Mississippi First Follows the Journey of the Early Learning Collaborative Act
Jackson, Mississippi—On April 17, 2023, Mississippi celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Early Learning Collaborative Act.
From a fractured early education landscape before the passage of the historic bill to a strong and thriving pre-K program 10 years later, we celebrate the success of the Early Learning Collaborative Act, which has now served nearly 26,000 four-year-olds. The process was no small feat.
“What we accomplished—and continue to accomplish—with the Early Learning Collaborative Act makes all the hardship endured in those initial years worth it. The ability to positively change the lives of thousands of children and families is something I could have only dreamed about back then. The pre-K program does this, and that makes me so proud. I wake up every day grateful that we have come so far and hopeful for where we can go. Here’s to decades to come,” said Canter.
To commemorate this occasion, Mississippi First releases Transforming Pre-K in Mississippi: The Story of the Early Learning Collaborative Act—a case study that details Mississippi First’s compelling journey to create the early learning collaboratives (ELCs). Canter prioritized listening to those on the ground and collaborating with key legislative champions and advocates to make the case for a high-quality state-funded pre-K program in Mississippi. The program Canter envisioned would focus on collaboration, create a unique 1:1 tax credit, and require collaboratives to meet the National Institute for Early Education Research’s (NIEER) quality benchmarks.
Today, early learning collaboratives are comprised of school districts, Head Starts, childcare centers, and/or private or parochial schools. These partners work together to create a community-wide plan to serve four-year-olds and ensure consistent quality regardless of provider. ELCs are funded through state and local matching funds and overseen by the Mississippi Department of Education.
All ELC classrooms offer teachers with specialized training in early childhood education, an effective curriculum, and a warm, welcoming environment for children. The Mississippi Department of Education supports each collaborative by providing professional development and coaching to ensure that every pre-K student gets the quality education they deserve.
Today, there are 36 early learning collaboratives across the state.
u003ch3 style=u0022text-align: center;u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022color: white;u0022u003eTransforming Pre-K in Mississippiu003c/spanu003eu003c/h3u003ernu003cp style=u0022text-align: center;u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022color: white;u0022u003eLearn about the remarkable story of the Early Learning Collaborative Actu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003ernu0026nbsp;
How did the Early Learning Collaborative Act evolve from an impossible idea to a celebrated achievement? And what more must we do to protect and expand on our progress in creating a high-quality pre-K seat for every child who wants one? For the tenth anniversary of the act’s passage, Mississippi First set out to document the Early Learning Collaborative Act’s history, the role of the legislation’s champions, and the impact the act has made to date on the lives of children and families. This report also makes the case for where the state should go from here to ensure the law continues to make a difference for decades to come.
Growing the Impact
Recommendation One
Ensure the early learning collaborative program is the premier state-funded pre-K program—and that the focus for pre-K remains on quality.
Recommendation Two
Increase access to collaboratives for children who would like to attend.
Recommendation Three
Support greater inclusion of childcare centers in collaboratives.
Authors and Editors
Rachel Canter
Executive Director
Rachel Canter is the Executive Director of Mississippi First and author of additional Mississippi First reports, including Leaving Last in Line, the State of Pre-K series, and Nothing in the Pipes: Educator Crisis in Mississippi (2020). Rachel founded Mississippi First in 2008.
Micayla Tatum
Director of Early Childhood Policy
Micayla Tatum is the Director of Early Childhood Policy and the co-author of the third and fourth State of Pre-K brief that focuses on access to pre-K in 2017-2018. She also was the project lead for the development and publication of the pre-K data dashboard.
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