North Carolina

Smart Start

Overview of Program

• Provides early education funding to all of the state’s 100 counties
• Public-private initiative
• Community-based initiative for children under 6 and their families
• Funds are administered at the local level through Local Partnerships (local nonprofit organizations)
• Currently $203.6 million in state funds
• Goals are to:
  • improve the quality of child care
  • make child care more affordable and accessible
  • provide access to health services
  • offer family support

Brief History of North Carolina’s Smart Start Program

• North Carolina legislature authorizes program and funding for Smart Start in 1993 with $20 million appropriation and 12 partnerships
• In 1995 appropriations increase to $58 million, Smart Start is available in 43 counties
• In 1999, appropriations are increased to $217 million
• Private support is more than $200 million in 2003; 14 states use Smart Start as the model for early education programs

Evaluations of North Carolina’s Smart Start Program

• Series of evaluations have been conducted on Smart Start since June, 1995
• Data collected included:
• Child care quality measures
• School readiness assessments
• Language and math skills
• Accessibility of early child care
• Parent participation in Smart Start activities and parent support activities
• Immunizations, screenings, and health care of children Children’s behavior problems at Kindergarten entry
• Smart Start Reports and Studies
• “Smart Start and Preschool Child Care Quality in North Carolina: Change over Time and Relation to Children’s Readiness” (2003) [PDF]