

    Cleveland’s effort to place more children in high quality preschools continues to help more kids each year, just nowhere near as fast as organizers hoped.

    Read More…

     

  • Personal View: Early learning investments of PRE4CLE are paying off

    Crain’s Cleveland Business | October 6, 2019

    We believe in the unique potential of every Cleveland child. Today, more than ever before, Cleveland’s children have a pathway to educational success — and it begins with PRE4CLE.

    Read More…

  • PRE4CLE celebrates anniversary, preschool growth

    CMSD News Bureau | October 1, 2019

    PRE4CLE is celebrating its fifth anniversary. It also is celebrating the spread of the high-quality preschool programs the nonprofit was formed to promote and help grow.

    Read More…

  • More of Cleveland's children attending high-quality preschools, PRE4CLE report finds

    Crain’s Cleveland Business | September 30, 2019

    More — a lot more — of Cleveland’s youngest children are enrolled in high-quality preschools than just a few years ago, according to a new PRE4CLE report.

    Read More…

  • PRE4CLE makes preschool a priority in Cleveland

    Freshwater | September 23, 2019

    When LaToya Cater-Murray enrolled her daughter Aubrey at Douglas MacArthur Girls’ Leadership Academy, she knew that preschool was important to her daughter’s lifelong learning success, as well as her social and emotional well-being, but she was impressed with the outcomes.

    Read More…

  • Cuyahoga County's PRE4CLE initiative recently announced that the number of Cleveland children demonstrating kindergarten readiness is rising.

    WKYC We the People | September 20, 2019

    Five years ago, an effort began to help Cleveland preschoolers become ready for kindergarten. Katie Kelly, Executive Director of PRE4CLE spoke to Leon Bibb about their achievements and how families can find a high-quality preschool for their children.

    View on WKYC

  • Report Shows Growth in Reach, Quality for Cleveland Preschool Initiative

    The Hannah Report | September 18, 2019

    Cleveland saw a 72 percent increase in children enrolled in high-quality preschools after five years of work by the PRE4CLE initiative to expand early childhood learning opportunities in the city, according to a new report.

    PRE4CLE, a public-private partnership that grew out of the Cleveland school transformation plan, used its annual report released Wednesday as a five-year review of the initiative’s progress.

    Read More…

  • Cleveland Sees Boost In Quality Pre-School Enrollment

    Gongwer News Service | September 18, 2019

    Twenty-four of Cleveland’s 34 neighborhoods have seen an increase in the number of students enrolled in high-quality preschools since PRE4CLE launched five years ago.

    Overall enrollment in high-quality preschools has increased 72% over that same time period in the city, according to a report analyzing the fifth anniversary of Cleveland’s early learning plan.

    The organization defines “high-quality” as earning three or more stars on the state’s Step up to Quality rating system.

    “The first five years of PRE4CLE focused on building a strong foundation, including increasing the number of high-quality preschool seats across the city and increasing the quality of our programs to ensure more children were entering kindergarten ready to succeed,” PRE4CLE Executive Director Katie Kelly said in a statement. “We’ve reached a great point. We still have a long way to go, but we are building that strong foundation.”

    The analysis found 19,000 children have enrolled in a high-quality preschool since the initiative began.

    About 70% of students who enter kindergarten after spending a year with a PRE4CLE provider pass the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, according to the study.

    View on Gongwer

  • 5 years into PRE4CLE, more Cleveland children enrolled in quality preschool, but more work needed

    News 5 Cleveland | September 18, 2019

    It has been five years since Cleveland launched a plan to improve kindergarten readiness. The preschool program is called PRE4CLE. The 5th annual report came out Wednesday.

    Watch Full Story

  • PRE4CLE Turns 5

    Sound of Ideas | September 18, 2019

    A milestone for high quality preschool in Northeast Ohio as PRE4CLE turns five. And a French jew who spied on the Nazis shares her incredible story of courage.

    Listen (PRE4CLE segment begins at about 14:30)

  • Early Education in the DeWine Administration

    Sound of Ideas | January 7, 2019

    On the campaign trail, Governor-elect Mike DeWine laid out a long list of top priorities, including expansion of early childhood education, tweaks to Medicaid expansion and efforts to protect Lake Erie. All this week on The Sound of Ideas, we’ll discuss DeWine’s priorities ahead of his swearing in January 14th.

