Project Early Kindergarten is a pre-kindergarten program at elementary schools, child care centers, and family child care homes aligned with the Saint Paul Public School’s K-12 curriculum model. PEK aims to bolster the school success of children at risk of poor academic performance. In 2006, the Saint Paul Public Schools received a federal Early Reading First grant to expand the PEK program. The multi-year evaluation looks at school readiness and the academic outcomes achieved by children. A 2012 report looks at the potential return on investment of the program.