Proposed cuts to Smart Start in NC Senate’s Budget

The Senate budget proposal cuts Smart Start by more than 40%. A cut of this magnitude means that some communities may lose their local Smart Start partnership. As innovative as they are, many Smart Start Local Partnerships cannot sustain losing close to half of their funding and still provide services, pay the rent, and keep the lights on.

Smart Start is our state’s investment in children birth to five. 90% of critical brain development happens during this time, creating a lasting impact on later learning, health and success. The broader societal impact of early learning investments is so significant that military leaders, business executives, and law enforcement are calling on greater investments to ensure our national security, our global competitive edge and our safety.

Smart Start has a 20-year track record of producing real results for families, communities, and the state. These results are so profound that Smart Start serves as the model to which other states aspire. Smart Start works: NC 3rd graders have higher standardized reading and math scores and lower special education placement rates in counties that received more funding for Smart Start when those children were younger.