Collins, King Announce $8 Million for Maine Preschools Serving Low-Income Families
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services received $8,000,000 through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Early Childhood Development’s Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program. This funding will allow the State of Maine to expand access to high-quality preschool for children from low-income families.
“Early childhood education is an investment in the future of our children,” Senators Collins and King said. “This funding will expand access to pre-K and help build an educational foundation for Maine children that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”
“The first five years of a child’s life lay a foundation for future development and learning. Federal funding to advance a coordinated system in Maine will help young children and families get the critical services need, including developmental screenings and high-quality early care and education,” said Stephanie Eglinton, Maine Children’s Alliance.
The PDG B-5 program supports state efforts to create or enhance preschool programs in high-need communities, while developing infrastructure to better deliver preschool services.
Senators Collins and King have always supported Maine’s early childhood education programs. Earlier this month, they cosponsored a resolution recognizing October 20th as National Early Childhood Literacy Awareness Day. They also recently announced more than $5 million for early learning programs in Maine.
###
