Video: Partners In Early Learning

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Educators now believe pre-school programs are essential to prepare young children for the learning to come.

That’s why the Mississippi Department of Education has approved money to fund four additional early learning collaboratives.

The Early Leaning Collaborative Act of 2013 created the ELC Program.

Children who attend Head Start and pre-K in Oktibbeha County will benefit.

Partners in early learning.

The Starkville-Oktibbeha School District just got word of funding for their youngest students.

The District is one of the four applicants receiving the nearly $250,000 thousand dollars for the next three years.

That money means more educational resources for the programs already in place.

“Implementing curriculum, and monitoring the classrooms, and ensuring enrichment is taking place, and so that children enrolled at Emerson pre-K, and as well as the ICS Head Start Program, will be ready to enter kindergarten,” says Director of Family Centered Programs in the Starkville-Oktibbeha School District, Dr. Joan Butler.

One requirement is that the school district and the Head Start Program work together in a partnership.

Head Start will also match the same number of school days as the school district’s.

“That immediately will be an addition of 20 more days for children who are currently being served in our Head Start Program here in Oktibbeha County, with 20 more days of pre-K services.”

Butler believes the early education enhancement is something the state will see more of in the future.

“We have parents who really understand the importance of this early learning for our children, but I do really want to emphasize that it needs to be developmentally appropriate, and not a traditionally classroom enrollment.”

Planning will begin in January.