Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program ranked nationally
FORT PAYNE, Ala. (WHNT) — With an eye on education, Alabama has ranked top in the nation once again for its quality in pre-K education.
For 18 consecutive years, Alabama’s “First Class Pre-K” program has led the nation in early childhood development. All pre-k systems within the state participate in the program, which was created by the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education and teaches skills that can be applied in daily activities.
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On Monday, the Fort Payne Pre-K Center was recognized by the state as a participant in the First-Class Pre-K program. City and state leaders gathered at the school to walk the halls and witness the program’s effects firsthand.
Jackie Jennings, Fort Payne Pre-K Principal, tells News 19 students that the developmental years in a child’s life help create the foundation for a strong education.
“In pre-K, our goal is not just the academics,” said Jennings. “But it’s also the social and emotional development.”
Some of the activities you might see in an Alabama Pre-K classroom are 20 minutes of small group instruction, multiple large group instructions, read-aloud twice a day and 70 minutes of center time focusing on a range of cognitive development skills.
Jennings went on to say the state’s program makes a drastic difference when students move on to higher learning.
“Alabama is number one in pre-K. Number one by the 10 quality benchmarks that pre-k’s are judged by nationwide. Alabama has an amazing structure set up for all pre-K programs to succeed for the success and the future of our kids being kindergarten ready,” Jennings said.
Governor Kay Ivey was unable to attend Monday’s event. In her absence, Fort Payne City Schools Superintendent Brian Jett remained excited to showcase what their schools have to offer.
“I definitely want her to see what we’ve been able to accomplish here partnering with first-class pre-k and what they bring to the table,” Jett said. “It’s really good. It’s a great initiative, I know she’s been in support of it since day one. It’s a great initiative for the state of Alabama.”
Governor Ivey rescheduled her visit and is expected to tour the school in the next two to three weeks.
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