Pre-Kindergarten and Child Care Coordination Initiatives

High-quality prekindergarten programs serve as building blocks for children’s education and help prepare young children for school. In some States, these programs have eligibility restrictions (e.g., income requirements or at-risk factors) to serve the most vulnerable and in-need populations. Other States have used legislation to create a prekindergarten program for all children, regardless of income or other requirements, which are known as universal Pre-K programs.

This document provides examples of prekindergarten and child care coordination initiatives, and highlights the income eligibility requirements, funding streams, and requirements for eligible providers for both programs. The first table provides examples of coordination initiatives in States where the Lead Agency is also responsible for implementing the state-funded prekindergarten program. The second table provides examples of coordination initiatives in States where separate entities are responsible for implementing the state-funded prekindergarten program and the child care program.