Gov. Ivey adds 55 new Pre-K-3rd Grade Classrooms to Expand Early Learning Efforts
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Gov. Kay Ivey's Office announced that 55 new classrooms will be funded through the Pre-K through 3rd Grade for the 2025-2026 school year.
The 55 additional classrooms will be funded through the Pre-K through 3rd Grade Integrated Approach to Early Learning Program (P-3).
This expansion will increase the number of classrooms implementing the P-3 approach to 454 across 29 counties.
the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE), in partnership with the Alabama State Department of Education, is working to align instructional practices, assessments and leadership from First Class Pre-K through third grade.
'Each year, Alabama's P-3 approach continues to build momentum and grow to provide a smooth transition from pre-k to third grade. Through my Strong Start, Strong Finish initiative, we are setting the stage for lifelong success and empowering every child to reach their fullest potential,' said Governor Ivey. 'Strong students lead to a strong Alabama, and these learning efforts will ensure we continue to strengthen our schools and provide the best education for all students.'
The following schools in North Alabama are set to receive funding:
Highland Park Elementary in Colbert County
Webster Elementary in Colbert County
Parkside Elementary School in Cullman County
Hollywood Elementary in Jackson County
Kilby Laboratory School in Lauderdale County
Brindlee Mountain Elementary in Marshall County
Asbury Elementary in Marshall County
Sloman Elementary in Marshall County
'We are excited to welcome these new classrooms to the P-3 network of schools dedicated to aligning practices and learning environments to what research tells us works for young children,' said ADECE Secretary Jan Hume.
The Alabama Pre-K–3rd Grade Integrated Approach to Early Learning (P-3) builds upon student success and narrows the achievement gap by expanding access to Alabama's high-quality pre-k model. P-3 is funded by the ADECE through the governor's Strong Start, Strong Finish education initiative.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
What to know about Alabama laws taking effect
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — With her signature, Gov. Kay Ivey changed the way schools are funded in Alabama and created some new regulations. Several of those laws have gone into effect this week. Lawmakers said there's a few things to know about these acts. One law drops the grocery tax from 3% to 2%, which will start in September. State Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said it would be an extra dollar off of a $100 grocery tab. Including 2023's tax cut, that's a 50% slash on what used to be a 4% tax on groceries overall. 'Obviously, everyone has to eat, and they eat groceries, consume groceries,' Orr said. 'Therefore, the grocery tax seemed like the most logical place to continue letting Alabamians keep more of their hard-earned dollars.' Grocery shoppers aren't the only ones who will get more bang for their buck. The RAISE Act will now fund schools based on the kinds of needs students have. No active shooter incidents reported in Alabama in 2024: FBI Before, schools were just funded based on headcount. The needs now considered for school funding include English-language learners, gifted students, those with special needs and low-income students. 'Those schools are going to get more money just for your child to try to make a difference in their education, and that's the exciting part' said state Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur. State Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, agrees. She said students need this change. 'That's our future,' Drummond said. 'It's time that we invest. We know where the problems are, and the RAISE Act is going to help us address those issues.' Drummond's effort to crack down on nicotine products also went into effect this week. The law requires tobacco retailers to purchase a license to sell products. Drummond said it also requires students to learn about the harms of vaping. 'I want us to save lives and to prevent young people from hurting their bodies in the future,' Drummond said. 'So this is all about welfare of our young people in the state of Alabama.' Another law that's gone into effect allows the Alabama Farmers Federation to offer health care plans to its members. The original sponsor of the bill, state Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, said it will lower health care costs for farmers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
State wants more time to challenge Mac Marquette self-defense claim
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Tuesday was the deadline set by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals for the prosecution to file its response to the self-defense appeal of former Decatur Police Department Officer Mac Marquette. But the Alabama Attorney General's Office, which handles criminal appeals, asked the appeals court for 21 additional days to submit its filing. 'Help Ronnie's kids find joy amidst tragedy': Dumas family PI sets up GoFundMe for kids to attend summer camp Marquette is charged with murder in the on-duty shooting death of Stephen Perkins outside Perkins' Decatur home in September 2023 during a botched truck repossession. Perkins had reportedly pulled a gun on the truck driver earlier that evening. After that, the driver asked police to escort him, according to testimony at Marquette's immunity self-defense hearing in March. Testimony also showed officers agreed to go to Perkins' house, but they did not go to the door or make their presence known. Security footage from a neighbor's home shows Marquette hid near the side of Perkins' house and emerged as Perkins was pointing his gun at the repo truck driver. He yelled 'police' and ordered Perkins to get on the ground, body camera footage shows. Perkins turned toward Marquette and the then-officer fired multiple shots within two seconds of issuing the command. The defense has argued that Marquette was acting in self-defense when he shot Perkins. A Morgan County Circuit Court judge in late March denied Marquette's self-defense claim, finding that officers were not conducting an investigation at the time of the deadly encounter with Perkins. Under Alabama law, a person is justified in using deadly force if they have a reasonable belief that deadly force is about to be used against them or someone else. If the trial court had found Marquette acted in self-defense, the murder case would be over. Muscle Shoals man sentenced for stealing over $600,000 as pool contractor Marquette appealed the trial court's ruling to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in May. In that filing, his lawyers argue Perkins pointed his gun at Marquette, that Marquette feared for his life and that an ALEA investigator found Perkins was the aggressor that evening. In requesting more time for its response to Marquette's appeal, the Alabama Attorney General's Office said it is currently involved in complex cases before the Alabama Supreme Court and the courts of Civil Appeals and Criminal Appeals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Help Ronnie's kids find joy amidst tragedy': Dumas family PI sets up GoFundMe for kids to attend summer camp
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The private investigator for the family of the still-missing Huntsville realtor has set up a GoFundMe for the children to go to summer camp and for the eldest's birthday in a few days. 'Help Ronnie's kids find joy amidst tragedy,' James Andrews said. Ronald Leslie Dumas Jr., 37, was last seen on Dec. 15, 2024. A missing persons report was filed on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, and he was placed on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Missing Persons List as a missing adult on Dec. 23. The Huntsville Police Department and ALEA upgraded the missing adult alert for Dumas to a missing and endangered person alert on Feb. 7, saying he 'is believed to have been abducted and in danger of bodily harm or death.' Andrews, the family's private investigator, has now created a GoFundMe to support Dumas' kids as they head into the summer months. 'Ronnie is a dedicated father who loves his children, and he was involved in every aspect of their lives right up until the moment he was taken away from them,' the GoFundMe reads. Kai is 12, Lindsi is 6 and Ryili is 4. 'Kai turns 13 on June 11th, and he wants to celebrate at the Lego store. Kai, Lindsi, and Ryili would all like to go to summer camp this year, and from personal experience, I know how beneficial that would be for them! Summer camp alone for the 3 kids will be a few thousand dollars, but it will be worth every penny to bring these children some joy and moments of peace,' Andrews wrote. ALL funds raised will go directly toward helping the kids feel some sense of normalcy while their mothers and other family members continue to help them navigate this crisis. As we continue to search for Ronnie and answers, we cannot forget about the impact this is having on his young children. We ask everyone that is able, please donate and share! Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us bring comfort and stability to these amazing kids during an unimaginable hard time. GoFundMe You can visit the GoFundMe page here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
