• • "Can't Stop The Feeling!"
• • Alabama Legislature approves $13 million expansion of First Class Pre-K program

nprEd: Preschool, A State-By-State Update

WHNT: Alabama to expand Pre-K program in school systems

The Andalusia Star-News: Moms, teachers say Pre-K makes big difference

Times Daily: County school systems file grants for 4 Pre-K classes

WTVY: Around 100 new "high quality pre-schools" coming to Alabama in 2018

Alabama Newscenter: Alabama's First Class Pre-K program to add at least 100 classrooms

Montgomery Advertiser: Education budget heads to Gov. Kay Ivey

nprEd: Pre-K: Decades Worth Of Studies, One Strong Message

The Alabama School Readiness Alliance is a statewide, nonprofit coalition advocating for the expansion of high-quality, voluntary pre-k. ASRA's mission is to close student achievement gaps by ensuring that all children enter school ready to learn. 

Today, the National Institute for Early Education Research named Alabama First Class Pre-K the highest quality pre-k program in the country for the 11th year in a row. How did Alabama's four-year-olds celebrate? They put on their favorite Justin Timberlake song and danced! We dare you to watch and not smile. Click here to watch our new video. 

This announcement was made today in NIEER's 2016 State of Preschool Yearbook. Released every year since 2003, the State of Preschool Yearbook is the only national report on state-funded pre-k programs with detailed information on enrollment, funding, teacher qualifications, and other policies related to quality.

The 2016 State of Preschool Yearbook looks at pre-k programs operating during the 2015-2016 school year. That year, approximately 11,296 four-year-olds were enrolled in a First Class Pre-K classroom. Click here to continue reading.

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Click here to read more about Alabama's top pre-k quality rating in the 2016 State of Preschool Yearbook.

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On May 18, the Alabama Legislature gave final approval to a $13 million expansion of the state's First Class Pre-K program in Senate Bill 129, the Education Trust Fund budget. Governor Kay Ivey signed the bill into law the next day.

Combined with funding from Alabama's federal Preschool Development Grant, the increased state investments will allow at least 1,800 more four-year-olds to attend First Class Pre-K in the upcoming school year in public and private schools, licensed child care centers, Head Start and other community-based providers. 

The coming expansion of First Class Pre-K is welcome news for parents and families across the state, since current funding allows classrooms for just 25 percent of Alabama four-year-olds.

First Class Pre-K is administered through grants from the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. The Department is expected to announce more than 100 new First Class Pre-K classroom grants in the next few weeks. Click here to read more.

Contact your State Senator and Representative today to thank them for prioritizing investments in high-quality, voluntary pre-k!

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