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RECOMMENDATIONS2020 Pre-K Task Force RecommendationsWe recommend expanding Alabama’s high-quality, voluntaryFirst Class Pre-K program so that all families have theopportunity to enroll their four-year-olds. To accomplishthis goal, we recommend increasing the total level of stateinvestments for First Class Pre-K to approximately 200million by the 2022- 2023 school year.2020 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY:Increase First Class Pre-K Investments by 25 MillionWe support Governor Ivey’s proposalto increase state investments in FirstClass Pre-K by 25 million during the2020 Legislative Session. This increasewill bring the total level of funding forFirst Class Pre-K to 147.8 million, andkeep our state on track to fully fund theprogram by the 2022-2023 school year.We recommend that additional state investments in FirstClass Pre-K: prioritize expanding access to students at-risk of schoolfailure; encourage and leverage the use of local and privatematching funds; are sustainable and based on the true costs of a highquality program; and are guided by a statewide needs assessment reviewingsupply (available providers, facilities, workforce) anddemand (survey of Alabama parents to identify estimatedparticipation rate) for pre-k expansion. We also encouragestrategies to grow demand so that families whose childrenwould benefit from pre-k but who don’t realize itsimportance become potential pre-k consumers.We support the continued use of a “diverse delivery” fundingstructure for First Class Pre-K that creates high-quality, statefunded pre-k classrooms in public schools, Head Start andcommunity-based settings (such as child care, nonprofit andfaith-based centers). We recommend revised strategies andpolicies that strategically target areas in the state with lowerrates of First Class Pre-K access, and result in more First ClassPre-K programs being placed in community-based settings.We recommend that the Department of Early ChildhoodEducation continue to improve coordination with otherstate departments in order to ensure that resources areused efficiently and that First Class Pre-K is aligned withchild care improvement efforts; other early childhoodand family programs; and K-12 learning standards, datasystems, accountability and assessment.We recommend that the Department of Early ChildhoodEducation maintain the ten quality benchmarks for FirstClass Pre-K measured annually by the National Institutefor Early Education Research. All First Class providersmust adhere to the program’s quality standards andcoordinate with families and schools to facilitate children’ssmooth transition into kindergarten.We recognize that parents are their children’s firstand most important teachers. With that in mind, werecommend that First Class Pre-K continue to incorporateevidence-based best practices for meaningfully engagingand strengthening families.We recommend that the Department of Early ChildhoodEducation continue efforts to enhance and measurethe quality of First Class Pre-K. The quality of teachingshould be regularly observed and student outcomesshould be tracked over time through a high- quality,longitudinal program evaluation. This should include aplan to continue progress toward a statewide kindergartenreadiness assessment in all systems.While the state expands access to First Class Pre-K, wesupport local governments, private companies, charitableorganizations, and other state partners in their work toaddress school readiness gaps by investing in high-qualitypre-k and other evidence-based programs that improve theoutcomes of children pre-birth to age five, and their families.5

WHY PRE-KLESSLIKELYThe Public Affairs Research Council of Alabamaand the University of Alabama at Birminghamhave followed student progress throughthe eighth grade, and found that AlabamaFirst Class Pre-K students, regardless ofdemographics, zip code or school, are:MORELIKELYAlabama’s First Class Pre-K program has lasting results1to be proficient in reading and mathto be chronically absentto be held back a gradeto need special educationto have serious disciplinary issuesHigh-Quality Pre-K WorksAn abundance of research has shown that the academic “achievement gap” begins as a schoolreadiness gap.2 Moreover, brain science tells us that the first five years of a child’s life establish eithera sturdy or a fragile foundation for everything that follows—and getting things right the first time iseasier and less expensive than trying to fix them when a child is older.3High-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten (pre-k) for four-year-olds is an effective early childhoodeducation program that prepares children to succeed socially, emotionally and academically inkindergarten and beyond.4Graduatesof a high-qualitypre-kpre-kprogramare:are:Graduatesof a high-qualityprogramMore likely to beproficient in readingby third gradeMore likely to graduatefrom high school andattend collegeMore likely to succeedin the workplace1 Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, 2019, www.children.alabama.gov.2 Burkam, D., & Lee, V. (2002). Inequality at the starting gate: Social background differences in achievement as children begin school. Economic PolicyInstitute, Washington, DC.3 Shonkoff, J.P., & Phillips, D.A. (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development. National Academy Press,Washington, DC.4 Committee for Economic Development (2006). The economic promise of investing in high-quality preschool:Using early education to improve economic growth and the fiscal sustainability of states and the nation. Washington, D.C.6