    Listen

  • PRE4CLE and Cuyahoga County are on a mission to make Universal Pre-K truly universal in Cleveland
  • More preschool kids in Cleveland are ready for kindergarten than in previous years, study says

    News 5 Cleveland | September 3, 2018

    Inside the Salvation Army at the corner of West 44th Street and Clark Avenue, a classroom of four-year-olds are hard at work.  On one half of the room a group is reading with their teacher developing emotional skills, and on the other half, a group is making apple pie. The teacher on that side is incorporating math and social skills.

    Read More and Watch Video

  • We the People: Vote for Ohio Kids

    We the People WKYC | August 24, 2018

    Vote for Ohio kids is a statewide campaign dedicated to ensuring Ohio’s next governor is committed to making investments in early education and health.

  • PRE4CLE's annual report shows kindergarten readiness on the rise

    Freshwater Cleveland | August 23, 2018

    If PRE4CLE’s annual report is any indication, the road to kindergarten readiness for Cleveland youth is getting a lot smoother. Released yesterday, the report touted a 110 percent increase in the number of high-quality preschool programs in Cleveland since July 2016—a big jump from the organization’s original goal of a 30 percent increase during that time period.

    Read More…

  • Cleveland continues to grow high-quality preschool offerings

    Crain’s Cleveland Business | August 23, 2018

    Cleveland is making progress on efforts to increase access to high-quality preschools in the city, according to PRE4CLE’s 2018 annual report.

    Read More…

  • Step by 'step:' How PRE4CLE is helping local preschools ramp up kindergarten readiness

    Freshwater Cleveland | July 26, 2018

    In 2016, Collinwood-based A Jubilee Academy carried a two-star Step Up to Quality(SUTQ) rating—not high enough to be considered high-quality by the state.

    Two years later, A Jubilee Academy is the only five-star SUTQ center in the Collinwood area. Students participate in cooking classes, music education, and also study Mandarin twice a week as part of a partnership with Cleveland Public Library. Children have individual cubbies instead of sharing them. Preschool enrollment has doubled, and a new classroom will open in the fall.

    Read More…

  • Cleveland gains "high quality" preschool seats, still has many fewer seats than kids

    cleveland.com | September 12, 2017

    Cleveland’s children have about 700 more opportunities to attend “high quality” preschool than a year ago, the city’s preschool expansion partnership reports, as more and more preschools earn quality ratings from the state.

    Read More…

  • There's a compelling reason to spend more on quality preschool in Cuyahoga County - it works: Brent Larkin

    cleveland.com | September 7, 2017

    If Greater Cleveland’s leaders can find $70 million in tax revenue to remodel an arena, they can find enough to save the lives of at-risk children.

    The controversial renovation plan for Quicken Loans Arena poses the biggest test yet of this community’s priorities. With the people in power having made the arena makeover one of their highest priorities, we’ll soon find out if they are prepared to make the most important investment any community can make in its future…

    And of all the worthy ventures underway to address these problems, one stands above all others in its potential to offer game-changing rewards. Without that investment, most or all the other child-related ventures will underachieve.

    That’s why a permanent funding stream for quality preschool should be the No. 1 priority for Cuyahoga County’s public-private partnership.

    Read More…

  • Cleveland PRE4CLE program aims to get more kids into affordable, high-quality preschool

    News 5 Cleveland | June 26, 2017

    CLEVELAND – Preschool enrollment is underway in Cleveland, and if you think you can’t afford a “high quality” early start, think again. There are options you may not know about.

    View on News 5 Cleveland Website

  • Quality Pre-K Report

    Sound of Ideas | June 13, 2017

    New enrollment numbers from the nonprofit PRE4CLE show a community-wide push has resulted in a 50 percent increase in Cleveland kids attending high quality preschools. But it’s still not enough, representing just over a third of Cleveland students, advocates say. To level the playing field with more advantaged suburban students, access must  continue to expand.

