Lifesteps is getting an extra $255,000 in Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts funding to expand free preschool services in Butler and Armstrong counties.

With the money, Lifesteps will add 20 more subsidized preschool openings in Butler County and launch its first preschool program in Armstrong County with 20 open spots, according to Stacy Slater, vice president of early education.

The new Armstrong location will be in the Kittanning area, though a specific location hasn’t been selected. Butler’s expansion will be in the nonprofit’s existing location at 383 New Castle Road.

Pre-K Counts is a free preschool program for children ages 3 and 4 who come from families below a certain income level. Families must make 300 percent or less of the national poverty level to qualify. That means a family of four must have an annual income of at most $75,300 for the funding.

“We carry a waitlist that speaks to the fact that there are still service needs in this community that are unmet,” Slater said. “There are children waiting on a waitlist.”

Slater said the group has continual waiting lists for the program in Butler and Beaver counties, and its staff believe Armstrong County has a similar need.

State Rep. Rob Matzie, D-16th, announced Lifesteps’ funding in a news release Thursday, as well as Pre-K Counts and Head Start funding at Hap Enterprises and PIC of Westmoreland/Fayette. Lifesteps learned it was getting the extra funding last week, Slater said.

Pre-K Counts funding gets distributed on five-year cycles. Lifesteps has provided the services for two cycles, with this extra cash coming for its third.

In Butler County, the group hosts 20 preschoolers in full-day classes and 20 preschoolers in half-day classes at the New Castle Road location, plus another 20 at a satellite location in South Butler. Another 40 positions are open in Beaver County.

The extra money will fund new jobs, Slater said.

Two new certified preschool teachers with early education degrees will be added, plus some level of support staff.

Alyson DeLuca, the group’s community relations person, said much of the appeal of preschool is the possibility of identifying and easing potential problems when they’re still easy for children to overcome. Their data shows 30 percent of students in programs like speech therapy no longer need the specialized support by kindergarten if it’s addressed earlier.

Slater pointed to even more pragmatic reasons.

“We’re growing our future employees,” Slater said. “We’re growing our future community leaders. Our future moms and dads.”