State to Receive $5M for Preschool Programs

Maine will be receiving more than $5 million in federal funding for pre-school programs and childcare centers.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree and the U.S. Department of Education announced the funding on Wednesday and said it will help local communities that have tight budgets and cannot sustain early education programs on their own.

York County Community Action and Valley Community Action will be among the recipients of grants from the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership. The program offers a full-day and full-year pre-school program for low-income children of working parents.

Pingree, a Democrat who represents Maine's 1st congressional district, says a dozen other communities will share $3.5 million in federal funding to start half-day programs or expand existing programs to full day.