Smart Start Facts

In Mecklenburg County

Approximately 71% of Mecklenburg County child care centers are 4 or 5-star rated. Smart Start works with child care facilities to improve the quality of their programs.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s More at Four Pre-K classrooms serve approximately 1,868 at-risk 4-year-olds of which 678 are supported by Smart Start.

Central Avenue Bilingual Preschool serves over 96 Hispanic/Latino children and their families to prepare for school, improve language skills and reduce cultural barriers.

Smart Start promotes preschool, health and family support materials for the Hispanic/Latino community, including Ventana Mágica, a bi-monthly magazine for Spanish-speaking parents. More than 18,000 are distributed in the community through La Noticia Newspaper.

Smart Start Star Rating Bonus dollars support teachers and classroom materials in an effort to reduce turnover in child care facilities.

Over 1,500 low-income children receive Smart Start subsidies in child care facilities with a star rating of three or more

Over 1,050 children receive comprehensive dental services, including oral hygiene education for parents through the efforts of the Biddle Point Dental Clinic.

Breastfeeding services and referrals are provided to over 1,600 at-risk mothers.

More than 175 at-risk, first-time mothers and their children are being served by Intensive Smart Start @ Home, connecting them with essential community services.

Over 7,913 children receive child care subsidy in Mecklenburg County, while over 6,562 remain on a waiting list, even though combined federal, state and Smart Start funding for this program exceeds $44 million for Mecklenburg County.