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Buncombe County panel hears lessons from Durham, Forsyth and Mecklenburg on expanding pre‑K
Summary
County leaders convened a virtual panel with pre‑K program managers from Durham, Forsyth and Mecklenburg to discuss funding models, program scope and operational fixes — including teacher pay, preservice payments, wrap care and partnerships with business. Panelists offered data and follow‑up resources.
Buncombe County’s investment committee on a recent Zoom meeting heard from leaders of pre‑K programs in Durham, Forsyth and Mecklenburg counties about how local investment can expand access and stabilize quality for four‑year‑old preschoolers.
The panel featured Linda Chappelle, senior vice president at Early Years and manager of Durham Pre‑K; Leslie Mullenix, project director of Forsyth County’s Pre‑K Priority coalition; and Mary Margaret Cantor, chief early education officer at Smart Start of Mecklenburg County. Committee members said they sought practical models for deploying local funds and avoiding common implementation pitfalls.
Why it matters: panelists described how locally directed dollars let counties target gaps state funding does not cover — including teacher compensation, vacancy subsidies and wrap‑around care — and offered examples of policies that have improved…
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