Alabama to expand First Class Pre-K program to 64 classrooms this fall

Gov. Kay Ivey announced Wednesday morning that Alabama will have 64 new First Class Pre-K classrooms this fall.

The new locations, which will be available for the 2026-27 school year, will be supported by the Alabama Department of Early Education in an effort to increase access to the program.

“Providing Alabama’s children with a strong start remains one of our state’s most important investments,” Ivey said in a statement. “These new First Class Pre-K classrooms will help more children enter kindergarten ready to learn and succeed, while strengthening the foundation for Alabama’s future.”

In April, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) praised the quality of Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program for the 20th consecutive year making it the longest running state to hit all of NIEER’s benchmarks.

“Alabama didn’t become the nation’s highest-quality state-funded pre-k program for 20 consecutive years by accident,” said Ami Brooks, the secretary for the Department of Early Childhood Education. “This milestone reflects decades of commitment from educators, communities and state leaders who have never wavered in their belief that our youngest learners deserve the very best start. Every new classroom we add is an investment in a child’s future and a continuation of Alabama’s legacy as a national leader in early childhood education.”

NIEER said in the report that Alabama should work towards expanding its Pre-K program to become universal. The organization defines a universal Pre-K program as one that serves at least 70% of students it’s made for.

Trayce Strichik, the executive director for VOICES for Alabama Children, said in an interview Wednesday afternoon the expansion will help increase positive outcomes for students across the state.

“We know that if you go to Pre-K, you’re more likely to graduate from high school, you outperform your peers in third grade and you’re more likely to be ready for kindergarten,” she said.

Currently, there are 1,521 First Class Pre-K classrooms in Alabama that serve over 24,000 four year olds. Strichik said in an email statement that adding 64 additional classrooms “will open the door for approximately 1,100 more four-year-olds to access Alabama’s nationally recognized program.”