    Guests:
    • Katie Kelly, Executive Director, PRE4CLE
    • Marcia Egbert, Senior Program Officer for Health and Human Services, The George Gund Foundation; PRE4CLE Co-Chair
    • Michelle Bledsoe, Coordinator, PRE4CLE
    • Dr. Thea Wilson, Ed. D.; VP Children and Families; The Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland

    Listen and View on Sound of Ideas Website

  • High Quality Pre-School

    Ideas | June 12, 2017

    This morning’s release of the annual report of the PRE4CLE plan shows what the organization calls “significant strides” in the effort to expand high-quality preschool to all Cleveland three and four year olds. Katie Kelly joins us to discuss some of the highlights. (Beginning at 14:58)

    View on Ideas Website

  • Cleveland places 50% more kids in strong preschools, but falls short of goals

    The Plain Dealer | June 12, 2017

    CLEVELAND, Ohio – More kids are going to “high quality” preschools in Cleveland than a few years ago, but not as many as leaders had hoped, the city’s preschool expansion partnership reports.

    In its annual report released today, the PRE4CLE partnership said that 1,420 more Cleveland students are attending highly rated preschools today than in 2013.

    Read More…

  • High-quality preschool seats on the rise, says PRE4CLE annual report

    Crain’s Cleveland Business | June 12, 2017

    The number of high-quality preschool seats in Cleveland has grown significantly since 2013, following the creation of PRE4CLE, according to the organization’s 2016 annual report, released Monday, June 12.

    Read More…

  • How to make Cleveland ‘great again’: The city has a plan. Will it work?

    Hechinger Report | July 20, 2016

    Cleveland Metropolitan School District has a countdown clock to Election Day on its website. When city residents head to the polls that day, they’ll be doing more than picking a president. They’ll be voting on whether the city should keep working on its ambitious overhaul of the school system.

    Read more…

  • PBS NewsHour Hosts Early-Childhood Panel in Cleveland

    Education Week | July 20, 2016

    There’s been little discussion about early-childhood education so far on the floor of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this week, but the PBS NewsHour filled the gap with a panel discussion Wednesday.

    Read more…

  • PRE4CLE makes strides toward goal, looks at the work ahead

    Freshwater Cleveland | January 4, 2016

    PRE4CLE, a public-private partnership that aims to provide more high-quality preschool seats for Cleveland children, is more than halfway to its initial goal.

    In December the group published its first annual report, announcing that high-quality preschool enrollment grew by 10 percent in the initiative’s inaugural year of implementation.

    Read more…

  • Seats at High Quality Cleveland Preschools Expand By More Than 1200

    ideastream | Friday, December 18

    It’s been one year since Cuyahoga County, Cleveland public schools, and several area foundations teamed up in an effort to enroll all of Cleveland’s preschool-aged kids in high quality programs.  Ideastream’s Annie Wu reports on PRE4CLE’s first annual report.

    About 67 percent of three and four year old Cleveland kids are not in high quality preschools.  Some of them aren’t in any preschool program at all.  According to a new report released this week from the public-private partnership PRE4CLE, the Jefferson, Clark-Fulton and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods have some of the lowest enrollment figures in the city.  PRE4CLE Executive Director Katie Kelly says part of her group’s challenge is helping to expand preschool options that prepare children for kindergarten and meet the needs of parents in those neighborhoods. Read more…

  • Cleveland puts more kids in strong preschools, thousands still shut out

    The Plain Dealer | December 20, 2015

    CLEVELAND, Ohio – Preschool classes were added to Riverside elementary school just in time for Karyn Saunders.

    The single mother in the West Park neighborhood was facing bills for having two young children in a private child care home last school year. Then she learned that her oldest, then 4, could go to free, district preschool, right in her neighborhood. Read more…

  • Cleveland has added 1,200 more "quality" preschool seats for kids, PRE4CLE reports

    The Plain Dealer | December 15, 2015

    CLEVELAND, Ohio – The city is well on its way to achieving its short-term goal of having 2,000 more kids enrolled in highly-rated pre-school classes by next year.

    But it’s still a long way from its ultimate goal of making strong preschools available for all families that want it.

    The PRE4CLE partnership between the Cleveland school district and more than 30 community organizations released an update Tuesday on its plan to greatly improve preschool opportunities for Cleveland’s three- and four-year-olds.

