3,600 participated in pre-K program

More than 3,600 children participated in the new state-funded pre-kindergarten, according to figures released to the Daily News today by the Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida.

In both Lee and Collier counties, that amounts to 45 percent of all eligible children - but only about two-thirds of kids authorities expected to show up when the program went into effect last July.

Mandated by a voter-approved constitutional amendment in 2002, voluntary pre-K struggled in the first months after lawmakers left approval for a final budget and plan until late in the spring of 200, just months before VPK began.

Despite that, early learning experts say VPK has brought increased attention to the issue of early childhood education. And although budget cuts threaten publicly funded pre-K programs, more children than ever are getting some sort of pre-school preparation.