Mississippi News
Mississippi doubles number of 4-year-olds in pre-K
Mississippi doubles number of 4-year-olds served in state-funded pre-K program
Mississippi will gain five new early learning collaboratives in August 2022 to serve more of the state's youngest learners.
On Thursday, the State Board of Education approved the additional collaboratives, which will serve 840 new 4-year-old students. These additions were the first to be approved in an expansion of the program that will double the number of students served.
Early learning collaboratives are pre-K programs made up of partnerships among school districts, Head Start agencies, childcare centers, and nonprofit groups. There are currently 18 collaboratives serving more than 3,000 children across the state.
These early learning collaboratives will be located in the Brookhaven School District, Kosciusko School District, Rankin County School District, Scott County School District, and South Panola School District, bringing the total number of early learning collaboratives across the state up to 23.
“When early learning collaboratives increase in Mississippi, it means more of our state's preschoolers will have access to a quality early childhood education,” Carey Wright, state superintendent of education, said in a statement.
First created in 2013, the collaboratives have been nationally recognized for their high quality and success in preparing students for kindergarten. In 2019, 77% of students in collaboratives tested as kindergarten-ready, 8% higher than other state-funded pre-K programs.
However, the collaboratives have not been widely accessible in the past, serving only 8% of the state's 4-year-olds in 2021.
The Legislature doubled funding for the collaboratives in the 2021 session, bringing the total state spending on the program up to $16 million. With this increase in funding, the Department of Education has begun approving new collaboratives and will be requesting more proposals in the coming weeks. Once this new funding has been fully allocated, the early learning collaboratives are expected to serve twice as many 4-year-olds.
“It's thrilling that we have approved additional collaboratives,” said Rachel Canter, director of Mississippi First, a nonprofit that helped write the law to create the collaboratives. “Hopefully we'll have even more communities approved by the end of the school year (to open in August), and I think MDE is on track to get there.”
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Alabama OF TJ McCants returns to Ole Miss this weekend
SUMMARY: Three years ago, TJ McCants hit a game-tying grand slam for Ole Miss against LSU, leading the Rebels to a 10-9 victory after overcoming an eight-run deficit. McCants transferred to Alabama where he has had a successful season with a .330 batting average, 13 home runs, and 42 RBIs. He will make his return to Oxford this weekend as Alabama faces Ole Miss, where he was a key player for the 2022 national title-winning team. McCants also homered in the championship series against Oklahoma. This weekend is expected to be emotional for both McCants and the Rebels' fanbase in Oxford.
The post Alabama OF TJ McCants returns to Ole Miss this weekend appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
New retail space coming to Gluckstadt
SUMMARY: Madison County residents will soon have new shopping options with the completion of Phase 1 of a development project for a retail town center in Germantown Village, Gluckstadt. Phase 2 will include new restaurants, hotels, a movie theater, and more, with potential tenants already being sought. The project aims to bring revenue and convenience to the area, with modern and attractive building designs to attract customers. The team hopes to finish the project by early 2026, providing a range of flexible spaces to accommodate various businesses. Residents like Pam Morris are excited for the revenue and convenience the new development will bring.
The post New retail space coming to Gluckstadt appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Making a stand against sexual violence
SUMMARY: Denim Day on April 24 is an international holiday that aims to raise awareness and fight against sexual violence. The holiday originated from a 1998 Italian Supreme Court decision that dismissed a rape charge due to the victim's tight jeans. Dorothy Sanders, a victim advocate coordinator, explains that many victims of sexual assault feel ashamed and hesitant to report the crime due to misconceptions and victim blaming. It is important for victims to reach out to local law enforcement for help if they have experienced sexual assault or harassment. The day serves as a reminder to challenge harmful beliefs and support survivors of sexual violence.
The post Making a stand against sexual violence appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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