View Comments Nearly 2,500 more Alabama four-year-olds will have access to the state's renowned First Class Pre-K program after legislatures approved a $24.4 million increase to the program's funding. The additional funding will allow the opening 135 new classrooms across the state, meaning 41% of the state's four-year-olds will be able to enroll in Pre-K this fall. Jefferson County was awarded the most additional classrooms, with 21, followed by Montgomery with 15. "This is a tremendous addition to our community," Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said during Tuesday's City Council meeting. This additional funding, combined with Montgomery's property tax increase and the influx of federal funding due to the coronavirus pandemic, puts the city in a great position to be successful in educating its children, Reed said.