Department of Education
Dr. Tim Webb, Commissioner
Last Update:
03/24/2009
2008-2009 Pre-Kindergarten Fact Sheet
Governor Phil Bredesen, with strong bipartisan support from the Tennessee General Assembly, was successful in the passing of the Voluntary Pre-K for Tennessee Act of 2005, increasing the state's investment in Early Childhood Education and access for students. Tennessee has provided $213 million new dollars for Pre-K education since the 2005-2006 school year, creating 786 new classrooms serving an additional 15,000 preschoolers across Tennessee.
On Access...
- Tennessee Pre-K funding in FY '09 is $83 million - $58 million state funding/$25 million lottery revenues. This represents a $3 million increase in funding for inflationary costs.
- Tennessee has 934 state-funded pre-k classes serving approximately 18,000 young children
- 3,924 children are on waiting lists seeking enrollment in Pre-K classes, including 1,800 who are eligible for free/reduced priced meals and 333 who are eligible for ELL services. These numbers are correct as of 9/1/08. They would not be correct today as many of these children have since been enrolled in the program as other children have moved out.
- State-supported Pre-K programs are located in 94 of 95 Tennessee counties and 133 of 135 eligible School Systems
On Quality...
- Tennessee's Voluntary Pre-K program is a national leader in Pre-K quality, having achieved 9 of 10 quality standards of the National Institute for Early Education Research for the past three years. Two states achieved 10 quality standards.
- Tennessee is 5th in the nation on a new ranking of "best chance" states for parents seeking a high-quality, state-funded pre-k program for their child, according to Pre[k] Now. (Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2009)
- Tennessee is one of 5 states to receive a grant in 2008 to partner with the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning to build the capacity of the state to increase the social and behavioral competence of young children.
On Program Design...
- Collaborative classroom partnerships are an integral component of the TN Pre-K program. In 2007-2008 there were 212 collaborative classroom partnerships between 40 local school systems and non-profit and for profit providers such as; Head Start , Even Start, For-Profit and Not-For-Profit Child Care Providers, Faith Based Agencies, Community Based Agencies, and Higher Education Institutions.
- United Way of Tennessee provides local matching funds of nearly $1 million for 46 Pre-K classrooms throughout the state.
- Tennessee's Voluntary Pre-K has one of six full-day programs across the country requiring a minimum instructional day of 5-1/2 hours, 5 days per week.
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