About ALABAMA’SFIRST CLASS PRE-KAbout Alabama’s First Class Pre-KFirst Class is Alabama’s state-funded pre-k program. The Office of School Readiness in the AlabamaDepartment of Early Childhood Education administers First Class Pre-K by providing funding andsupport for high-quality pre-k classrooms in a variety of settings.For more information, visit http://children.alabama.govPercentage of four-year-olds enrolled in First Class Pre-KBY 3%36% 0%26%77%40%14%BUTLER90% IAMOBILE33%43% NECUH61%28% LAS%40%TALLADEGA 4%46%61% 79%%34% KENSGREENEDEKALBST. ENCE%JACKSON35%COVINGTON46DALE37% 27%%GENEVA46%36%31%HOUSTONCounties with less than 37 percent accessCounties with 37 percent access or more7

ama First Class Pre-KAlabama School Readiness AlliancePRE-K TASK FORCESome of the companies and organizations represented on theAlabamaSchool ReadinessAlliance’s statewide Pre-K Task Force:2014RECOMMENDATIONAs part of its Pre-K Task Force's goal to ensure that all families have access to high-quality, voluntary pre-k withinthe next ten years, the Alabama School Readiness Alliance recommends increasing state investments inFirst Class by 12.8 million. This would bring total First Class Pre-K investments to 41.3 million for FY15.A 12.8 millionincrease would.For 7openhelp enrollnew classroomsadditional four-year-oldsyears in a row,But only 9%of four-year-olds inAlabama have accessto the program.Alabama’s First Class Pre-Khas been ranked #1 in thecountry for quality.Alabama First Class Pre-K alums. are ready for kindergarten test proficient in reading have higher attendance rates are less likely to require special education placement are less likely to repeat grades12333DanielAdditional research has shown that childrenThethat attend high-qualitypre-k programs are: more likely to graduate more likely to attend college more likely to succeed in the workforce– less likely to commit a crimeFont ITC Avant Garde Gothic FamilyPMS: Black,– less likely to rely on social welfare programs5GREEN:RGB: 0, 204, 56HEXADECIMAL: 006838CMYK: 90, 33,100, 25PANTONE: 7727c / 356uBLUE:RGB: 0, 109, 182HEXADECIMAL: 006838CMYK: 90, 55, 0, 0PANTONE: 7461c / 300uinvested in high-quality pre-k now saves taxpayers up toBirminghamRotary ClubFirst ClassPre-K closesthe achievement gap forlower income students byan average of 25%and by as much as 29%.4in the future.6At the end of their year in First Class Pre-K, students surpass national expectations in vocabulary assessments (Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs, 2011).Last year, 100% of Alabama third graders that attended First Class Pre-K scored proficient in reading (Governor Robert Bentley, State of the State Address, 2014)Governor Robert Bentley, State of the State Address, 20144Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. The PARCA Perspective, October 20135Committee for Economic Development, The economic promise of investing in high-quality preschool: Using early education to improve economic growth and the fiscal sustainability of states and the nation, 2006.6Wat, A. (2007). Dollars and Sense: A Review of Economic Analyses of Pre-K. Pre-K Now, Washington, D.C.123CONTACT USAllison Muhlendorf, Executive DirectorP.O. Box 4433, Montgomery, AL 36103Phone: (334) alabamaschoolreadiness.org8

About the Alabama School Readiness Alliance The Alabama School Readiness Alliance is a statewide, nonprofit coalition advocating for the expansion of high-quality, voluntary pre-k. ASRA was formed in 2006 as a joint campaign of A Education Partnership, Alabama Giving, Alabama Partnership for Children and VOICES for Alabama's Children.