The More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program is a high-quality pre-k program that serves children who are at risk and prepares them for success in school. Pre-kindergarten is a research-proven strategy for school readiness.

Children served by More at Four attend a full school day, full school year program that meets high-quality state standards. The program is community based. It is integrated with other early childhood programs in the community and administered at the county or regional level. Children participating in More at Four may be served in classrooms in the public schools, licensed child care centers or Head Start programs.

The mission of the Office of School Readiness is to prepare children for school success through high-quality early education. The office supports pre-kindergarten programs throughout North Carolina, in public schools and licensed child care centers, including:

• Head Start State Collaboration Office
• More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program
• Preschool Exceptional Children
• Title I Preschool

The Office of School Readiness promotes high-quality early childhood educational opportunities that children need in order to be ready for school success. The definition of “school readiness” in North Carolina is:

The condition of children when they enter school, based on the five domains of development:

• Language development and communication
• Health and physical development
• Social and emotional development
• Approaches to learning
• Cognition and general knowledge
• The capacity of schools to serve all children effectively.

School Readiness in North Carolina
Ready for School Goal Team (2000)

High-quality pre-kindergarten programs promote development of the whole child across all five of these domains of development and learning that are fundamental to school readiness. High-quality programs actively engage children in hands-on learning and meet the needs of each individual child. These programs also promote the active involvement of families in their children's education.

The Office of School Readiness provides funding, academic standards and curriculum, collaboration, professional development, teacher licensure (nonpublic schools), technical assistance, monitoring and evaluation to support public schools and child care centers in providing high-quality pre-kindergarten.

The Office of School Readiness strengthens collaboration among early childhood agencies and programs at the state and local levels, including the public schools, child care, Smart Start, the Division of Child Development, NC Early Intervention Services, Head Start, and other programs toward our common goal of school success for all children. Ashe County Schools builds on the work of all those who have invested themselves in ensuring success for North Carolina’s children. In continuing North Carolina’s long and rich history of early childhood initiatives, the Office of School Readiness supports academic pre-kindergarten programs to meet the needs of North Carolina’s preschool children and ensure their later success in school and life.