Promise Neighborhoods, a competitive grant program, seeks to borrow many of the ideas from the Harlem Children’s Zone and apply them to high-poverty neighborhoods across the country. The HCZ has gained attention in recent years for its “pipeline” strategy to breaking the poverty cycle: Start kids in school early; give them extended days and ample social services, such as health care and truancy prevention, to support their development; and make sure they continue to receive this support until adulthood. In the fiscal year 2010 budget, Congress appropriated $10 million in “planning grants” to 21 grantees across the country.

Early Ed Watch speaks with Patrick Lester, senior vice president for public policy at the United Neighborhoods Centers of America. Mr. Lester provides some insight on the 21 Promise Neighborhoods grantees and digs into what might be the biggest question now facing the program: What will happen to funding for the Promise Neighborhoods program in the new Congress?