Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/no-poverty-of-ideas-in-mississippi/5012868/
In August of 1998, the National Governors' Association presented Kirk Fordice, the governor of Mississippi, with the 1998 Building Blocks Award. The award recognized three successful programs underway in the state to improve child care for Mississippi children:The OCY Director's Child Care Credential Program;
The Child Care Connections Mobile Training Unit; and
Child Care Compass Kiosk.
The award was a significant achievement for Mississippi - a state more often associated with poverty than innovation. In fact, poverty is a pervasive fact in Mississippi. The state ranks last among all states in per capita personal income. The high rate of poverty in the state results in Mississippi having the dubious achievement of ranking last or near last among all states in the following categories (1999 Kids Count Data Book. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD):
_ Percent of children in poverty;
_ Percent of families with children headed by a single parent;
_ Percent of low birth weight babies;
_ Infant mortality rate;
_ Child death rate; and
_ Teen birth rate.
Regardless of these rankings, Mississippi does not suffer from a poverty of ideas. In recent years, early childhood leaders in the state have launched a wide range of efforts to improve the lot of caregivers, children, and families. Here are just a few of the ...