Gov. Kay Ivey has tapped long-time educator and pre-K leader Ami Brooks as the next secretary of the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education.
Brooks will replace later this month Jan Hume, who was named the department’s acting leader two years ago. Hume is leaving to teach at Auburn University.
“People like Jan and Ami are why Alabama has led the nation in early childhood education for 19 consecutive years. Throughout her tenure as acting secretary and at the Department, Jan has fully embraced our goal to give every Alabama child a strong start through efforts like improving the quality of Pre-K to implementing new initiatives like the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. I am grateful to Jan for her service to Alabama and know Auburn will benefit from her expertise in the years to come,” Ivey said in a written statement on Tuesday. “I am excited to promote Ami to lead the Department of Early Childhood Education to build on our success. Ami’s several years with the department and her background as a pre-K and kindergarten teacher make her exceptionally qualified to lead the agency. Truly, serving our state’s youngest citizens is her passion.”
Brooks is currently the director of the department’s P-3 Partnership, an initiative to link pre-K and early grades. She’s credited with some of the department’s success, managing the implementation of a statewide assessment tool and kindergarten entry assessment, according to Ivey’s office.
She also has nearly two decades of classroom experience in pre-K through fourth grade. She was a finalist for Alabama Teacher of the Year in 2017.
“It’s an incredible honor to be appointed by Gov. Ivey to serve as secretary for the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education,” Brooks said in a written statement. “Young children have always been my joy, and I’m thrilled to continue collaborating with dedicated individuals who share a commitment to giving every child a strong start. It is a privilege to contribute to this important work and help further its positive impact.”
Hume will stay at the department through the summer. She was appointed acting director in spring of 2023 after Ivey removed director Barbara Cooper over “woke concepts” in a department-approved teacher training book.