In a new book, researchers and scholars discuss early childhood education across the globe with one chapter showcasing how a municipality-funded early childhood initiative in San Antonio, Texas—Pre-K 4 SA—has taken a multifaceted, community-based approach to both funding and providing high-quality early learning. Their findings are available in the chapter Community Approaches to Funding and Supports for High-Quality Early Care Experiences: A United States, of Recent Perspectives on Preschool Education and Care, published by IntechOpen. Authors include Larrisa-lei Wilkinson of Pre-K 4 SA; Emily Diaz, PhD, and Lauren Decker-Woodrow, PhD, of Westat; and Sarah Baray, PhD, of Pre-K 4 SA.
The chapter details examples of funding and provision challenges, and provides examples of how cities and local communities have sought to address these challenges with special emphasis on the Pre-K 4 SA approach. The chapter also discusses program findings to date on the quality of learning environments and the return on funding investment. It concludes with recommendations for increasing access to high-quality early care experiences in other contexts and environments.
