Long-term success happens with quality early childhood education. In 2017, research showed that only one-third of children living in Tempe were enrolled in preschool, which likely resulted in educational gaps formed before they entered kindergarten. Two-thirds of the city’s kindergarteners were underperforming, causing concern for educators, families and city leaders.
As a result of a study that same year, the Tempe City Council made an investment to ensure their city’s children thrived.
What they did
The City of Tempe initially invested $6 million over two years to provide high-quality preschool for over 400 3- and 4-year-olds. With its proven success, the Tempe City Council committed $1.5 million in annual funding to continue and strengthen the program.
The results
- Improved Outcomes: A 2024 evaluation showed that Tempe PRE students scored higher on social-emotional skills and receptive vocabulary than their non-Tempe PRE peers.
- Small Class Size: 9:1 student-to-adult ratio with a maximum of 18 students per class allows teachers to provide individualized and small-group support.
- Qualified Staff: Early childhood education-certified teachers. Instructional assistants also have early childhood experience.
As Tempe Community Health and Human Services Director Tim Burch said, “Education is the launching pad for the next generation and the number one predictor of lifelong health outcomes for an individual. We want our children to live long, healthy lives here in Tempe, so it’s critical that we play our part to support our education system.”
Investing in early childhood education is smart economic sense. When that happens:
- Working families can stay in the workforce while being to afford high quality child care.
- Children receive high quality child care.
- Communities and the economy thrive with higher graduation rates and greater economic productivity.
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