AUGUST 2022 | DR. CHRISTINA KISHIMOTO
Research is clear that children in high-quality pre-K programs demonstrate greater academic proficiency along their educational journey, particularly as related to third grade reading skills. And third grade reading skills are a predictor of high school performance and on time high school graduation. For the state of Alabama, Dr. Barbara J. Cooper is leading the way as Secretary of Early Childhood Education, appointed by Governor Kay Ivey in July of 2020. I recently got to sit down with Dr. Cooper for an intimate discussion where we took a deeper dive into Alabama’s early childhood commitment for all children.
“We want to close these gaps before children walk into our K-12 setting. And working in early childhood and investing in early childhood provides us the opportunity to do just that for our youngest citizens.”
— Dr. Barbara J. Cooper
Alabama has a long history of advancement in high-quality pre-K access supported across gubernatorial administrations. The state launched First Class Pre-K in 2001 when only 2% of Alabama 4-year-olds had access to a pre-K program. Today, more than 42% participate in pre-K, and the state has been recognized for the last 16 years as having the highest quality program in the nation.
“We want to close these gaps before children walk into our K-12 setting. And working in early childhood and investing in early childhood provides us the opportunity to do just that for our youngest citizens.”
— Dr. Barbara J. Cooper
The appointment of Dr. Cooper as Secretary of Early Childhood is part of this continued statewide, bipartisan commitment, to early childhood access. Prior to her appointment, Dr. Cooper served as the department’s director of the Office of School Readiness and the Birth to Grade 12 advisor for the Alabama Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation. In addition, the Alabama State Board of Education appointed her as the chief administrative officer during the Montgomery Public Schools intervention, where she worked to improve leadership and governance.
I know you will enjoy hearing about Barbara’s work as the state continues to expand quality pre-K to more students in Alabama. I hope that this interview will inspire educational leaders, elected officials, and early childhood advocates to design intentional bipartisan plans in your state to meet long standing needs and demands for quality early learning programs that matter to families across our nation.
Read the transcript of the conversation with Dr. Barbara Cooper and Dr. Christina Kishimoto here.
