MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — From ABCs to 1-2-3s, data from MECK Pre-K indicates students are showing lots of progress.
"Children are really progressing well throughout the program'" Mike Blackwelder, CEO of Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, said.
Blackwelder said data year-over-year can show how children are improving as they enter kindergarten.
Data from 2022-2023 school year shows the number of students performing at or above grade level increased from 55% to 78%. Additionally, the number of students with potential delays shrank from 45% to 22% within the same timeframe.
"The instructional tools that we're using and the curriculum that we're using are really helping kids get to where they need to be by the time they enter kindergarten," Blackwelder said.
The data also showed rhyme recognition increased from 27% to 75%.
Now Mecklenburg County leaders are working to stay ahead of the growth, reaching kids even younger than 4 years old with the new Prenatal to Three plan.
"In particular 85% of brain development occurs in children zero to 3 years old," Blackwelder said. "About 90%, occurs by 5 years old, so that time is really crucial is critical in developing the skills that the children are going to use later in life."
Blackwelder said the goal is to give parents sufficient resources and skills to sustain the environments that set children up for success even before birth.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.