A report released from NIEER shows Mississippi is one of only six states in the nation to meet all ten of the recommended benchmarks for preschool quality. The study shows 4-year-olds being served, with a national enrollment of 37%, but only 9% of 3-year-olds.
Jill Dent is the executive director of early childhood at the Mississippi Department of Education. Dent said the department has $29 million allocated for the Early Learning Collaboratives and $13 million for state funded pre-K programs.
Tiara Jackson
Preschool enrollment is at an all-time high in Mississippi according to a recent report
“That is a really big deal to be able to have all of those programs focused on high quality for each one of those children that are participating,” said Dent.
Dent says there are districts that utilize federal and local funds to implement programs for 3-year-olds.
“Every year we go through a continuous quality improvement process to ensure that our programs are implementing what they’re supposed to be doing as they are receiving state funds,” said Dent. “We make sure they’re meeting grant requirements. So those are all, parts of the NIEER benchmarks folded into what a class should look like, as we support them with grant funding.”
Anna Malpass is the mother of a three-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter. She says they've benefited from the early learning programs at their schools.
“I like seeing that they are learning from their schools and I like seeing them bring that into the house,” Malpass said. “So, whenever I am listening to them play or I can pick up and say, okay, these are the areas that my children need help in.”
Malpass said she has seen a difference in her daughter at a daycare in Flowood and she recently got accepted into pre-k in the Rankin County School District.
“Her speech has gotten a lot better,” said Malpass. “So, getting the experience and exposure to school has helped her with pretend play and learning her shapes and numbers as well as, how to pronounce words and learning her ABC’s.”
Malpass believed that having children in an early learning program can help with a child’s development.
“I do think that daycare should provide more of a curriculum-based activity for three- year-olds so that they can start learning their letters and numbers early so that they aren't stuck still learning those whenever they do get to pre-K,” said Malpass.
Dent said the teachers in the state have been working really hard to get students ready for kindergarten.
“We work with the legislature very closely to be able to let them know what’s going on with the programs,” said Dent.
NIEER reports Mississippi spent more $39 million last year. The state also used an additional $4 thousand in federal recovery funds to support their effort.