The State Board of Education (SBE) has awarded over $15 million in grants to 11 school districts across Mississippi for the implementation of new State Invested Pre-K (SIP) programs.
According to the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), SIP programs are expected to expand the amount of pre-K programs, as well as have the capacity to serve 1,000 four-year-old children in 50 classrooms in school districts that are not part of an ELC.
During the 2022 legislative session, $20 million was appropriated to MDE to provide grant opportunities to Other Early Learning Programs through public schools, including public school pre-kindergarten programs not participating in MDE’s Early Learning Collaboratives (ELC).
Approximately $15,450,000 of the allocated funding will be used in the school districts, with the remaining funds being used for the overall management of the SIP program. Management will include hiring coaches, financial management, and coordination of the program during the grant period of Nov. 14, 2022, through June 30, 2025.
Pending the availability of funds, districts will continue to receive funding in years two through three of the program provided they complete services from the preceding fiscal year’s grant.
Additional SIP funding opportunities have not been planned; however, an additional funding opportunity for school districts, local Head Starts, licensed child care centers, and private or parochial schools to join the ELC program will be advertised in a few weeks at mdek12.org/PN/RFP.
