Greenville Public School District has applied for a grant that would cover a K-3 summer program.
The K-3 Literacy Support Grant is an initiative from the Mississippi Department of Education.
Administered through the Office of Special Education and Early Childhood, the grant is made available in an effort to improve access to high-quality early childhood programs for children in Mississippi school districts, with an emphasis on providing inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities.
Jan Vaughn, school board member, is supportive of the district’s application.
“I know that this program will be beneficial to the growth of our students,” Vaughn said. “It will prepare our current and future students for the new school year.”
Sherry E. Jackson, GPSD’s office of state and federal programs, is looking forward to receiving the grant.
“Our school district is looking forward to being awarded the K-3 Literacy Support Grant that will be used to enhance the summer reading camps that will be held at Webb Kindergarten Preparatory School,” Jackson said. “This grant has the potential to positively impact student achievement at Webb and at all of our feeder schools.”
Tracy Jackson, GPSD academic director of the district, hopes this grant gets accepted.
“The program is set for the month of June and last two weeks of July,” Tracy Jackson said. “It is for current kindergartners and future students. The focus behind it is to emphasize and enhance reading skills.”
The MDE expects early childhood programs to accomplish and demonstrate the following outcomes:
• More children will enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school.
• More families will have access to quality early education programs.
• Prekindergarten programs will receive resources and support to increase quality.
• High-quality prekindergarten programs will collaborate with other early childhood education programs and related services.
• Prekindergarten programs will use curricula that are evidence-based and aligned with the MDE’s Early Learning Standards for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children.
• Prekindergarten programs will implement an integrated, effective system of early childhood curriculum, instruction, assessment, and program evaluation.
• Prekindergarten programs will implement consistent and appropriate learning goals for children and demonstrate progress towards achieving these targets.
Any school district in the state of Mississippi is eligible to apply for these grant funds. Districts who have applied for or who are currently receiving collaborative funds are not precluded from applying for these grant funds.
