Arkansas Better Chance pre-k program an example of state's nationally-ranked early childhood education efforts

LITTLE ROCK -U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan plans to tour one of Arkansas' lauded high-quality early education programs at Noble Elementary School in Hamburg on Thursday.

The Arkansas Better Chance site is one of more than 300 programs serving more than 25,000 children statewide. The state-supported early education program is among the 10 best in the nation, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.

"Secretary Duncan has the opportunity to visit one of the most successful education models in the nation," said Rich Huddleston, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. "We hope he'll remember this example back in Washington and work to make education reform start with high-quality pre-k-especially as Congress prepares to renew the No Child Left Behind Act."

With the federal No Child Left Behind Act due for reauthorization, Huddleston said Congress can help states and districts replicate Arkansas' success by including early learning in the reauthorization of the ESEA. It can also dedicate funding specifically for 3- and 4-year-old children that can leverage federal, state and local resources, provide incentives for greater investments and ensure that dollars are targeted to high-impact early learning programs.

Arkansas Better Chance pre-k programs are supported by a blend of local and state funds and are run by a mixture of private and public agencies statewide. ABC meets nine out of 10 quality standards benchmarks and ranks tenth in the nation in per-child funding, according to NIEER.

Hamburg education officials say the pre-k program, which now serves 90 percent of all 4-year-old children in the area, has made an impact on their schools. A few years ago two of the four elementary schools and two secondary schools were under review for poor performance. Since the program has grown, all the elementary schools are now meeting state requirements in reading and math. All the schools have scores above the state average for math and literacy.

"The positive results we've seen in Hamburg are similar to many other towns and cities in Arkansas," said Tonya Russell, director at the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education at the Arkansas Department of Human Services. "High-quality early education is a fundamental part of preparing Arkansas children for college and careers."

Research shows that investing in high quality early childhood education is among the best ways to prepare children for learning and reduce social costs like remediation and incarceration, said AACF's Rich Huddleston.

AACF's research also shows that children who complete quality pre-k programs enter school more prepared cognitively, emotionally and socially, are less likely to be held back or need special education services and are more likely to complete high school and become successful and productive adults.

EVENT DETAILS:
12:45-1:15 PM
Hamburg Pre-K Tour with Teachers and Americorps Volunteers
Hamburg Pre-K
521 East Lincoln St.
Hamburg, Ark.

Secretary Duncan plans to visit the school on his stops between Little Rock and Louisiana on his "Courage in the Classroom" back-to-school tour. For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/cVN.