JACKSON, Miss., April 21, 2010 — Preparing children to be happy, healthy and ready to learn is an increasing priority as Mississippi communities embrace and implement Excel By 5, a community-based certification process designed to improve a child’s overall well-being by age five. Excel By 5 engages families and communities by promoting best practices in early learning, child development and education. Twenty-seven (27) communities across the state have begun or achieved Excel By 5 certification since the pilot program launched in 2004.
The first-of-its-kind in the United States, Excel By 5 is a collaborative model designed to help optimize existing resources while highlighting the important role communities play in educating their children during their most formative years — birth to five. Parents, educators, childcare professionals, physicians, churches and social service organizations use the Excel By 5 model to form coalitions to together to achieve certification as a “child-friendly” community based on specific metrics as identified and available within each community. Research-based and focusing on children ages 0-5, Excel By 5’s approach is similar to that of “Certified Retirement Communities” – a community and development program well understood and thriving in Mississippi and across the country.
Mississippi Center for Education Innovation Launches Expansion in Delta
In partnership with the Mississippi Center for Education Innovation (MSCEI), Excel By 5 will work with sixteen (16) Delta communities to improve early learning opportunities through collaborations, technical support and resources development.
“We have to first start with communities, identify, and then build upon their existing resources to foster parent and community engagement and use of best practices in early learning,” said Steve Williams, MSCEI executive director. “The science of quality early childhood education and development is well understood and in large part, rooted in simple, fun and consistent activities that stimulate and nurture a child.
”We believe, community by community, that collaborations such as Excel By 5 will help nurture the seeds of early learning to grow into a statewide effort to emphasize and improve quality early education.”
The communities of Alligator, Belzoni, Beulah, Duncan, Glendora, Greenwood, Gunnison, Isola, Louise, Pace, Rosedale, Shelby, Silver City, Sumner, Tutwiler, and Webb are beginning the Excel By 5 certification process with a financial commitment of up to $283,000 from MSCEI. The certification requires action in four areas: community involvement, early care and education, family and parent support and health. Excel By 5 sets forth a variety of standards involving parent training, community participation, child care and health, to help communities focus on supporting young children and their families. The certification process also identifies available resources and existing best practices to help Excel By 5 Certified Communities reach the goal that all of the children in their community will be ready to learn when they start school at age five. The process usually takes two years to complete, and the certification is awarded for three years.
Sustainable Advances in Early Learning
Excel By 5’s initial success continues as Petal and West Point, the first two Mississippi communities to earn the prestigious title of Excel By 5 Certified Early Childhood Community, recently completing the requirements for recertification.
“This is a huge milestone, demonstrating sustainability and a community commitment to helping our youngest citizens benefit from the best possible start,” said Excel By 5 Board President Steve Renfroe. “We congratulate the Excel By 5 staff for doing a phenomenal job on advancing and strengthening the program. Increased interest and support from the business community, MSCEI and others to improve opportunities for quality early childhood education in Mississippi will translate to making our state an even better place in which to live, work and do business.
“We couldn’t be any happier with the continued success of Petal and West Point, as they demonstrate improving early learning opportunities can happen right here, right now.”
Petal’s commitment to its youngest citizens is evidenced by the Petal Board of Aldermen’s voting unanimously to add Excel by 5 to its city budget allocating ½ mill to the project. Nadine Coleman, Petal Certification Manager, said, “This is a huge deal especially in a community that has a small tax base and, of course, the same budgetary concerns of other communities. I think it really shows their vision for the future of Petal.” Since 2009, the City of Pascagoula has also allocated $30,000 annually to early childhood resources in the community.
Funded originally with a $650,000 grant from Chevron, Excel By 5 has become a 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization in order to support increased interest, growth demand and potential. To date, Mississippi has five certified communities: MidJackson, Monroe County, Pascagoula, Petal and West Point. Current candidate communities are Biloxi, Cleveland, Hattiesburg, Hollandale, Moss Point and Okitbbeha County. The 16 Delta communities are in the initial organizing stage of seeking certification.
