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The Alabama School Readiness Alliance is a joint campaign of:
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Santa comes early for Birmingham children
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 Last week, Birmingham's four-year-olds received an early Christmas gift. Birmingham City Schools' Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring and Mayor Randall Woodfin announced that all 45 pre-k classrooms in the Birmingham City Schools are joining the Alabama First Class Pre-K program. Thanks to state grants and support from the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, all classrooms will follow the quality standards of First Class Pre-K and receive additional teacher coaching, professional development and classroom supplies. For 11 years in a row, Alabama's First Class Pre-K program has been recogized by the National Institute for Early Education as the highest-quality state-funded pre-k program in the country.
ASRA's Pre-K Task Force co-chair Mike Luce, Vice Chairman of Harbert Management, was on hand at last Friday's announcement to congratulate BCS and advocate for the continued expansion of Alabama's First Class Pre-K program. Click here for a video of news coverage. Click here to read more.
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New VOICES for Alabama's Children report highlights education outcomes
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Each year, VOICES for Alabama's Children publishes the Alabama Kids Count Data Book, a trusted source of research on child well-being for all 67 counties. This month, VOICES released an Education Supplemental Report for the Data Book which includes education data disaggregated by race/ethnicity and income. This additional breakdown helps citizens and leaders alike get a clearer picture of educational outcomes and achievement gaps in Alabama.
Rhonda Mann, deputy director of VOICES for Alabama's Children, told the Times-Daily that the Alabama First Class Pre-K program is making a difference in the counties where there's ample access to programs. However, only 28 percent of the the state's four-year olds have access to the program.
"We know it's doing what it's supposed to do and closing achievement gaps," Mann said. "And with this year's measurement of the categories including poverty and non-poverty, we're especially seeing the role of Pre-K in closing those gaps among low-income students." |
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Higher education steps up to the plate to prepare First Class Pre-K teachers
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This month, higher education institutions at opposite ends of the state celebrated major milestones that will help prepare more teachers to work in Alabama's growing First Class Pre-K program.
On December 14, Troy University officials announced plans to build the Coleman Center for Early Learning and Enrichment at Troy Dothan. The new facility will provide pre-k education for local children and instruction for aspiring pre-k teachers enrolled in a new early childhood education degree program. Jeff Coleman, president and CEO of Coleman World Group, a member of ASRA's Pre-K Task Force, named the center for his family.
 One day earlier, North Alabama state lawmakers Representative Phil Williams (HD-06) and Representative Terri Collins (HD-08) observed one of the state's newest high-quality, voluntary First Class Pre-K classrooms at UAH's Early Learning Center (pictured at left). The officials also learned about a new bachelor's degree in early childhood education and special education offered by UAH's College of Education. Click here to learn more. |
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ASRA highlighted in regional philanthropic publication
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Last month, the Alabama School Readiness Alliance was highlighted in "Philanthropy as the South's Passing Gear: Fulfilling the Promise," MDC's tenth annual State of the South pubication commissioned by the Southeastern Council of Foundations. Alabama Giving's founding of and participation in ASRA is detailed in the report as an example of "Passing Gear" philanthropy - strategic grantmaking focused on working "upstream" to tackle the root causes of systemic inequities.
MDC brings together foundations, nonprofits, and leaders from government, business and the grassroots to illuminate data that highlight deeply rooted Southern challenges and help them find systemic, community solutions. Click here to read the report. |
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