Prekindergarten helps students succeed

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
Feb. 19, 2004
Susan Rucker, associate state superintendent of education, said Wednesday she is glad Meridian is working hard to improve student achievement through a prekindergarten program.
Rucker said she is pleased that Meridian School Superintendent Sylvia Autry is seeking alternative means of funding five additional prekindergarten classes by applying for two grants.
After all, Rucker said, the state department has found that students who lag behind their peers or lack vocabulary skills more than likely attended a school that didn't have prekindergarten.
Rucker, who also serves over the office of innovation and school improvement, said she thinks Mississippi will fund a few prekindergarten classes on a trial basis in the near future.
Belinda Bennett, a special education prekindergarten teacher in Lauderdale County public schools, said Mississippi is currently the only state in the nation that does not spend state funds for prekindergarten classes
Existing classes in Mississippi are funded with federal money, private money or special education money.
In Mississippi, prekindergarten programs are split into special education and non-special education sections. Lauderdale County has two special education classes and no other prekindergarten classes.
Bennett, who teaches one of the county's two classes, said she has seen many success stories with her students.
Bennett said she believes in what she's doing.
Kathy Yarborough, a prekindergarten teacher at Crestwood Elementary School, agreed.
Yarborough teaches one of seven prekindergarten classes in the Meridian Public School District. Meridian also has four special education prekindergarten classes.