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City, State Partner To Help Educate Low-Income Children

Some low income Columbus children are the first to take advantage of a full day pre-school program that pairs community investment with state dollars. Leaders hope the same can be done in other Ohio cities. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.

Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman says a partnership between his city and the state will allow an already existing full day pre-kindergarten program to include 160 more of the city’s low income children.

“We’re moving, grooving and doing stuff in this neighborhood in a very comprehensive way.”

Coleman says the city is expected to allocate about 700,000 dollars for the project.  The state will provide about 2.2 million dollars for it. And Governor Kasich says he wants to do the same with similar investments from business, community and faith leaders throughout the state.

“because there just aren’t enough being served.”

Mayor Coleman says it’s critical to extend quality early learning programs to children because 85% of a child’s brain development takes place by the age of five.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.