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A Look at Pre-K

In January, the Foundation received an $100,000 grant from the 3M Foundation for a Decatur City Schools Pre-K classroom for the 2014-2015 school year.

You may be wondering what Pre-K is all about. The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) has released some data related to Pre-K, and the results are worth reading. 

"Students who participated in Alabama's First Class Pre-K program academically outperform their peers once they reach elementary school, and the advantages conferred by Pre-K participation persist at least through the 6th grade, according to findings from an ongoing evaluation of the program... The National Institute for Early Education Research finds that Alabama meets all 10 of its benchmarks for quality, including having high learning standards in place and requiring Pre-K teachers to have a bachelor's degree and training in early childhood education."

Read the full report on Pre-K here. 

Decatur City Schools has partnered with the Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce to promote and increase the number of quality Pre-K classes available in Decatur. Research shows that quality Pre-K education yields benefits for children, schools, and communities. Some notable statistics include: Pre-K students are less likely to repeat a grade and more likely to graduate from high school; and adults who participated in a Pre-K program are less likely to be arrested for violent crimes, more likely to be employed, and more likely to earn higher wages.

The Foundation secured the Pre-K grant as a part of their It Starts With Our Schools Capital Campaign, which is currently in its fifth and final year. The goal of the campaign, which kicked off in 2009, was to raise $1 million for DCS to help increase student achievement through various initiatives and programs.



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