A Message from Governor Mike Easley

Welcome to the Office of School Readiness, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website. Included on the site is information about North Carolina’s publicly-funded pre-kindergarten and preschool programs, including our More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program, Title I Preschool, Preschool Exceptional Children, Even Start Family Literacy and our state collaboration with Head Start.

North Carolina is a national model for providing high-quality early childhood education to prepare children for success in school, and this web site will help you learn more about these programs. The Office of School Readiness coordinates with local officials to promote effective preschool services for children in each community that meet local needs. Families will find these programs offered in public schools, licensed child care centers and Head Start programs.

Our state’s commitment to pre-kindergarten and preschool is opening educational opportunities for children across North Carolina. It is critical to our nation’s future that all children are prepared for success in school so they can gain the high level of knowledge, talent and skill they need to succeed in the 21st century economy.

That is why North Carolina is focused on reaching children who are at risk and providing them with a high-quality early education opportunity they would not have without these important programs. We know from years of experience and solid research that these programs eliminate the achievement gap in our schools and help ensure that all children graduate and go on to college. Early childhood education is a solid investment in our children that pays dividends in economic development by resulting in a workforce prepared for the future.

Thank you for visiting the Office of School Readiness web site.

With kindest regards, I remain

Very truly yours,

Michael F. Easley