Over 15 million dollars awarded to school districts to develop pre-k programs

11 different school districts in the State will be receiving grants for State Invested Pre-K programs. The Mississippi Legislature appropriated 20 million in state funding to the Mississippi Department of Education during the legislative session, and the SBE awarded 15.4 million of that to the districts selected for funding.

Jill Dent is the Bureau Director of Early Childhood for the MDE. She says the grants will go to classroom development and teacher costs.

“The majority of the funding can be used on teacher salary,” Dent said. “they can purchase materials for the classroom, they can set up the classroom with these funds.”

The grant period is between now and June of 2025, and will affect an estimated 1000 students. Dent says its important to invest in the Pre-K level of education because it's influential in child development. 

“Not only… are they getting the foundation of reading so they can go into Kindergarten ready,” she said. “but [also] to have the skills to work cooperatively with their peers and in their classroom.”

Districts are poised to receive 100 thousand or more in grant dollars per classroom each of the three years.