NASHVILLE — The Scott County School System has received funding for four voluntary pre-kindergarten classrooms and the Oneida Special School District has received funding for two pre-K classrooms, Governor Phil Bredesen announced last week.
The funding for the classrooms are part of nearly $25 million in awards for more than 300 such classrooms across the state that were announced by the governor on Thursday. The voluntary pre-K programs will serve at-risk four-year-olds, the governor’s office said.
Funding for the classrooms comes from excess lottery funds that were approved by the Tennessee General Assembly and included in Governor Bredesen’s Fiscal Year 2005-2006 budget as the first step to making pre-K available to every four-year-old in the state.
“One of the best parts about being governor is making a real difference in the lives of Tennessee children and families — and today we are really making a difference,” Bredesen said. “Today we are helping thousands of Tennessee children prepare for success in school and in life. This is good for our children. It is good for our schools, and it is good for our state.”
Each of the classrooms may serve up to 20 children, adding some 6,000 students to the state’s existing pre-K program. Since 1998, Tennessee has funded about 150 pre-K classrooms for about 3,000 children as part of a pilot initiative. The program emphasizes the fundamentals for learning, from reading to math to critical thinking skills. The National Institute for Early Education Research ranks Tennessee’s program among the best in the nation.
“Thanks to this initiative, these students are more likely to score well on tests and graduate from high school, which will prepare them for other academic opportunities and for better paying jobs in the future,” Bredesen said. “Pre-Kindergarten is a critical time in a child’s development. Research indicates that more than 90 percent of the brain’s growth happens before we’re five years old. Programs like these lay the foundation for all future learning and academic success.”
In May, the General Assembly passed landmark legislation to begin the process of making pre-K available to every four-year-old in Tennessee and to fund this year’s $25 million expansion of the state’s nationally recognized pre-K program. Each local school district had the opportunity this summer to apply for new classrooms. In early June, the Department of Education held workshops across the state for districts to learn the steps to apply.
Statewide, 106 school districts applied for the grant. Each of the districts received funding for at least one classroom.
In counties surrounding Scott, Anderson County received funding for three classrooms, Campbell County received funding for three classrooms, Fentress County received funding for four classrooms, Morgan County received funding for four classrooms, and Pickett County received funding for one classroom.
news@ihoneida.com
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