The walls of the Urbana Head Start preschool classrooms, which serve 105 at-risk children, are lined with posters of the alphabet, and the floors are cluttered with educational toys.

Because of budget restrictions, 67 children are on a waiting list for the program and may never have the chance to learn in these classrooms. Early childhood program directors are concerned that without these resources, these children will not be ready for kindergarten.

Nationwide, thousands of such qualified children are stuck on waiting lists for federal government-funded early childhood education programs each year, and federal and city governments have noticed the need to prioritize funding for programs such as Head Start.

But with federal budget cuts going into effect on March 1, Kathleen Liffick, Head Start and Early Head Start county director, said the program could lose a little more than 8 percent of its funding, and some families with children currently enrolled may be turned away from the program. 

Liffick said about 100 families are put on a waiting list for the program each year.

“There are more children in our community who would be eligible than any of (the programs) have the funding to serve,” Liffick said. 

President Barack Obama has mentioned, most recently in his State of the Union address, that he plans to increase Head Start funding, and the city of Urbana is also looking for ways to help local programs. 

The Urbana City Council is reviewing social service funding over the next few months, and council members have stated in past meetings that they will focus on expanding these early childhood programs.

“We would like to see every pre-K child in some kind of early childhood program,” said Alderman Charlie Smyth, Ward 1. “Even a few hours a week can have an impact.” 

Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing said social service funding could open up for programs such as Head Start if a compromise is reached with Champaign. The two could potentially split the costs of the increased funding for agencies serving both communities.

“If we don’t take care of children who are born into poor circumstances, they won’t live up to their full potential,” she said. “You need to make sure children get a good start in life from the beginning.” 

The city council has also seen a need for financial assistance for the Urbana School District’s Early Childhood Program, which is funded by the state. Although the program currently teaches 360 at-risk kids, it has reached its capacity. 

Over the last four years, the Washington Early Childhood School has taken a 20 percent hit in state funding, principal Cris Vowels said.

“Ever year, it is questionable whether we will be funded,” she said. “With (the state’s financial) struggle, our funding is getting cut.” 

While the program’s budget is shrinking, its waiting list grows every year. Fifty children are waiting to get into the program, and Vowels said she expects the program to receive more applicants before the end of the school year.

“Last year, over 100 kids (in Urbana) went into kindergarten unprepared,” she said. “We want to avoid that happening every year — kids who are at-risk and are unprepared. They aren’t ready for learning.” 

Prussing said the council will be better aware of how to address the growing need for early childhood education when the city’s social service budget goes into effect June 1.

Corinne can be reached at [email protected].