GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County is opening pre-K seats for some Snellville families as it takes on a shortage that stretches across the country and hits close to home.
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Gwinnett County Public Schools and Gwinnett County Government have turned a vacant wing of the Gwinnett Community Resource Center on Bethany Church Road in Snellville into the Joyful Learning Academy, a free pre-K program for three- and four-year-olds.
It is the first time the district has placed an early learning program inside a county building, and officials hope it becomes a model for the rest of the county.
The need is steep. Gwinnett County is short about 3,000 early learning seats for 4-year-olds, a gap that can follow children for years and show up later in third-grade reading scores.
“We know that kindergarten readiness is a critical piece to being successful in school and in life,” said Kim Holland, executive director of early learning and school readiness for Gwinnett County Public Schools.
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Holland said the science behind early education drives the urgency.
“A child’s brain is 80% developed by age three and 90% by age five,” she said. “When they come to kindergarten, it’s critically important that they’re ready.”
The academy will open August 5 with six classrooms serving 94 children. Families in the Shiloh cluster can enter a lottery for a spot. The application is open now and closes June 17, with the lottery held June 23.
For parents, the program answers a search that has grown harder every year.
Celina Garcia has been hunting for a pre-K spot for her son, who turns four on Friday. She said the process is daunting.
“Sometimes the lotteries are very short, and there’s a lot of kids, and getting him into a place where I’m comfortable and confident that he’ll be safe,” Garcia said.
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She has been bringing him to STEM classes in the community resource center for a year, which made the new program appealing.
“This specific place is making me more excited for him to get to that step in his life,” Garcia said.
Caren Garcia plans to enter the lottery for her son turning three in July. She said a clean, safe environment close to home is what families want.
“I’m really happy and excited for this school season to come, and for him to be able to experience this and open up his learning,” she said.
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