    Read more…

  • Cleveland Preschool Quality-Improvement Effort Reports Early Gains

    Education Week |  December 17, 2015

    Cleveland, one of the more recent cities to get into the prekinderten game, released its first report on its new quality improvement program on Dec. 15. And though the report is not an effectiveness study, it does indicate that Cleveland’s model—called Pre4Cle—is another one that’s worth watching.

    Unlike some city programs, Pre4Cle works directly with existing preschools and it is not focused on free tuition for every child. The organization’s staff (it’s a public-private partnership) has raised money to increase enrollment through tuition assistance for families and business-side investments for partners.

    Read more…

  • Cleveland Partnership Aims to More Than Double the Children in Preschool Within Two Years

    The Plain Dealer | March 11, 2014

    CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland school district, Cuyahoga County and more than 30 area agencies have joined in a partnership to more than double the number of Cleveland children attending a quality preschool within the next two years. Read more…

  • Cleveland School District Adds 260 Preschool Seats

    ideastream | August 23, 2014

    The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has added 260 preschool seats this year as part of PRE4CLE—a new program aimed at helping Cleveland families find high-quality preschool services from both public schools and private providers. ideastream’s David C. Barnett reports. Read more…

  • PRE4CLE Expanding Access to High-Quality Preschool Programs in Cleveland

    The Plain Dealer | November 17, 2014

    Investing in pre-kindergarten education pays off for everyone.

    Cleveland’s PRE4CLE pre-K expansion initiative was lauded recently as a national model by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro and by Roberto J. Rodríguez, deputy assistant for education to President Barack Obama as a member of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Read more…

  • Quality Preschools Add Seats in Buckeye, Glenville, and Union-Miles with PRE4CLE Boost

    The Plain Dealer | July 24, 2015

    CLEVELAND, Ohio – Three preschools in high-need neighborhoods will receive a boost with startup needs like desks, computers, books and teacher training from PRE4CLE, the city’s preschool expansion partnership. Read more…

  • PRE4CLE salutes more "early adopters"

    CMSD News Bureau | November 5, 2015

    PRE4CLE honored 16 more preschool centers Thursday for joining its campaign to make high-quality preschool more accessible to District families.

    The network, a partnership between CMSD and private preschool providers, held its second Early Adopters Induction Ceremony at Marigold Catering on Lakeside Avenue.PRE4CLE was formed last year and now serves 4,107 children at 106 sites. More than half of those sites are at CMSD schools.

    Read more…

  • PRE4CLE issues grants for four new classrooms

    Freshwater Cleveland | August 24, 2015

    PRE4CLE, an extension of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District that aims to expand high-quality preschool options across the city, has awarded three grants totaling $120,000 to start four new classrooms, each of which will house 20 preschoolers.

    The Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland will open two of the new classrooms at the Oakwood Child Development Center, 9250 Miles Park Avenue. Another will be the first preschool classroom at The Citizens Academy, 10118 Hampden Avenue, which is operated by The Centers for Families and Children. The fourth will be at the Buckeye-Shaker Fundamentals Academy, 12500 Buckeye Road, under the umbrella of the Fundamentals Early Childhood Development Academy.

    Read more…

  • PRE4CLE adds 80 preschool seats

    CMSD News Bureau | July 22, 2015

    The PRE4CLE network has awarded grants that will be used to add 80 high-quality preschool seats in parts of the city where demand is greatest.

    PRE4CLE, a partnership between CMSD and private providers, strives to make high-quality preschool available to as many of Cleveland’s children as possible. High quality is defined as receiving three stars on the state’s five-star system.
    PRE4CLE grants totaling $120,000, or $30,000 each for four classrooms, will increase access in the Union-Miles, Buckeye-Shaker and Glenville neighborhoods. The money, which came from the Cuyahoga County Invest in Children program, will pay for start-up costs such as salaries and equipment.
  • PRE4CLE aims to close preschool gap

    Freshwater Cleveland | July 2, 2015

    Whatever you do, don’t tell private, early educators like Stephanie Moore that they are only babysitters.

    “It’s like a slap in the face,” said Moore, director of the St. Augustine Manor Child Enrichment Center near Detroit Avenue and West 80th Street. “Not only is this a daycare center, but we’re at the same level as a preschool in a local school district.”

