Committed to expanding high-quality,
voluntary pre-k in Alabama  

Pre-K Task Force Recommendations

In 2012, the Alabama School Readiness Alliance brought together prominent statewide leaders from the business, education, medical, legal, philanthropic, military and child advocacy communities to form the Pre-K Task Force. That year, the Pre-K Task Force launched a ten-year campaign, now in its eighth year, to expand Alabama’s high-quality, state-funded First Class Pre-K program to reach all families that wish to enroll their children.

CLICK HERE to view the complete Pre-K Task Force recommendations (PDF), updated for the 2020 Alabama Legislative Session.

Since the Pre-K Task Force launched its recommendations in November of 2012, state leaders have grown the level of investment in Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program from $19 million to $122.8 million. In 2012, just six percent of Alabama’s four-year-olds were enrolled in the program. In the 2019-20 school year, 37% of Alabama’s four-year-olds are currently served. The Task Force will continue to advocate for incremental increases in state funding until the First Class Pre-K program is fully funded to reach 70% of four-year-olds in Alabama.

In addition to the increased funding, the Task Force recommendations include: continuing the “diverse delivery” of First Class Pre-K classrooms in public schools, Head Start and private programs (including childcare and faith-based centers); requiring that all First Class Pre-K providers adhere to the program’s quality standards; and, prioritizing new classrooms for students most at-risk of school failure.