Jumpstart building on success

OXFORD, Miss. - Jumpstart, a University of Mississippi-based organization that trains college students to teach preschool children from resource-challenged families, is broadening its efforts to ensure the state’s children are prepared for kindergarten. Jumpstart is expanding into Jackson (at Tugaloo College) and (MSU-) Meridian as Mississippi fourth-graders posted the nation’s best reading scores in 2019, according to the National Assessment and Educational Progress (NAEP). The ranking is often called “The Nation’s Report Card.”  Jumpstart is part of the UM School of Education‘s Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction (CELI). Its mission is to provide exemplary instruction, relevant research and effective service through collaboration with schools, businesses, community organizations and the public at large. Getting to the state’s future students early is important, said Angela Rutherford, CELI director. Jumpstart has been doing it in Mississippi since 2012. Besides UM, Jumpstart also serves the state through locations at Mississippi University for Women (Columbus) and the University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg). Mississippi has about 3,000 children served with public and state funding in pre-K programs, said Rutherford. “Jumpstart helps support that early intervention effort in communities across the state, so we are excited to spread to other locations in our state.” (Source: UM 04/09/21) Building on Success, Jumpstart Expands Its Reach - Ole Miss News