The Pre-Kindergarten Program at Clanton Elementary School is just one of Alabama’s First Class Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Programs that continues to lead the nation in quality for the ninth year in a row.

A study released on Tuesday said Alabama is one of only four states in the country to meet all 10 quality benchmarks established by the National Institute for Early Education Research, according to a release from Gov. Robert Bentley.

“A strong economic future is grounded in high quality education, and Alabama’s First Class Pre-K Program provides a great foundation for students to prepare for success in life,” Bentley said in a release. Alabama’s voluntary First Class Pre-K Program boasts standards among the highest quality of any state, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research. Our emphasis on quality is paying off in Alabama, and my goal is to continue to expand our pre-k program because it makes a real difference in the lives of Alabama’s children.”

Alabama’s voluntary Pre-K program is managed by the Alabama Office of School Readiness.

The office is part of the Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs, which is overseen by Bentley.

In 2014, the Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs was awarded a competitive federal preschool development grant for $17.5 million.

In 2015, during Bentley’s state of the state address he emphasized the need to increase funding and access to First Class Pre-K.

In April, the senate passed a $6 billion education budget, which includes $13.5 million additional dollars for preschool. The House has yet to take up the Senate-approved budget bill.

In the 2014-0215 school year, $10 million in increased funding has been allocated to developing Pre-K and opening up slots for an additional 1,800 4-year-olds.

“Last year, children who attended our First Class Pre-K program were less likely to fail a grade in school, and across all grades, consistently scored higher in reading and math than those who did not attend,” Bentley said in a release. “Yet only 13 percent of 4-year-olds in Alabama have access to First Class voluntary Pre-K, and that is why once again, we must continue to increase funding in order to expand this opportunity. It is heartening to see state funded Pre-K, once the fastest growing area in the entire education sector, back on the road to recovery,” said National Institute for Early Education Research director Steve Barnett in a release. “Given that the states cut half a billion dollars in funding in 2011-2012 and a number of states have yet to address those cuts, much work remains to be done.”