Mississippi State recently announced a new program to identify and assist young Mississippi children whose failure in school is putting them at long-term risk.

In partnership with The Day Foundation of Memphis, Tenn., the university is establishing the MSU Early Childhood Institute "to assist in the development of systems that promote sound early childhood education practices," President Malcolm Portera said in making the announcement in August.

The Day Foundation is a not-for-profit philanthropic organization established in 1960 to develop and encourage major initiatives to aid infants, children, and young adults. It is initially providing $200,000 to support the institute's creation.

The institute will be housed in the College of Education's department of curriculum and instruction.

Education Dean William H. Graves said Cathy Grace of Tupelo will serve as the institute's coordinator.

Grace is an author and longtime advocate for initiatives serving children and families. A former elementary schoolteacher and university faculty member, she has been serving as director of Lee County Families First and as a consultant in Tupelo for Lift/Head Start, Tupelo and Lee County public schools, and the CREATE Foundation.

The institute's three major goals include:

• developing professional in-service leadership programs to help educators guide early childhood policies and practices at local and state levels;
• improving the quality of care and education of children from pre-school through the third grade; and
• helping Mississippi communities build partnerships with families and schools and supporting families as the child's first and most important teacher.

Institute services will be offered to all state school systems, Graves said.