Alabama’s Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program Continues to Lead the Nation in Quality for the Ninth Year in a Row

MONTGOMERY— Alabama’s First Class Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program continues to lead the nation in quality for the ninth year in a row, according to a new study released Tuesday. Alabama is one of only four states in the country to meet all 10 quality benchmarks established by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER).

“A strong economic future is grounded in high quality education, and Alabama’s First Class Pre-K Program provides a great foundation for students to prepare for success in life,” Governor

Robert Bentley said. “Alabama’s voluntary First Class Pre-K Program boasts standards among the highest quality of any state, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.

Our emphasis on quality is paying off in Alabama, and my goal is to continue to expand our pre-k program because it makes a real difference in the lives of Alabama’s children.”

Alabama’s voluntary Pre-K program is managed by the Alabama Office of School Readiness.  The office is part of the Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs, which is overseen by Governor Bentley.

In 2014, the Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs was awarded a competitive federal Preschool Development Grant for $17.5 million. In 2015, during Governor Bentley’s state of the state address he emphasized the need to increase funding and access to First Class Pre-K. In April, the Senate passed a $6 billion education budget, which includes $13.5 million additional dollars for preschool. The House has yet to take up the Senate-approved budget bill. In the 2014-2015 school year, $10 million in increased funding has been allocated to developing Pre-K and opening up slots for an additional 1,800 4-year-olds.

“Last year, children who attended our First Class Pre-K program were less likely to fail a grade in school, and across all grades, consistently scored higher in reading and in math than those who did not attend,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “Yet only 13% of 4-year-olds in Alabama have access to First Class voluntary Pre-K, and that is why once again, we must continue to increase funding in order to expand this opportunity.”

“It is heartening to see state funded Pre-K, once the fastest growing area in the entire education sector, back on the road to recovery,” said NIEER director Steve Barnett. “Given that the states cut half a billion dollars in funding in 2011-2012 and a number of states have yet to address those cuts, much work remains to be done.”