Press contact: Lynn Whalen

SPRINGFIELD — Lincoln Land Community College Child Development Center has been awarded a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education to offer a Preschool for All Expansion (PFAE) classroom at the center.

Twenty spaces in the classroom are available to preschool children ages three to five who come from families with identified needs. The classroom is designed to supply high-quality early learning experiences to these children at no cost.

Priority eligibility factors for the program include low income, a language other than English spoken in the home, developmental needs and other family risk factors. Information collected through a child screening and parent interview will decide those families most needing service.

“We know that children are best ready for school when they have been in a high-quality preschool learning environment,” says Laurie Rhodes, director of the LLCC Child Development Center. “This grant will allow us to offer children from high-needs families the best in preschool education at no cost, along with various family supports.” 

The LLCC Child Development Center will hold initial screenings for the program from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7; Tuesday, Dec.13; and Wednesday, Dec. 14. 

To schedule a screening, call 217-786-2450.