Hope Coalition Aims to Make Pre-School Available to All Kids

Study after study has shown the importance of preschool.

The time kids spend in pre-K programs is used to develop a foundation for a lifetime of learning--Rasmussen College

 

While all kids benefit from preschool, poor and disadvantaged kids often make the most gains. "Researchers who study pre-K education often find that children who have had early experiences of economic scarcity and insecurity gain more from these programs than their more advantaged peers.- -NPR

 

Children learn how to compromise, be respectful and problem solve. Preschool provides an environment for children to explore, gain a sense of self, play with peers and build self-confidence. Children learn they can accomplish tasks and make decisions without the help of their parents. --Very Well Family

The problem is that preschool is not mandatory, nor is it free, anywhere, except Washington, D.C. The number of Sioux Falls kids who miss out on this invaluable experience numbers somewhere around 350- -every year.

Sioux Falls Hope Coalition is a non-profit group that is trying to narrow the gap between the haves-and-have-nots. That is, the children who have gone to preschool, and those who have not, due to economic disadvantage.

They work with community partners who help them identify kids who might not get the chance to attend pre-school. Sioux Falls Hope Coalition is placing children currently of waiting lists into quality pre-school programs.

They still have openings and are taking applications online now. You can partner with Sioux Falls Hope Coalition by donating to their cause. They truly believe that "Giving a child the chance to attend pre-school can change a life - and an entire community."

Sources: Sioux Falls Hope Coalition, Very Well Family, Rasmussen College, and NPR