    Whether a child goes to such a center, attends highly-rated Cleveland Metropolitan School District preschool classes at schools like Adlai E. Stevenson or Memorial, or is enrolled in a Head Start program isn’t quite as important as the quality of the education provided. Increasing preschool access to all three- and four-year-olds in the city is now a shared goal that unites politicians, educators, corporations and nonprofits under one banner: PRE4CLE.

    Read more…

  • St. Augustine Child Enrichment Center and PRE4CLE building a foundation for success

    Cleveland.com Blog | May 18, 2015

    The St. Augustine Child Enrichment Center was honored by PRE4CLE for being one of the first 90 providers in Cleveland to be part of the effort to provide high-quality preschool to all of Cleveland’s three and four-year-old children.

    The St. Augustine Child Enrichment Center is happy to announce that we were chosen as a PRE4CLE early adopter!

    Read more…

  • What makes a good preschool? State inspectors and other experts tell parents what to look for

    The Plain Dealer | January 9, 2015

    Looking for a day care center or preschool for your child?

    Good luck sorting them out.

    Ohio has more than 8,000 child care centers or homes that take care of – and sometimes teach – children. And that’s just licensed homes. It doesn’t include all the neighbors or grandmothers watching fewer than six kids at a time.

    Read more…

  • State ratings point to preschools that are really schools, not just child care

    The Plain Dealer | January 9, 2015

    What’s the difference between a day care center and a preschool?

    State law doesn’t make a distinction. And you can’t always believe what a center puts in its name and advertisements.

    So Ohio is trying to give parents guidance through it’s Step Up To Quality preschool rating system, which rates childcare centers from one to five stars based on how well they try to educate children.

    Read more…

  • Ohio loses out on $20 million preschool grant, but Cleveland's plan gains $900,000 in local grants

    The Plain Dealer | December 11, 2014

    Cleveland lost out on $6 million to boost its preschool plans when federal officials selected other states, but not Ohio, in awarding $250 million in preschool development grants Wednesday.

    PRE4CLE, the partnership between the Cleveland school district and more than 30 community organizations, will instead use $900,000 in new local grants over the next three years to add more high-quality preschool seats for children in the city.

    Read more…

  • PRE4CLE plan receives $900,000 in commitments from three foundations

    Crain’s Cleveland Business | December 10, 2014

    The Cleveland Foundation, George Gund Foundation and PNC Foundation during a Wednesday, Dec. 10, gathering in Washington, D.C., announced $900,000 in financial commitments to support high-quality preschool programs in Cleveland.

    Read more…

  • Preschool means schools don't have to spend 13 years catching kids up, Cleveland schools chief

    The Plain Dealer | December 10, 2014

    Cleveland schools chief Eric Gordon told educators in Washington, D.C., this morning that the entire community’s efforts to add more preschool is key to bringing better education to all Cleveland children.

    Gordon appeared at the first panel this morning at the White House Summit on Early Education, a national event to promote President Obama’s push for more preschool nationwide.

    “It’s only going to keep moving if we start at the beginning,” he said on the panel moderated by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

    Read more…

  • HUD Secretary Says Cleveland Preschools “Get It.”

    ideastream | October 28, 2014

    As children played, read books, or assembled puzzles at a pre-school in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood, HUD secretary Julian Castro praised the way many area organizations are working together to provide educational pre-school.

    “Cleveland gets it. And I’m encouraged to see the work that is happening here to ensure that these young people get a good education and also to work with the housing authority so that we lift up families that are willing to work hard for it.”

    Read more…

  • HUD Secretary Julian Castro says "Cleveland gets it" about the need for preschool

    The Plain Dealer | October 28, 2014

    Cleveland’s attempts to increase preschool access are a model for other cities to follow, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro said in a quick visit to the city this morning.

    Castro, the former San Antonio mayor who led a major preschool expansion in that city, came to Cleveland to promote President Obama’s goal of providing “universal Pre-K” – preschool for every child, regardless of family income, just like another grade at school.

    Castro visited the Bingham Early Learning Center, a preschool located in public housing at 2421 Central Avenue, and spoke briefly, along with Mayor Frank Jackson and Cleveland school district Chief Executive Officer Eric Gordon.

    Read more…

  • PRE4CLE campaign adds 235 more preschool seats in Cleveland, hires a director

    The Plain Dealer | August 22, 2014

    The citywide drive to place more children in quality preschools has made a few tangible gains since spring – adding a director, picking two lead agencies to guide some efforts and offering preschool to 235 more children.

