DOWNINGTOWN – The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) announced that it has been awarded a significant federal grant to expand its Early Head Start program, extending increased capacity for vital early childhood education services to 296 children across 16 Pennsylvania counties. The $6.9 million annual grant from the Office of Head Start, which includes an additional $1 million in first-year start-up funding, marks a substantial expansion from CCIU’s previous program that served 152 children in three counties.”This expansion represents a transformative moment for early childhood education in Pennsylvania,” said Cynthia Schofield, director of education services grants. “By increasing available slots from 152 to 296 children and expanding from three to potentially 16 counties, we’re creating life-changing opportunities for hundreds of more families. We’re especially excited about our ability to offer flexible programming that meets the diverse needs of families, ensuring that quality early childhood education is accessible to all who need it.”