Alabama's acclaimed pre-kindergarten program will add 107 classrooms in 33 counties next school year, the governor's office announced.

The Legislature boosted funding for the program, known as First Class, to $96 million for next year, an $18.5 million increase.

It's the latest boost for a program that started in 2000 and has grown steadily in recent years.

In 2018-2019, First Class will have more than 1,040 classrooms with 18,864 students, the governor's office said.

Still, there's room for more growth because only 32 percent of the state's eligible 4-year-olds have access. Children who turn 4 on or before Sept. 1 are eligible.

For more than a decade, First Class has met every quality standard reviewed by the National Institute for Early Education Research.

Among those standards are requirements for teacher education and professional development, learning standards, maximum class sizes, minimum staff-to-child ratios and monitoring for quality improvement.

"I am proud that we can increase the reach of this important educational opportunity, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Legislature to further expand the availability of voluntary Pre-K," Gov. Kay Ivey said in the press release.

The program is administered by the state Department of Early Childhood Education, which awards grants to pre-k classrooms at public schools, child care centers, Head Start centers, community programs, faith-based programs, military bases and colleges.

The grants, which range from $45,000 a year to $150,000 a year, are not intended to fully fund the classrooms but to help ensure the quality and standards.