Childcare & Preschool Options
Program Requirements
- STAR 2, 3, or 4, or accreditation by a nationally-recognized program
- use acceptable curriculum and assessment tools to help children be prepared for Kindergarten
- offer developmental activities at least 2 hours per day, 60 days per year to children aged 3 and up
- participate in Smart Start transition team activities
- administrators agree to provide scholarship information and applications to qualified families at enrollment and to accept payment from the Scholarship Fund on behalf of families chosen as recipients
Pre-K EITC Pre-Kindergarten Scholarship Organization Educational Improvement Tax Credit
Scholarship Information for Families
Eligible Students Must Be:
- Resident of PA
- At least 3 years old
- Enrolled in a participating program
- Household income less than $50,000
To Apply:
To apply or to learn more: ask your program for a copy of the application forms.
A Partnership of Smart Start - Centre County, Local Businesses, & Early Childhood Programs for Families
- Local businesses receive state tax credits for their donations to our scholarship fund.
- Local early childhood programs that participate help their families apply to receive scholarships.
- Eligible families may receive up to 75% of tuition if accepted into the scholarship program based on financial need and available funds.
Testimonials
» parent of EITC preschooler
» EITC preschool administrator
"A.'s teachers have commented on how his ability to be compassionate and cooperative has improved in the last few months. He is learning about math and problem solving. By building these essential skills, he will have the foundation for a good elementary school experience. Thank you for providing this essential start to his education."
"My husband and I are so grateful for the Pre-K scholarship. Our son is truly enjoying going to school and learning. Without the assistance, it would have been difficult to keep our son in preschool."