Preschool Development Grants – The Competition

Development CompetitionAlabama*Arizona*Hawaii*MississippiMissouriMontana*New HampshireNevada*Puerto Rico

Competition Goal – For States to build or enhance their infrastructure to provide high quality preschool programs and expand high quality preschool programs in High Needs communities. Jointly administered by ED and HHS.

Expansion Competition (RTT)CaliforniaColoradoDelawareGeorgiaIllinois*KentuckyMaryland*Massachusetts*MinnesotaNew Jersey*New MexicoNorth CarolinaOhioOregonPennsylvaniaRhode Island*Vermont * Washington

Expansion Competition (non-RTT)Arkansas*Connecticut*Louisiana*Maine*New York*South CarolinaTennessee*TexasVirginia*

$226MM Overall funding split between two categories ($74MM/$152MM)

*States awarded funding

Thank you to our many partnersSteering Committee

Mike Bartlett, Governor’s OfficeCarol Brooks, Berea RTCRobin Chandler, KDEAmanda Ellis, KDEAmanda Flanary, GOECTommy Floyd, KDECindy Heine, GOECLiza Holland, Prichard CommitteeTennant Kirk, Berea CollegeMarybeth Jackson, CHFSJohn Roden, KY River FoothillsAllyson Shelton, KHSATerry Tolan, GOEC

Project ManagersTerry Tolan, GOECAmanda Flanary, GOECCindy Heine, GOECJoe Roberts, GOEC

State Agency TeamsBill Buchanan, KDEAnnie Rooney French, KDELinda Hampton, DCC Charlie Harmon, KDEBeth Jurek, CHFSSally Shepherd, KDEPhillip Smith, DCCKate Akers, KCEWSRoss Bartlett, KCEWS

Grant Writing TeamDreama Gentry, Berea CollegeHeather Dufor, Berea CollegePenny Jordan, Berea College

Subgrantee PartnersAdrienne Bush, Community MinistriesTish Coldiron, KCEOCKofi Darku, Metro United WayPaul Dole, KCEOCRick Hulefeld, Children Inc.Mike Hammonds, Children Inc.Cori Gadansky, Metro United WayLeisha Lyman, United Way NKYJanet Masterson, 4C LouisvilleAmy Neal, Success by SixKevin Nix, JCPSRenee Sexton, LKLPMike Tronzo, JCPSJoe Tolan, Metro United WayGill Betz, Metro United WayTony Peyton, Louisville Mayors Office

Participating School DistrictsNorthern Kentucky RegionBellevue IndependentCovington IndependentDayton IndependentErlanger-Elsmere IndependentLudlow IndependentNewport IndependentSilver Grove IndependentSouthgate IndependentEastern KY Promise ZoneBarbourville IndependentHarlan IndependentHarlan CountyKnox CountyPerry CountyJefferson CountyJefferson County Schools

Staff SupportCourtney Daniel, GOECStephanie Defrancesco, GOECNaitore Djigbenou, GOECHazel Combs, GOECAlbert Fox, GOECBlair Haydon, GOECJennifer Miller, GOECAmanda Riley, GOECAshlee Whisman, GOEC

Kentucky’s Strategy

Response to creating high quality preschool• Increasing teacher qualifications• Duration of programming (full day)• Comprehensive Services

Identifying areas of high need• High priority zip codes in Jefferson County• Northern Kentucky (suburban)• Eastern Kentucky Promise Zones

Developing Collaborative Models• Build on existing infrastructure• Inclusion of Pre-K, Head Start and

Community Based Child Care• Sustainable models through collaborative

partnerships

The Competition – What we learned

• “The applicant provides ample evidence of a strong Statewide commitment to the coordination of preschool programs and services”

• “The applicant clearly describes their plan to assess the outcome of participating children across the 5 Essential Domains of School Readiness and thoroughly details how this is aligned with their Statewide early learning standards.”

• “The applicant describes a highly functioning ECAC who, in concert with the GOEC works to steer and coordinate the States early childhood programming efforts.”

The State plan had many strengths

Areas for potential growth

The Competition – What we learned

Inclusion•Of children above 160% of poverty•Of children in special needs populations

Strength of monitoring• Frequency of P2R reviews• Follow up of monitoring system deficiencies• System of monitoring subgrantees on progress

toward goals

Preschool in TQRIS• Concerns that preschool has not been

included in the TQRIS•Monitoring system does not leverage TQRIS

data• All other winning ELC States were from round

1 of the competition (except NJ – round 3)

Birth through 3rd grade alignment•No comprehensive services system• Standards aligned but little else •No aligned monitoring

Quality of Data• Kentucky used 3 and 4 year old numbers•Need to find source for 4 year old only

Professional Development• Educational attainment of Pre-K staff• Grandfathering of lead teachers – No IECE• Assistant teachers with no CDA

Next Steps – What can we do?

• Lessons learned through ELC award – Keep moving forward with the plan

• Need better sources for data (4 year olds)

• Begin to examine systems mentioned in comments (i.e. monitoring and educational attainment)

• Increase inclusion of children up to 200% of FPL

• School-based programs included in the TQRIS

• Increase Statewide recruitment of participating partners