Money Talks: Paying for Pre-K

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2012/05/class2.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1392;s:4:"file";s:18:"2012/05/class2.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-336x244.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:244;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-771x559.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:559;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-768x557.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:557;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"class2-1536x1114.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1114;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"class2-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-429x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:429;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-366x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:366;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"class2-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:2362434;s:14:"optimized_size";i:454439;s:7:"percent";d:80.760000000000005;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:46:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2012/05/class2.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:2217051;s:14:"optimized_size";i:345143;s:7:"percent";d:84.430000000000007;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:54:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2012/05/class2-771x559.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:140840;s:14:"optimized_size";i:104766;s:7:"percent";d:25.609999999999999;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2012/05/class2-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:4543;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4530;s:7:"percent";d:0.28999999999999998;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1673920241 
1363651200

For many students, Pre-K education makes the difference between early elementary school success and failure. And while Pre-K enrollment is growing across the nation, it’s growing twice as fast in the South. But Christine Jessel of the Southern Education Desk reports that cash-strapped Southern states are left holding a big bill in economic tough times, and that makes the fledgling programs an easy target for legislative budget cuts.

~ Christine Jessel

 

 

 

No sign of new protests in Iran as a hard-line cleric calls for executions

A Iran returns to an uneasy calm after protests led to a violent crackdown, a senior cleric is calling for the death penalty for detained demonstrators. His sermon Friday also threatened U.S. President Trump.

Gulf South food banks look back on a challenging year as another shutdown looms

Federal funding cuts and a 43-day government shutdown made 2025 a chaotic year for Gulf South food banks. For many, the challenges provide a road map for 2026.

Measles is spreading fast in S.C. Here’s what it says about vaccine exemptions

More than 550 people have contracted measles in Spartanburg County, S.C., in a fast-growing outbreak. Like a majority of U.S. counties, nonmedical exemptions to school vaccination are also rising.

It took 75 governors to elect a woman. Spanberger will soon be at Virginia’s helm

Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer and three-term congresswoman, is breaking long-held traditions on inauguration day. She says she wants her swearing-in to showcase the state's modern vibrancy.

For those with addiction, going into and coming out of prison can be a minefield.

Many jails and prisons around the country don't provide medication treatment for opioid use disorder. Studies show that medication makes recovery more likely and reduces the risk of overdose death.

Trump struck deals with 16 drug companies. But they’re still raising prices this year

All 16 drug companies that inked deals with the Trump administration over the past few months still raised some of their prices for 2026.

More Education Coverage