Office for Children Awarded Early Childhood Partnership Grant

Fairfax County Department of Family Services
12011 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035
For more information, contact: Gail Bjorklund, 703-324-8225
or Dan Dildine, 703-324-8042 TTY (Virginia Relay) 711

For Immediate Release-March 11, 2005

Governor Mark R. Warner has announced the award of a $500,000 Early Childhood Partnership grant to Fairfax County.

"High-quality early childhood education is a critical factor in later success. We know that for every dollar we invest we get a seven-fold return on that investment. Statistically, our children do better in school and beyond. We welcome the partnership of the State in this effort," said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald R. Connolly.

Early Childhood Grants, a component of Governor Mark R. Warner's Education for a Lifetime preschool initiative, target community-based organizations which can demonstrate an ability to bring together people and organizations on a local or regional level to create a comprehensive system of early care and education for young children.

The Office for Children of the county's Department of Family Services, Fairfax County Public Schools, Northern Virginia Community College, and Fairfax Futures: the Fund for Early Learning and School Readiness have come together as the Fairfax County School Readiness Collaborative. Fairfax Futures, a newly created nonprofit organization which invests in early childhood education, will engage the business community in this effort.

To qualify for the grant, the Collaborative had to show that it had designed and developed a comprehensive infrastructure that supports quality early education and school readiness at the local level.

The Early Childhood Grant recipients will be spotlighted at the Governor's Early Childhood Summit May 23-26, 2005.

"We look forward to working with the governor to share information about Fairfax County's collaboration with early childhood professionals, Fairfax County Public Schools, and the business community to help children enter school ready to learn," said Office for Children Director Judith Rosen.

Fairfax County is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in all county programs, services and activities
and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request.
Please allow five working days in advance of events to make the necessary arrangements.