State receives Race to the Top grant

The state of Wisconsin competed for and was awarded a Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge education grant from the federal government. The state will receive $22.7 million in funding to advance current state initiatives targeting early childhood development. The four-year grant will be led by the Dept. of Children and Families to improve its YoungStar program for high-risk children. The money will also help build an early learning and development service delivery system between the Dept. of Children and Families, the Dept. of Public Instruction, and the Dept. of Health Services.