The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), in partnership with First 5 Sacramento and the City of Sacramento, is hosting a series of community forums to help parents make informed decisions about preschool options for their children.
The first forum is scheduled for Tuesday, October 11, 2005, at the South Natomas Community Center at 2901 Truxel Road in Sacramento. The forum is scheduled to run from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
At the forums, a panel of experts will discuss the importance of preschool and how cost-effective preschool can enhance a community. Parents will be able to get information about quality preschool programs and learn about the wealth of free resource materials that are available to them.
"Study after study has proven that preschool has a significant impact on children's readiness for school and promotes their success in later schooling," said County Superintendent David W. Gordon.
In May 2005, the Sacramento County Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution in support of voluntary, quality preschool for all four-year-olds in California. The Sacramento County Office of Education's School Readiness Office provides assistance and coordination to foster the development of preschool in the county.
"Quality preschool lays a strong foundation that helps children succeed in elementary school and beyond," said Roger Dickinson, Chair of First 5 Sacramento and the County Board of Supervisors. "The First 5 Sacramento Commission supports Preschool For All and other school readiness programs in building a brighter future for Sacramento County children."
The First 5 Sacramento Commission was established following a voter-passed initiative in November 1998, Proposition 10, and uses tobacco tax revenue to fund education, health, child care and other programs intended to promote early childhood development for expectant parents and children through age 5.
Currently, only 47-percent of Sacramento County's preschool-age children are in preschool. At this time, California ranks 37th in preschool enrollment.
Four additional preschool information forums are scheduled to be held before the end of the year, with plans to schedule more in 2006. For updated scheduling information on the forums and to find helpful resource materials, visit www.PreschoolSacCounty.org.
For more information about First 5 Sacramento, visit www.sackids.saccounty.net or call (916) 879-5865.