Miss. Aims to Apply for Federal Preschool Grant

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Department of Education plans to seek grants from the federal government worth up to $15 million a year to expand an existing pre-kindergarten program.

That money could boost Mississippi’s fledgling effort to provide state-paid preschool for 4-year-olds.

State Superintendent Carey Wright told members of the Board of Education on Thursday that Mississippi expects to submit its application by Oct. 10. It will know whether it won by December.

The money would build on Mississippi’s existing system, which granted $2 million to 11 consortiums in December. Those groups say they will serve 1,200 children.

Board member Danny Spreitler of Amory, who leads one of the groups that got state money, questioned the move, saying he feared it would squeeze out private child care centers in favor of school districts.