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Tempe expanding free preschool program

Posted at 5:53 AM, Dec 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-14 07:53:16-05

Tempe is expanding a multi-million-dollar push to open classroom doors to children right here in the Valley.

The expansion of Tempe's free preschool program means adding more slots to give parents a second chance to enroll their children.

We first told you about the two-year pilot program called TempePre back in April when it was announced. It started for the first time in August.

The City of Tempe will be adding five more classrooms with approximately 90 extra spots beginning in January. Around 250 are already enrolled in the 15 classrooms currently open at two schools. 

The schools being added are the Carminati School near the U.S. 60 and Rural Road, the Meyer Montessori School near McClintock Drive and Broadway Road, and Rover School near Guadalupe Road and McClintock.

The spots will be given based on an application process and a lottery. It is income-based and applications are being accepted now. 

But, even though it is only in Tempe right now, city leaders hope this can be a model for the rest of the state.

"Our teachers are great at taking notes and seeing how children are progressing and so we can look at several different points over the school year and see how each individual child is progressing, so we'll be able to see where they were at when they came to us and where they are at the end of the year," said Marie Raymond.

You can apply here or you can call 480-858-7735.