Students at the Fuller Center are bucking the trend of post-pandemic learning and achieving a 100% graduation rate from its Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program.
Per a report by the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Early Learning Project, students are achieving kindergarten readiness at a rate of 50% and 51% in Palm Beach County and statewide, respectively. The Fuller Center announced in a press release that they were able to double these rates by “focusing on extra support for early learners and providing more resources to teachers and VPK classrooms.”
Kindergarten readiness rates plummeted to as low as 30% during the pandemic as students struggled to adjust to remote learning. In the years since, the rates still haven’t fully rebounded, with pre-kindergarten children lagging behind in literacy and math skills.
“We are facing what I call a ‘quiet crisis,’” said Fuller Center CEO Eric Roby. “The pandemic disrupted foundational learning years for millions of children, and the consequences won’t fully reveal themselves until years down the line—when these children reach high school, college or the workforce.
“At Fuller Center, we’re not waiting to see the effects. We’re addressing these challenges now so the children we serve can meet reading standards soon and avoid lifelong financial hardships later.”
To learn more about the Fuller Center, click here.
