FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — The University of Arkansas is receiving a $2.1 million grant from the state to support early childhood professionals across all 75 counties.

State leaders say the funding aims to improve program quality, boost early learning, and better prepare children for kindergarten.

According to the Arkansas Department of Education, the grant is part of a new professional services initiative. It will provide coaching, group training, and technical assistance focused on three key areas: strengthening adult-child interactions, improving instructional materials and child assessments, and supporting new educators and program directors.

The Early Care and Education Projects, or ECEP, will deliver these services through in-person coaching in classrooms and family childcare homes, as well as expanded virtual support for licensing and accreditation.

As part of the initiative, ECEP will establish “local leads” who will work alongside trainers and coaches statewide. The program will track progress using Classroom Assessment Scoring System scores, quality improvement benchmarks, and national accreditation standards for family childcare.

Local leads will also develop plans to ensure families have access to high-quality early education resources.

The grant is set to renew annually for five years, with the goal of reaching communities across the entire state. The Early Care and Education Projects program has been serving Arkansas since 1992, with a mission to improve education statewide.