    Leaders of PRE4CLE, a partnership that includes the Cleveland school district, Cuyahoga County and more than 30 non-profit agencies, updated its progress today as preschool students started their school year in district preschools.

    Katie Kelly, the former head of the childhood advocacy group Groundwork, started as director of PRE4CLE this month, working out of the Cuyahoga County Educational Service Center.

    Read more…

  • More than 280 "high quality" preschool seats remain open for Cleveland 4-year-olds

    The Plain Dealer | July 27, 2014

    More than 280 “high quality” preschool seats — some free and some with financial aid available — are still available for Cleveland four-year-olds this fall.

    PRE4CLE, a program/partnership between the Cleveland school district, Cuyahoga County and 30 area agencies, identified the available seats and want parents to enroll their children.

    Read more…

  • Preschool is better for kids and the regional economy, PRE4CLE panel tells The City Club

    The Plain Dealer | March 25, 2014

    Making preschool more available and affordable to Cleveland children is both better for the children and for the region’s economy, supporters of the PRE4CLE program, told the lunchtime audience at The City Club today.

    For an hour, the main organizers of PRE4CLE laid out their plans to expand preschool opportunities in the city and gave their reasons – both emotional and objective – for wanting it to happen.

    Read more…

  • Cleveland Mayor, Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO, Cuyahoga County Executive Announce Plans to Expand Pre-K in City of Cleveland

    GlobeNewswire | March 20, 2014

    The Cleveland Pre-K Task Force announced PRE4CLE, a plan to expand access to high-quality pre-K programs to children in the City of Cleveland, Ohio. PRE4CLE is a major next step in implementing Cleveland’s Plan for Transforming Schools.

    Starting in the 2014-2015 school year, PRE4CLE will increase the number of high-quality pre-K seats available for four year olds in the City of Cleveland whose families want them to attend high-quality preschool. The plan will be rolled out to three year olds at a later date.

    Read More…

  • Preschool expansion supporters to discuss their plans Tuesday at the City Club

    The Plain Dealer | March 20, 2014

    The task force seeking to provide more and better preschool for Cleveland children will discuss their plans Tuesday at the City Club.

    Supporters of the plan called PRE4CLE, including Marcia Egbert of the George Gund Foundation and Eric Gordon, the chief executive officer of the Cleveland schools, have been meeting with community organizations since the plan was announced March 11 to promote it.

    Read More…

  • Preschool moves to the head of the class in Cleveland: editorial

    The Plain Dealer | March 13, 2014

    An exciting partnership between the Cleveland schools and more than 30 local agencies to expand high-quality preschools may be the key to turning around the Cleveland public schools.

    Now, Pre4Cle (preschool for Cleveland) program, which hopes to enroll 2,000 pre-K students in the next two years, needs the help of the most important partners of all: parents who make choosing top preschools and K-12 schools a priority. They can begin by contacting Starting Point at 216-575-0061.

    Read More…

  • Cleveland Schools Aim to Boost Enrollment in High-Quality Preschools

    The plan is called PRE4CLE, and the goal is to enroll 2,000 more four-year-olds into preschool programs considered high quality.

    The plan increases preschool class sizes, while adding teaching assistants to keep the student-to-teacher ratio down. It also includes teacher training to bump up the number of programs considered high quality.

    Marcia Egbert with the Gund Foundation said two things standing in the way of enrolling in preschool now are distance and price.

    Read more…

  • Cleveland Expands Efforts To Help 4-Year-Olds Access to Preschool

    State Impact Ohio | March 11, 2014

    Cleveland is one of a handful of cities around the state trying to expand early childhood education for kids under five.

    Last fall, city leaders teamed up with Cuyahoga County officials and two dozen local agencies to brainstorm ways to make high quality programs available for all kids in the area.

    Now they say they have a strategy.

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MATERIALS AND INFORMATION

  • PRE4CLE Plan- 2023 Update

    Download 2023_PRE4CLE_Plan.

  • 2021 Annual Report

    This year’s annual report—ABC: Advance Kindergarten Readiness, Build a Strong System, Champion Cleveland’s Future—details the way 2021 was another challenging year for the preschool system in Cleveland. Yet this year also brought exciting opportunities and changes to our community and to PRE4CLE.

