Governor Riley Announces 107 New Classrooms Will Become First Class Pre-K Sites

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

July 29, 2008

HUNTSVILLE - Governor Bob Riley today announced that 107 new classrooms, serving 1,926 children, will receive funding to become First Class Pre-K sites. These additions bring the total number of children being served by the program up to 3,384.

“This is a wonderful day for the children of Alabama,” said Governor Riley. “First Class Pre-K is the top rated high-quality pre-k program in the country. We are truly changing the education system in Alabama with programs like this. The fact that we have doubled the number of children we are serving in only one year is a wonderful feat.”

50 classrooms will be receiving Pre-K Excellence Grants in the amount of $45,000. These grants will enable classrooms to meet Alabama High Quality Pre-K standards. 57 classrooms will be receiving Pre-K State Supported Slots of at least $45,000, with additional funding available based on the number of low and middle-income children being served. Of the new recipients, 43 are public schools, 36 are private childcare programs, 25 are Head Start programs, and 3 are faith-based childcare programs.

Governor Riley unveiled his plan for expanding Alabama’s statewide voluntary Pre-K program in November 2007. The program targets four-year-olds, and provides high-quality pre-k instruction through qualified teachers. The program is economical and available to all children, in all types of childcare programs, including public school systems, private childcare programs, faith-based programs, and Head Start programs. The primary goal of First Class Pre-K is to prepare students entering Kindergarten for success.

“First Class Pre-K welcomes our new classrooms and the children they will serve,” said Dr. Marquita Davis, Director of the Alabama Office of School Readiness. “A First Class Pre-K experience will provide these children with the foundation they need to be successful in school and life, and we must continue to expand this critical program. The best is truly yet to come for the children of Alabama.”

A national survey ranked Alabama’s pre-k program number one in the nation for its high-quality standards. Those standards include small student to teacher ratios, teacher qualifications, professional development for teachers, and total evaluation of the child’s academic, social, and basic health needs.

The Alabama Legislature doubled the funding for pre-K to $20 million. First Class Pre-K along with Governor Riley’s other education initiatives, like the Alabama Reading Initiative, the Alabama Math Science and Technology Initiative, and ACCESS Distance Learning, were among the only programs that received increases during this budget year.