SBE Approves New Early Learning Collaboratives

The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) voted to add five new early learning collaboratives (ELCs) to the current list of 30 to provide high-quality early childhood education pre-K programs to 4-year-old students.

This ELC expansion is made possible by $5.9 million in state funds to be used by June 2025. State funding for the ELC program has steadily increased over the years starting with a $3 million appropriation in 2013-14 when the program began to $24 million for the 2022-23 school year. The total state appropriation for the ELC program so far is $70.3 million.

Biloxi ELC, Hollandale ELC, Jefferson County ELC, Lowndes County ELC and Pass Christian ELC were added in August.

Hinds ELC (Jackson Public Schools), Noxubee ELC, Senatobia ELC, Holmes ELC, Leland ELC, Long Beach ELC and Pontotoc