Chatham County Partnership for Children
Jennifer Wood and Jenice Walton
Financial Assistance
Strengthening early education by enhancing support for NC Pre-K programs, ensuring all children have access to high-quality learning experiences.
Investing in school readiness by providing financial support that helps bridge opportunity gaps for families in need.
How is it going?
NC Pre-K continues to perform very well across all sites, with enrollment exceeding this time last year and programs operating at 97% capacity. Site monitoring has been completed successfully, showing that all locations are maintaining exceptional standards and remain fully compliant with NC Pre-K requirements, reflecting a strong commitment to high-quality early childhood education and continuous improvement. The online application system has also been a major strength, streamlining enrollment by reducing paperwork, clearly identifying missing documentation, and making the process more efficient for both families and staff. While recruiting and retaining qualified teachers remains a challenge due to limited availability of credentialed candidates, programs are actively pursuing multiple recruitment strategies to address staffing needs while continuing to uphold program quality and compliance.
Successes
“Since starting at NCPK, my daughter has grown so much. She’s learning to use her words, solve problems, and play nicely with other kids. What’s been the biggest surprise for me is seeing my youngest daughter—who’s always been the one taken care of by her older sister—start to look out for others at home, share, and even help solve little disagreements on her own. The teachers at NCPK have created such a caring space where she can explore, express herself, and really thrive.”
-a NC Pre-K parent
Classrooms are operating at 97% capacity!
227 children and their families are benefiting from free high-quality early childhood education and care!
| CHATHAM COUNTY NC PreK Enrollment Report SY 2025-2026 |
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| Updated 01/06/26 | |||
| Classrooms | Allocated Slots | Slot Capacity | Children Served |
| Chatham County Schools | 142 | 151 | 146 |
| Chatham County Head Start | 52 | 52 | 52 |
| Children First | 20 | 16 | 16 |
| Sonflower Seeds | 20 | 13 | 12 |
| TOTAL | 234 | 232 | 226 |
| Chatham County School Breakout | |||
| Bennett | 18 | 15 | 12 |
| Chatham Grove | 16 | 10 | 10 |
| N. Chatham | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| Perry Harrison | 18 | 12 | 12 |
| Pittsboro | 36 | 32 | 32 |
| Siler City | 36 | 36 | 34 |
| Virginia Cross | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| 180 | 151 | 146 | |






