Alabama First Class Pre-K Program Benefits

PICKENS COUNTY, Ala. (WCBI) – When they started a pre-k program several years ago, Alabama educators hoped for the best.

Today, teachers say their efforts are paying off with real success.

This is really good news.

Pre-k students have narrowed the gap in reading and math skills according to a recent study by the UAB and the Public Affairs Research Council lower-income based and minority students benefit the most.

Pickens County Alabama Headstart Education Manager Vanessa Hopkins says they must have a plan in place to help the students and the program be successful.

“We are using the teaching strategy and curriculum and is not only a curriculum it’s an assessment that we’re using. As the children are learning studies through the curriculum they’re being assessed and so with the two combined it’s putting them ahead of the other children and I see increase in their math and literacy skills,” said Hopkins.

Like hispanic children who leaped to a 71% improvement in math, and a 31% improvement in reading.

With 26% African-American students improving in reading and 37% in math.

Hopkins says it’s not just the teachers helping contribute to those numbers.

“There are 16 learning centers and in all those centers the children are learning centers and all the kids learn a skill from those centers. When you have Hispanic or other minority children in the classroom, children learn from each other. Where you have children that are excelling low, when you combine them with kids that are at a higher level they feed off each other,” said Hopkins.

Students are not required to attend pre-k but instructor Evelyn Hinton says the children will benefit for years to come.

“When they come to us they are just leaving their parents so they are basically babies.We have to teach them those beginning skills. All the areas of; social emotional, cognitive, language, physical, science, social studies. All those areas,” said Hinton.

“They have good manners good social and cognitive skills and it makes them good long life learners for the community and I can say that our children are ready for kindergarten when they leave,” said Hopkins.

Due to the limited number of first class pre-K classrooms across the state, students are selected for the program via random drawings.

Enrollment for 2018-2019 is open. There’s no fee to register.