On this week’s “Behind the Headlines” on WKNO/Channel 10, the discussion centered on early childhood education, specifically the challenges and opportunities for pre-K in Shelby County. Host Eric Barnes was joined by Kandace Thomas, Executive Director of First Eight Memphis; Sean Lee, President of Porter-Leath; and Daily Memphian reporter Laura Testino.
Lee noted that Porter-Leath is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year. The organization serves approximately 44,000 children from birth to age five through its preschool, foster care, and literacy programs. Most recently, the organization was awarded a nearly $32 million federal Head Start grant to serve close to 3,000 children. “We found out July 17th that we were becoming the grantee,” Lee said. “The window of startup was very short… but we got to work. We’ve already got over 1,000 children enrolled, we’ve hired staff, and we’ve got 47 partners engaged throughout the community.”
Building on that point, Thomas stressed that while the new Head Start grant is significant, the overall quality of early care in Memphis remains uneven. “Roughly 50 percent of our early learning spaces are considered high quality… we actually need to build our quality, especially here in Memphis and Shelby County, where early care and education is so critical,” she said.
Lee added that part of the challenge is not just funding, but staffing. “What we’re paying partners and what we’re receiving is enough to really pay great wages,” he said. “Now it’s just a matter of finding great people to match with that.”
With new oversight and funding, both Porter-Leath and First Eight Memphis say they are working toward the long-term goal of universal pre-K. Thomas emphasized that stronger early care not only benefits children but also supports families and the broader community. “Our workforce is stronger because parents have a place where they can take their children, and they know their children are loved and cared for,” she said.
