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As a mother of a 3-year-old child who was rejected to enter pre-kindergarten just because she wouldn't be four until the middle of October, I had to promise her that she [would] start school next year. My child was devastated because she was sure she was going to start school with friends her age. She still asks me every day when she will be going to school. The answer I give her comforts her for that day, but I know she will be asking me the same question tomorrow.

Prince George's County has two programs for toddlers. It has the Head Start program and the pre-kindergarten program, which are designed for low-income families. The Head Start program serves children ages 3 through 5. When I applied for my daughter to enter the Head Start program, she was rejected because there weren't any vacancies left.

The Pre-K program's mission is to provide initial learning experiences to effectively help children develop and maintain the basic skills necessary for successful school performance. One of the program's requirements is that the child must turn four before Sept. 1 or take a test if the child was born between Sept. 2 [and] Oct. 15. My daughter was rejected to enter the program because she was born one day after the test deadline date. Now my daughter has to go to the babysitters while other children her age are getting some type of education.

I think it's great that Prince George's County is offering these two programs for our children, but it would be so much better if all children of [Prince George's] County had an equal chance of getting into school by the time they turned three. There's no reason why children from other states or counties have a better learning opportunity than our children here in Prince George's County.

I don't think the Pre-K program should have a deadline, nor do I think [Prince George's] County has enough educational programs. The District of Columbia is a huge example for [Prince George's] County. They offer different types of educational programs for all age groups. That's how [Prince George's] County should strive to be like. In order for [its] logo "Children Come First" to be real, [Prince George's] County needs to improve in [its] educational programs for [its] children.

I also think Prince George's County needs more after-school programs. Many of our kids just go back home after school and watch television the rest of the day. This county needs after-school programs that would include help with homework, and extracurricular activities that will help keep our kids off the street. I know that if [the] county changes all these things, the children will improve so much and grow up to be great and beautiful people. We need improvement, and we want it now.

To get to the crux, Prince George's County needs improvement in [its] educational programs. They need to change entrance requirements and open up more spots so no one will be left out. They also need to add more programs to the ones already available.

It's true, children come first and they should be our first priority. If us, the parents, don't worry about their education, then who will? We are the ones who should push Prince George's County into improving this situation. Every child deserves the opportunity for a greater and brighter future. Please keep that in mind.

Maria Zacarias, Lanham