In Maine, 1,250 children under the age of three are enrolled in Early Head Start, and data from the state department of education shows an increase in pre-kindergarten program enrollment for the seventh year in a row. Unfortunately, less than 30 percent of Head Start-eligible children are receiving services. This year, the number of students enrolled in public pre-kindergarten programs jumped from 4,887 students to 5,004 students. Additionally, the average annual cost of center-based infant care in the state is $9,360. Meanwhile, Maine’s Educare program is viewed as a model of success in early childhood education and the “best pre-k program in the state.” Currently, 60 percent of the state’s 172 school districts offer some kind of pre-kindergarten program, but many communities are unable to afford offering a program to children. Soon, plans to use $4 million in funds from casino revenues will help alleviate the primary obstacles affecting preschool expansion in Maine, including first year costs.