Governor Kay Ivey and Secretary of Early Childhood Education Jeana Ross on Tuesday announced Born Ready, a statewide movement focused on raising awareness among Alabama parents of the importance of early brain development and quality early childhood learning experiences.
Innovative research at the heart of the Born Ready movement found that 95 percent of every child’s brain develops in the first five years of life, highlighting the vital importance of helping children develop during those critical years before kindergarten.
“Your child is born ready to learn, and you’re born ready to teach,” said Governor Ivey. “The Born Ready movement will inspire parents to use everyday events as teaching moments. Every Alabama child – no matter their geographic location or socioeconomic status — will benefit from this movement, starting in the home and extending to all early childhood education settings.”
Born Ready is an integral part of Governor Ivey’s “Strong Start, Strong Finish” education initiative. Through Strong Start, Strong Finish, Alabama is building an education system from pre-k to workforce that helps students succeed in school and after they graduate.
For 13 consecutive years, Alabama’s voluntary First Class Pre-K program has been recognized as providing the highest quality pre-school education in the United States. Born Ready seeks to build on that success by providing parents with the information and resources they need to help their children learn and prepare for school and lifelong learning.
“Born Ready’s goals are to inspire and empower every parent, and to ensure every child reaches their greatest potential,” explained Secretary Ross. “Our website,BornReady.org, is a game-changing resource for Alabama families. It will provide the resources needed to build successful and contributing citizens for the future.”
The innovative BornReady.org website houses information and easy-to-follow, science-based tips designed to show parents how they can prepare their children from the moment they are born for a future in which they reach their full potential. The site also informs parents on what to look for in a quality early childhood education, sparking inquiry and demand for quality in their community.
“We encourage every Alabama parent to visit the site, use its incredible resources, and take the Born Ready Parent Pledge to show their commitment to helping their children learn and grow as they prepare for school,” Governor Ivey added.
Born Ready is funded through a competitive federal grant (Alabama’s federal Preschool Development Grant, Birth Through Five) to provide parents the knowledge and understanding of excellence in education for their children. For more information visit BornReady.org.