2009 Annual Report

Investing in the Future

The research is compelling. Too many children are entering school without the preparation they need to succeed. Experts call it a “readiness gap” and warn that it can lead to an achievement gap that widens in middle school and causes students to drop out short of graduation. Two years ago Ball Brothers Foundation made a strategic decision to support efforts to narrow the readiness gap in Delaware County. In this year’s annual report we offer an update on five programs—recipients of BBF grants—that are making progress toward establishing East Central Indiana as a center of excellence for early childhood education.