Asheville City Schools will launch a universal pre-kindergarten program this fall, aiming to provide free, high-quality early childhood education to all four-year-olds in the city. The initiative, a collaboration between the school district, local nonprofits, and private donors, seeks to address disparities in access to early education and prepare children for success in kindergarten and beyond. The program, dubbed "Asheville Ready," will initially serve approximately 100 students at two pilot s