Are Alabama’s Pre-K Programs Working?
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This school year, more students were enrolled in Alabama’s pre-kindergarten programs than ever before. That’s thanks to a major expansion of the First Class program, which included 100 additional grants for state schools.
In August, we visited a Tallapoosa County school starting its first Pre-K program with that additional money. This week, Brittany Bivins went back to see how teachers, parents and school leaders say it’s going.
In the last year, teacher D.D. Knight says her 18 4- and 5-year old students have come a long way.
She says one student who used to cry when his parents dropped him off has overcome those fears.
“After dad walked out, he said, ‘look, Ms. Knight, I didn’t cry.’ I was like, ‘yes, you’re right, and I am so proud of you that you’re finally comfortable at school,'” said D.D. Knight.
Reeltown School Principal Tom Cochran says the program has made a big difference. This is the first year the school offered the program, after an expansion by the First Class program allowed for 100 additional grants to fund Pre-K across the state. One of those grants went to Tallapoosa County.
“One-third of our incoming kindergarteners will now be ready for kindergarten. It’s also affected our high-poverty areas. We’ve had several students come out of that that would normally not receive the Pre-K education,” Cochran said.
Parents we spoke to said they’ve seen a difference in their children over the last year.
“He has improved overall general knowledge, his conversation skills are a lot better. I really feel like he’s prepared to go to kindergarten. He’s really comfortable with the school environment,” said Page Cotten, who enrolled her son in the class.
Superintendent Joe Windle says they’ve seen so much success with this class, they’re hoping an additional grant will allow them to expand it to another school next year.
