Boone County takes proposals for childhood development programs

Boone County Community Services presents commissioners with a list of organizations wanting funding for early childhood prevention programs.

“Helping to prevent any problems down the line. Helping to ensure that they’re ready for kindergarten when the time comes. Helping to ensure that their families are avoiding crisis situations,” Kelly Wallis, with Boone County Community Services, said.

Organizations such as Cradle to Career Alliance and MU Psychiatry Department submitted a request for proposal to Boone County Commissioners at Tuesday’s commission meeting. A total of eight organizations submitted an RFP.

“We’re still doing the same thing, expecting different results. It’s not working,” Lorenzo Lawson, with Youth Empowerment Zone, said.

Lawson is set to start a youth program for the Youth Empowerment Zone. The Inspiring Academy starts in August and will focus on African America boys.

“Stats have proven that if they start behind, most likely, they’re not going to catch up and most likely they will be the ones who get suspended or drop out of school,” Lawson said.

The National Education Association sites several studies showing early childhood intervention benefits kids writing they’re “less likely to repeat grades, need special education or get into future trouble with the law.”

“Putting in the time and energy now to help children be successful. That carries out throughout their life,” Wallis said.

Boone County has around $4 million to spend on the early child prevention programs for two years. The programs will be funded with a quarter cent sales tax passed voters in 2012.

Community Services administrators expect the contracts to be in place for these programs by January.