JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) recognized Mississippi in its latest report on pre-K quality as one of only five states whose state-funded pre-K program meets all 10 quality standards for early childhood education.
The latest ranking is published in the NIEER report, The State of Preschool 2021. The annual survey provides an in-depth look at state-funded education for 3- and 4- year-olds nationally and in each state. There is a focus on enrollment, spending and 10 policies that support quality education.
NIEER evaluated Mississippi’s Early Learning Collaborative (ELC) programs, which are partnerships among school districts, Head Start agencies, childcare centers and non-profit organizations. The program has grown from 11 collaboratives serving 1,700 children in 2014 to 30 collaboratives that will serve 6,000 children in 2022-23.
“The quality of Mississippi’s Early Learning Collaborative program has made our state a national leader for early childhood education,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education for Mississippi. “Research consistently shows that high-quality early childhood education has a long-term impact on student achievement. Children who participate in high-quality pre-K programs achieve higher levels of school readiness, reading proficiency by third grade and higher graduation rates.”
Mississippi’s national ranking for pre-K improved since last year from 39th to 38th for access and 42nd to 39th in state spending per child.