Alabama aims for huge pre-K enrollment boost by 2025 hechingerreport.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hechingerreport.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Nearly 2,500 more four-year-olds will have access to the state's First Class Pre-K program, thanks to a near $25 million increase in funding from the legislature.
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Nearly 2,500 more Alabama four-year-olds will have access to the state s renowned First Class Pre-K program after legislatures approved a $24.4 million increase to the program s funding.
The additional funding will allow the opening 135 new classrooms across the state, meaning 41% of the state s four-year-olds will be able to enroll in Pre-K this fall.
Jefferson County was awarded the most additional classrooms, with 21, followed by Montgomery with 15. This is a tremendous addition to our community, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said during Tuesday s City Council meeting.
This additional funding, combined with Montgomery s property tax increase and the influx of federal funding due to the coronavirus pandemic, puts the city in a great position to be successful in educating its children, Reed said.
Gov. Ivey requests more funding for pre-K program
Gov. Ivey requests more funding for pre-K program By WSFA Staff | February 17, 2021 at 8:12 PM CST - Updated February 17 at 8:12 PM
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - In her budget request, Gov. Kay Ivey is asking for more money for the state’s First Class pre-K program.
The $24 million increase would add at least 207 classrooms and help enroll more than 3,000 4-year-olds.
There is currently only enough state funding to reach 37% of the 4-year-olds in the state.
“The Alabama School Readiness Alliance wants to reach all 4-year-olds whose families wish to enroll them in the program. We think that’s going to be more than 70% of 4-year-olds, you know, when everybody has an opportunity to attend,” said Alabama School Readiness Alliance Executive Director Allison Muhlendorf.
Early education is the focus of a film festival in Alabama this month.
The Invest Early Film Festival is featuring two documentaries about the importance of early education in the state. The project is being put on by the Alabama Association of School Boards, the Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama School Readiness Alliance. Allison Muhlendorf is the executive director of the Alliance. She said this is an opportunity to inform people about the needs of education before the next legislative session.
“We are encouraging state leaders to continue to expand Alabama’s Pre-K program by bumping up the level of funding each year. We’re also supporting investments in child care quality to help parents have more quality options and help strengthen the overall child care system,” she said.