Region A Partnership for Children

NC Prekindergarten Program (NCPK) - formerly known as More at Four

More at Four was a program that started in 2002 by former Governor Easley to provide high quality pre-kindergarten education for four year olds in North Carolina to prepare them for success in school. As of July 1, 2011 the program has been renamed the North Carolina Prekindergarten Program (NCPK) and will be transferred from the Department of Public Instruction to the Division of Child Development and Early Education.

As you might imagine, the transition of NCPK to the Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) is a huge undertaking. DCDEE is still working out many of the details.

Who is eligible for NCPK?
A child is eligible for NCPK if the child meets one of the criteria below:

Is from a family whose gross income is at or below 75% of the State Median Income level;
Has an identified disability as indicated by the child having a current Individualized Education Program (IEP);
Has Limited English Proficiency (LEP) as indicated by the family and/or child speaking limited or no English in the home;
Has a developmental or educational need as indicated by the child's performance results on an approved developmental screening;
Has a chronic health condition as indicated by a health care provider diagnosis;
Has at least one parent or legal guardian as an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States or the North Carolina National Guard or other state military force, or a Reserve Unit of the armed forces who is ordered to active duty by the proper authority within the last 18 months, or expected to be ordered within the next 18 months. A child whose parent or legal guardian has been seriously injured or killed while on active duty is also eligible.

How is "at-risk" defined?
A child is "at-risk" if the child meets one of the criteria below:

Is from a family whose gross income is at or below 75% of the State Median Income level;
Has an identified disability as indicated by the child having a current Individualized Education Program (IEP);
Has been determined "at-risk" by DCDEE based upon documentation that the child's eligibility criteria and other factors constitute a significant and substantial risk that the child would be unable to avail himself/herself of the opportunity to obtain a sound basic education.

How will eligibility be verified?

Each local NCPK contractor will determine eligibility for the program using the system outlined in the 2010-2011 More at Four Program Standards as a way to prioritize children when capacity for 4-year-old high quality classrooms is limited at the county level. Verification of parent income is required. Income verification must take place using one of the following documents:

Tax records
Pay stubs
Award letters from the Social Security Administration
Award letters from the Employment Security Commission
Employer statements
Business records for self-employed individuals
Signed statements when an individual claims to have no verifiable countable income.

What is the parent fee structure?

No parent fee shall be imposed for parents of "at-risk" children enrolled in the NCPK program.

How will DCDEE serve all eligible children in NCPK if the capacity for high quality classrooms is not yet in place at the local level?

DCDEE is working on a transition plan to increase the capacity of high quality pre-kindergarten spaces across the state to meet the needs of all eligible 4-year-olds.

Do both parents have to be working or in school?

No. The current More at Four Program Standards for parent eligibility will still apply as they have in the past.

Can a child be enrolled in Head Start or Title I as well as NCPK?

Dual enrollment is still an option.

What centers are participating in NCPK?

Cherokee County Schools - contact Delores Howell at 828.837.2722
Clay County Schools - contact Debi Mease at 828.389.9128
Four Square Head Start (Cherokee and Graham counties)- contact Mozelle Sitton at 828.321.4475
Graham County Schools - contact Angie Knight at 828.479.3413
Haywood County Schools - contact Ron Moss at 828.456.2441 x 2106
HCC Regional Center for the Advancement of Children - contact Rita Wilson at 828.565.4187
Cherokee Central Pre-K - contact Beth Pedersen at 828.554.5102
Macon County Schools - contact Carol Waldroop at 828.524.3314
Macon Program for Progress - contact Debby Westerman at 828.524.4473
Mountain Projects Head Start (Jackson and Haywood counties) - contact Holly Crawford at 828.456.4546
Swain County Schools - contact Maxine Largent at 828.488.8700
Southwestern Child Development Commission - contact Kim Turner at 828.456.4473

For more information, contact Terri Sanger at 828-586-0661 or visit the Division of Child Development's website.

For an overview of More at Four, you can review the brochure here.