MONTGOMERY | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
Alabama’s early childhood education system is set to receive a major boost following the announcement of a $3.8 million federal grant awarded to the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE).
Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that ADECE has been awarded a Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) from the federal Administration for Children and Families. The funding is aimed at strengthening and aligning early childhood education services across the state.
“Investing in our youngest Alabamians is one of the most important things we can do to strengthen our state’s future,” Ivey said. “This funding allows Alabama to continue building a strong, coordinated early childhood system that puts families first.”
ADECE Secretary Ami Brooks said the grant will help continue progress already being made statewide, focusing on long-term improvements and better coordination of services for children and families.
The latest round of PDG B-5 grants, announced in December, places an emphasis on system efficiency, parental choice and quality improvement across early childhood programs. ADECE officials say the funding will be used to:
-
Increase the supply, stability and professional skills of early childhood educators
-
Improve consistency and alignment across mixed-delivery programs
-
Expand family engagement initiatives
-
Develop stronger cross-agency data and analytical systems to guide policy, funding and service delivery
During her recent State of the State address, Gov. Ivey highlighted gains already made in Alabama’s early childhood education system, noting that continued investment is key to sustaining progress. Officials say this grant will further benefit children from birth through age five by expanding access to high-quality early care and learning opportunities.
The PDG B-5 program is a competitive federal grant designed to help states better coordinate and maximize existing federal, state and local funding while strengthening and expanding early childhood education systems.
