Pinellas County, FL – FAST secured commitments in 2005 from the director of the Early Learning Coalition to provide funding for full-day Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) for any child whose parents are working and make less than 200% of the poverty level. Pre-K refers to educational programming for children around the age of four and has proven to prepare kids to better succeed in kindergarten. As of October 2010, over 4,600 low-income four-year-olds in Pinellas County have been able to attend Pre-K as a result of this funding. Pinellas County now ranks second in the state of Florida in the percentage of children enrolled in Pre-K programs.
