Video: Pre-K A Hot Commodity In Lamar County

LAMAR CO., Ala. (WCBI) — Thanks to state grant money, Lamar County is wrapping up the first school year all three county elementary schools provide pre-kindergarten services.

Alabama’s Foundation Program provides the grants, and Superintendent Garth Moss said as of two years ago, the county didn’t have any “First Class Pre-K schools.”

“We felt like this is Alabama tax dollars and they were going to go somewhere…”, said Moss, “…we felt like our county pays taxes too, so we ought to get our share of the pie…”

Alabama is one of two states in the nation to meet all ten quality benchmarks set by the National Institute for Early Education Research, or NIEER.

The county initially applied for a grant for Vernon Elementary, and then applied for South Lamar and Sulligent.  Vernon is currently on a continuous grant, which provides funding for three year, and Moss said the district is applying for continuous grants for the other two schools.

Moss said the program is “meticulous” and teachers have benchmarks to where students should be throughout schooling, but the hands on activity will, “help those teachers when they go to kindergarten and benefit the kids all the way up…”

“They have access to the school…we use the gym, the playground, and we also eat lunch in the cafeteria…”, said Vernon Elementary Pre-K teacher Millie Long, “…so this won’t be brand new to the kindergartners next year.”

Long also said the affordability of the schooling is a huge advantage for the community. Long says residents pay $40 a month for the service.

The schooling is so popular in the county, that every school has a wait list because state requirements say a maximum of 18 students are in the classroom.

To ensure fair selection,  the district has adopted a lottery that randomly selects applicants to be a part of the program.

“We’re doing everything we can do…”, said Moss, “…We’ll reapply next school year for some other programs and hopefully be funded.

“It’d be great if the legislature would come and fund these programs as they’re needed but all we can do is react when they send us the money and do the best we can with it.”

Moss said daycare and churches can apply for the same grants the school district does if interest in starting a Pre-K program is there.