With the North Carolina Senate’s adopted budget cutting $40 million from the “More at Four” program, the local school system could lose staff, or even a number of slots, for the preschool program.

The proposed 25 percent cut would harm programs at the preschool level designed to target at-risk kids in schools and child care centers, according to local educators. About half of the money for last year’s More at Four program came from lottery proceeds, which are expected to decline due to the economy. The state is facing a shortfall of about $3 billion as the House of Representatives works on its budget.

More At Four started in 2001 and is facing cuts at a time when some educator associations are saying spending should be increased. The National Institute for Early Education Research called the proposed cut a “disaster.”

The local More at Four program has 18 students in each of the county’s eight elementary schools, as well as nine slots at Merry Land Academy in Boone. While under the Senate budget the slots would remain available, there’s still too much uncertainty for the Watauga County school system to make plans for the year ahead.

“Everything we’ve heard is just proceed on as if we know nothing,” said Billie Hicklin, assistant schools superintendent and contractor for the county’s More At Four program.

One of the proposed options is a merger of the More At Four with the Smart Start program, which is operated by the Children’s Council of Watauga County. Hicklin said the two agencies had a strong relationship so the move could be made smoothly if necessary.

“If we’re cut severely, I’d hope we have enough to cover our people’s salaries,” Hicklin said. “We would cut supplies or training or whatever we have to. I understand this is a tough budget year and we’re all going to have to make some sacrifices.”

Hicklin said the program has proven successful in preparing youngsters for kindergarten and success in the early grades, and it has been nationally recognized as a model.

“It’s such a strong, high-quality program,” Hicklin said. “That has been assessed not just by us but as one of the top two in the nation. I’m not sure why we would go backwards.”

Hicklin said not only should the program be preserved, it should be expanded to give every child an equal start on academic success.

“Youngsters who have been through the program are more socially, emotionally and academically prepared if they have had an education-based program instead of just child care,” Hicklin said. “I would love as a goal for every four-year-old in the county to have a good educational program.”

William Purcell of Boone has one child in the More At Four program and another who attended it two years ago. Purcell said the cut in funding could create more baby sitting and less education.

“My concern would be is when they merge it, they talk about changing the focus of the program from at-risk students to help them prepare for kindergarten and being more successful in school and more successful in life,” he said.

Purcell said North Carolina is a national leader in early education and now “is going to throw it away.” “This was one thing the state could be proud of,” Purcell said. “There are so many other programs we could cut. I’d rather have more potholes in the roads or less mowing of the road medians. I don’t know why they always want to make cuts on the backs of the kids.”

Purcell said if the program shifts to helping parents go to work, that’s a benefit at the cost the educational growth. “We have a lot of at-risk kids in the county,” Purcell said. “ I firmly believe those first five years are key to guiding the rest of your life.”

Doris Mattraw, director of the Children’s Council, said a public hearing in Raleigh on April 28 could affect the budget outcome, and her staff still doesn’t know the fate of the program.

“There are many ideas and it’s in the hand of legislators at this point,” Mattraw said. “We’re trying to be guardedly optimistic in our planning. We’re definitely going to make sure we seek outside grants, but those sources are down this year, too.”

With Smart Start childhood programs facing a reduction of $15 million statewide, there could be some mandates that will reduce flexibility, but health-and-family support and professional development could wind up on the chopping block. Child-care referral services and subsidies for some working families will be maintained, but other programs could face cuts or elimination.

The county gets about $300,000 annually for Smart Start. “It’s (state budget) reducing state funding for early childhood by 25 percent,” Mattraw said. “We’re working very hard to apply for any grants that are available.”

Mattraw said the program has been beneficial in helping promote education not just in children but in young adults.

“In May, in the Parents as Teachers program, four young women are graduating with their GEDS,” she said. “”We provide transportation and child care, and our GED success rate is very high. We also provide home-visiting programs to high-risk families, and a lot of them are referred to us by the health department. It’s research-based to reduce teen pregnancies and domestic violence.”

The final state budget will likely wind up in a conference committee, with members of both legislative bodies hashing out spending differences.