Education department announces three new school systems added to early learning program

by

Lacey Alexander

• Published on March 15, 2023 • Comments

Bryan Calvario, right, and Jeramia Smith, left, concentrate on their bell ringing as they and other children from the Anderson Grove Head Start program in Caledonia, Miss., ring their hand bells to accompany several patriotic songs, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013 at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., at the conclusion of a rally by early childhood education supporters, childcare providers and supporters who called for support of the Mississippi Pre K Collaborative Act before this year's legislature. The groups lobbied their lawmakers to support the legislation that provides funding for local partnerships between public, parochial and private schools and licensed child care programs.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

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A state-funded education program for Pre-K students is adding three new school districts to its list of beneficiaries.

Lacey Alexander

Education department announces three new school systems added to early learning program

260 pre-k students and a total of 13 classrooms will be served from an extension of the Early Learning Collaborative program. The Mississippi Department of Education has announced that school districts in Holly Springs, Lee County and Ocean Springs will now join a list of 35 systems that already earn funding for a Collaborative.

Jill Dent is the Director of Early Childhood Development at the MDE. She says districts who earn these funds have a lot of autonomy in where and how the funds are used.

"Every community is different, they can make the program fit the needs of their community best," she said. "And so that's what's so magical about this grant. "It's not so prescriptive that they can't figure out what will work best for servicing the children and the needs of those children within that community."

The Holly Springs School District will be collaborating with its local "Head Start," which serves Pre-K students. Eloise McClinton is the Executive Director of Head Start in Holly Springs. She says the people of her community, and their willingness to help with this project, is what will make the ELC special.

"When we work with our families and the school district and Head Start, we're all one big happy family." she said.

The ELC program was established in 2013 and is expected to serve over 6800 students this school year.