 The future is looking a little bit brighter for Park Rapids pre-schoolers. The play and learn school is set to receive at least $140,000 to send students to school for free. The funding comes from the voluntary pre-kindergarten program through the Minnesota Department of Education. The district was able to provide the program at no cost for the first time this year using state funds. Of course, funding is everything when you have quality staff and they're paid on the teacher's scale, so it really helps a lot so we can offer it free of charge to the families. The school district would like to hear from families with four-year-olds if they are interested in enrolling before March 17th so they can plan for next year. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.