1 / 17

State Preschool & Kindergarten Funding Review

Detailed analysis of Kentucky's preschool program & full-day kindergarten importance, funding needs, effectiveness, and partnership grants. Data on preschool enrollment, impact, and state preschool and Head Start collaboration.

dpulido
Download Presentation

State Preschool & Kindergarten Funding Review

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Kentucky Department of EducationKindergarten and State-Funded PreschoolBudget Review Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce DevelopmentSeptember 10, 2019

  2. Objectives • An overview of the preschool program and any information/data regarding expanded preschool. • An overview of kindergarten and the importance of full-day kindergarten. • Funding levels needed to implement full-day kindergarten and expanded preschool.

  3. Preschool • State funded preschool services are provided for students who are: • Four-year-old children whose family income is no more than 160% of poverty; • Three and four-year-old children with developmental delays and disabilities, regardless of income; and • Other four-year-old children as placements are available based on district decision. • The preschool program is designed to be developmentally appropriate for young children. “Developmentally appropriate" means that the program focuses on the child's physical, intellectual, social and emotional development, including interpersonal, intrapersonal, and socialization skills. (KRS 157.3175) 

  4. Preschool Funding • Kentucky’s preschool education program is established by KRS 157.3175. • The General Assembly provides funding for the preschool education program through a line-item appropriation in the state’s biennial budget. • Preschool funding is not included in the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding formula detailed in KRS 157.360which calculates the distribution of the appropriation for grades K-12. • KBE’s regulation 704 KAR 3:410establishes the criteria for the preschool education program for income eligible (at risk) four (4) year old children, including procedures for a grant allocation system, eligibility criteria for children to be served, guidelines for program operation, and standards for personnel.

  5. Preschool Effectiveness • In 2009, UK’s Center for Business and Economic Research stated there would be a $5 benefit for every $1 the state invested to expand the program. • In a 2014 longitudinal study of Kentucky early childhood programs, UK found students attending preschool demonstrated higher gains in language and literacy by end of kindergarten than children who did not attend preschool.

  6. Preschool Partnership Grants • In 2016, the General Assembly enacted House Bill 303 to incentivize partnerships between school districts and child care providers ($7.5 million each year of the biennium). The incentive program was renewed in the 2018-2020 biennium. • Grantees are expected to implement research-based early numeracy and early literacy teaching strategies. • Grantees must use a portion of funds on high quality professional learning to support district and child care staff as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the partnership grant.

  7. 2019-2020 Grantees

  8. Partnership Effectiveness • KDE has contracted with NKU to review the programs receiving funding. • According to initial survey data collected by NKU, partners believe program quality is improving as a result of additional staffing, curriculum alignment, coaching and professional development. • According to initial survey data collected by NKU, parents believe they are better able to help their children with kindergarten readiness as a result of family engagement activities offered by partnership grants.

  9. Funds to Expand Preschool • Birth Cohort: Kentucky State Data Center, Total Annual Live Births, 2014 • Children Living in Poverty: Public data of 160% are not readily available. For estimate purposes, the birth cohort is multiplied by 38%, a percentage representing 80% of the annual percentage of children living below 200% of the federal poverty level in Kentucky between 2014 and 2018 (47%). • Estimated number of 4s enrolled in public preschool: Kentucky Center for Statistics, Early Childhood Profile, state-funded preschool and Head Start enrollment of eligible four-year-old children.

  10. Head Start Collaboration • Districts must work with Head Start to avoid duplication of program services, avoid supplanting federal funds, and serve as many at-risk 4 year old children as possible. (KRS 157.3175).

  11. Kindergarten • Kindergarten services begin for all children who are 6 years old or who turn 6 by August 1 of each year. • KRS 159.010 requires students must enroll and attend school between the ages of 6 and 18. • KRS 157.360 provides SEEK funding for half-day kindergarten. • For the 2019-2020 school year, 165 school districts provide full-day kindergarten. • In 2018-2019, there were 51,188 students enrolled in kindergarten. • Local school districts may secure the additional funding for full-day kindergarten utilizing local revenues. • Kindergarten is a voluntary program for five-year-old children who turn 5 by August 1, and compulsory for children who turn 6 by August 1. • Schools may enroll underage students in kindergarten based on local board policy.

  12. Kindergarten Screening • Kentucky's Common Kindergarten Entry Screener, the BRIGANCE Early Childhood Kindergarten Screen III, provides an assessment of a child's development in five areas: • Academic/Cognitive • Language, Development • Physical Development • Self-Help • Social-Emotional Development. • Districts screen students for readiness at school entry using the Brigance Kindergarten Screener. • Performing at a certain level is not a requirement to enter kindergarten.

  13. Kindergarten Effectiveness • There are multiple studies linking better outcomes for children participating in full-day versus half-day programs. • Studies indicate children who attend full-day kindergarten learn more in reading and math than children who attend half-day programs.

  14. Kindergarten Funding

  15. Funds to Expand Kindergarten The projected cost to the state to move the currently mandated and state-funded half-day kindergarten program to a state-funded, full-day kindergarten program: • Current funding for half-day Kindergarten is included in the SEEK formula. This is approximately $170,000,000. • Estimated additional cost for full-day Kindergarten is $140,000,000.

  16. Questions or Comments Bill Buchanan Program Consultant Office of Special Education and Early Learning (502) 564-4970 Bill.Buchanan@education.ky.gov Charlie Harman Budget Director Office of Finance and Operations (502) 564-1979 Charles.Harman@education.ky.gov

More Related