FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2025
Fox Business Network segment with award-winning actor Andy Garcia brings national attention to Mississippi’s commitment to early childhood education
JACKSON, Miss.– Mississippi First was featured this month on Fox Business Network as part of a feature on the state’s Early Learning Collaboratives and commitment to high-quality early childhood education. The segment, which was hosted by Emmy- and Grammy-winning actor Andy Garcia, included interviews with Mississippi First leaders and a Mississippi parent. It will also be available online and through Public TV for the next year.
The national prominence is a reflection of Mississippi having one of the highest-quality
state-funded pre-k programs in the United States: the Early Learning Collaboratives. Since 2013, the Early Learning Collaboratives program has been ranked #1 in the nation for quality by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). Mississippi First is proud to be a leading part of that accomplishment. In 2013, Mississippi First co-authored the Early Learning Collaborative Act, establishing Mississippi’s first state-funded pre-K program, and has continued to advocate for improved state-funded pre-K since. The program has grown over time to serve
over 20% of 4-year-olds across the state.
“Mississippi First has a long and proud history of advocating for a high-quality early education for all children in the state, ” said Angela Bass, Mississippi First’s executive director. “Improving the early education system was one of our founding principles, and the Early Learning Collaborative Act was one of our first policy wins. Since then, we’ve been a strong vocal supporter of continuing to expand and improve state-funded pre-K using data-driven strategies.”
Because of its success with early education, Mississippi First was recently featured on Fox Business through the segment All Access with Andy Garcia to discuss the vital role of high-quality pre-K programs in improving education across the state, guiding the state to a not-so-distant future where Mississippi is first in education. Micayla Tatum, Mississippi First’s Director of Early Childhood Policy and among the experts
interviewed for the segment, emphasized the importance of continually committing to
high-quality early education.
“Our work centers on ensuring that the Early Learning Collaboratives continue to meet
high-quality standards as they expand into more communities across the state,” she said. order for Mississippi First to continue its leading role in early education advocacy, we need increased support from local and national partners.”
“Over the past few years, Mississippi has risen from the bottom of the pack and is now a leader in education,” added Bass. “Some call it a miracle, but we know it was a lot of hard work and collaboration. As we continue to transform education across the state, we must continue to support research-proven methods for success, so we don’t lose this momentum.”
In addition to Mississippi First and other pre-K supporters, Jill Dent, Executive Director of the Office of Early Childhood at the Mississippi Department of Education, was featured in the segment. The Office of Early Childhood should be commended for ensuring high-quality
implementation of the program. They have been a close partner to Mississippi First over the past decade, ensuring Mississippi’s early education success.
The full segment can be viewed at: allaccessptv.com/features-id423sa3987t62gh/.
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About Mississippi First
Mississippi First is a nonprofit organization committed to championing transformative policy solutions to ensure educational excellence for every Mississippi child. Mississippi First is a leading voice for high-quality early education, high-quality public charter schools, access to highly effective teachers and leaders, and creating a strong future for public schools. Learn more at mississippifirst.org.
Media Contact:
Brendan Lowe
brendan@eachdaycomms.org
856.904.1693
