The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, in consultation with the Virginia Department of Education, has awarded five grants to Virginia communities that have proposed innovative approaches to providing at-risk children with high-quality preschool services. One of these grants was awarded to Total Action for Progress for an initiative in Craig County.
The grant of $250,000, made possible through the Mixed-Delivery Preschool Fund and Grant Program, will help fund TAP’s collaboration with Craig County Child Care Center and a number of other community partners to create two new preschool classrooms at the only licensed child care center in Craig County. These efforts will serve approximately 34 families each year over the two-year grant period and provide parents with a continuum of quality care and education.
Several innovations will be piloted by this project, including individualized professional development for early education teachers, salary-based incentives for teacher attainment of credentials or degrees, and intensive family support.
-Submitted by Selena Mayo