    View 2021 Annual Report

  • 2020 Annual Report

    This year’s Annual Report, “Preschool Reimagined” details the ways in which early education, like most industries, has been hit hard by COVID-19. Widespread closures, safety concerns, staffing shortages, and changes in parental employment have caused unprecedented disruption within early education, and are threatening the viability of a system that is critical to our community’s ability to recover.

    View 2020 Annual Report

    View Press Release

  • 2019 Annual Report

    We are pleased to share the PRE4CLE Annual Report with you. Five years ago, we started with the goal of making high-quality preschool available to every child in Cleveland, a detailed plan on how to get there, and a community committed to that plan’s success. Today, we’re excited that we have increased enrollment in high-quality preschool by 72 percent since 2014! Overall, more than 19,000 children have received a high-quality preschool education since PRE4CLE began.

    View 2019 Annual Report

  • PRE4CLE Brochure

    This brochure serves as a general overview of PRE4CLE. If you are interested in having someone from PRE4CLE present to a group, please fill out the volunteer form or email info@pre4cle.org. Download P4C Brochure.

  • 2018 Annual Report

    PRE4CLE continues to meet and exceed its goals to expand high-quality preschool to all Cleveland children, according to PRE4CLE’s 2018 Annual Report. Thanks to the community investment in the PRE4CLE approach, more Cleveland children than ever before attend high-quality preschools, more neighborhoods have quality options for families, and children enrolled in high-quality preschools are making significant strides in being ready for kindergarten. Download 2018 PRE4CLE Annual Report.

  • The PRE4CLE Plan 2016

    Since PRE4CLE developed its original Plan, there have been both policy and funding shifts in the early childhood landscape in Cleveland and at the state and national levels. Along with those external factors, several of the initial benchmarks set for PRE4CLE expired at the end of 2016.

    PRE4CLE, under the guidance of its governing body, the Early Childhood Compact, has thoroughly reviewed the original PRE4CLE Plan and refreshed its strategies, goals, and benchmarks based on these dynamics and the work done during the past three years.

    In this document, we highlight the major changes that are reflected throughout the updated Plan, share our new benchmarks, and provide detailed goals and strategies for all of PRE4CLE’s Ten Plan Elements.

    View the original PRE4CLE Plan. Download 2016 PRE4CLE Annual Report.

  • 2016 Annual Report

    PRE4CLE made significant strides in the past two years to increase the availability of high-quality preschool in Cleveland neighborhoods and the number of children enrolled in those preschool seats. This second annual report outlines these accomplishments.

      Download 2016 PRE4CLE Annual Report.

  • 2015 Annual Report

    PRE4CLE officially began its work in March of 2014, guided by The Cleveland Early Childhood Compact, a public-private leadership body. This first annual report of PRE4CLE reflects accomplishments between March of 2014 and June 2015.

    Download Printer-Friendly Version or Download PRE4CLE Annual Report_Spreads.

  • Media Kit

    If you are a member of the press and would like to speak with us, please contact:

    Katie Kelly
    Executive Director, PRE4CLE
    kkelly@pre4cle.org | 216-901-4208 Download Media Kit Update 2019.

  • FAQs

    Have questions about PRE4CLE? View some of the most commonly asked questions here.

  • Enrollment Toolkit

    Download our enrollment toolkit to find a checklist of required documents and helpful resources to make enrolling your child in a high-quality preschool as easy as possible.

      Download EnrollmentToolkit_Revised 3.19.18.

  • Parent Information Card

    This resource was developed to serve as a checklist for preschool quality and for parents to join our mailing list. Download Parent Card.

  • High-Quality Preschool Video

    PRE4CLE connects parents and families with high-quality preschools right in their neighborhood. Know what to look for when finding the right preschool program for your little scholar by watching this video highlighting the six elements of a high-quality preschool.

  • PRE4CLE Logo

    Download PRE4CLE_CMYK.

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Connect with PRE4CLE! Sign up for our email newsletter and we’ll send you information on high-quality preschool programs, early childhood news, and resources. Select the newsletter you would like to receive and enter your address to get started.

216.901.4257   info@pre4cle.org

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