MPSD one of 20 districts to receive Pre-K Grant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | JUNE 18, 2025

MERIDIAN, Miss. — The Meridian Public School District’s Little Wildcat Pre-K Academy is one of the 20 school districts awarded a grant by the Mississippi State Board of Education to implement a State Invested Pre-K program. 

The purpose of these grants is to provide funding to support high-quality pre-K programs for 4-year-old children in districts that are not part of the Mississippi Department of Education’s (MDE) Early Learning Collaborative (ELC) program. SIP programs expand MDE’s offering of high-quality pre-K programs.

Pre-K has existed in the MPSD for close to three decades and these additional funds will provide the district the opportunity to expand its early childhood program with the addition of two additional Pre-K classrooms.

“We’re excited about the increased number of young learners we’ll be able to serve and the long-term impact this will have on school readiness across our district,” said Christine Beeker, MPSD Federal Programs Director. “Additionally, by leveraging the SIP grant, we can now redirect Title I funds toward other key district initiatives, further supporting student success at every level.”

MPSD will be one of the 10 districts creating new SIP programs. The first SIP programs in the state were implemented in August 2023. There are now a total of 33 SIPs in Mississippi that will serve up to 2,120 students in 109 classrooms.

The districts that will create new SIP programs are: Louisville School District, New Albany School District, Richton School District, Tate County School District, Western Line School District, Covington 

County School District, Forest Municipal School District, Meridian Public School District, Perry County School District and Winona-Montgomery School District.

The Mississippi Legislature appropriates state funding to provide public schools with a grant opportunity to implement pre-K programs. Like the ELCs, the SIP programs will meet all 10 National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) benchmarks: use of Early Learning Standards, curriculum support, teacher degree, teacher specialized training, assistant teacher degree, staff professional development, maximum class size, staff-child ratio, screenings and referrals, and a continuous quality improvement system. While partnerships with local childcare centers or Head Start grantees are not required to receive the grants, applicants who establish these partnerships receive priority points during the evaluation process.

The grant period is July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028. Awarding of the grant each year is contingent on the successful completion of services, a performance evaluation, and the availability of funds. The total amount of the SIP Grant awarded to MPSD is $289,656.

“This is another way we are able to provide the youngest students the opportunity for an amazing education and create opportunities for a lifelong love of learning,” said Dr. Amy Carter, MPSD Superintendent. 

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