CINCINNATI — As students graduate this season, a southwest Ohio preschool program is getting ready for its summer program, but the center is scrambling to keep it going.

What You Need To Know

  • The executive director for Cincinnati Urban Promise said this summer they're down about $45K for the summer preschool program after a funding source it relies on stopped
  • The summer preschool was being funded through Cincinnati Preschool Promise, but the organization's top executive says they're not funding summer programs anymore because the COVID money to pay for it came to an end. 
  • Cincinnati Urban Promise's preschool program is now relying on private donations and grants
  • So far, no budget cuts have been made

Shikia Newell is smiling and holding back tears. She was a teen mom, and at 26 just got her G.E.D. and graduated herself. Now it’s her baby boy’s turn.

He’s graduating from the same summer and after-school program she went to as a kid, Cincinnati Urban Promise.

“Academically it did help a lot, just as for me, I just want to grow and do more things like if you were behind, like in reading and stuff, they will make sure you had tutor mentors, like they help you out with that,” said Newell. 

However, the program’s executive director, Abe Brandyberry, is concerned about what happens after this year’s preschool graduation.

“We were not gonna be receiving that funding,” said Brandyberry. 

He said grant money from Cincinnati Preschool Promise was funding the preschool summer program.

In fact, that money funded dozens of summer preschool programs in the Cincinnati area, but the Preschool Promise top executive says it was temporary. The money was part of a three-year COVID relief grant for the summer that’s going away for good.

“It really hurts us because a lot of centers only have like a handful of students there on Preschool Promise, but we have the majority of our students are on Preschool Promise or some other voucher,” said Brandyberry. 

He said without the funds the center is losing about $45K this summer, but also said he’s not planning on making any budget cuts.

“Thankfully, we’ve had a few donors, and some churches have come around and have been able to bring in some of the support, but we’re still in need of some of the financial support for the summer,” said Brandyberry. 

He said the private donations will keep the summer program going for now and the Preschool Promise money still continues to pay for students during the school year.

The Preschool Promise program partners with Cincinnati Public Schools for funding throughout the school year. That funding will be on the ballot in 2025 to keep the school year program going.