HOW TO START A€¦ · 21/08/2018 · start a state-funded collaborative pre-K program. Readers who are still unsure what type of program they may wish to start should consult Appendix

HOW TO START A

TOOLKIT

State-Funded Collaborative Pre-K Program

Rachel Canter is the Executive Director. She is the author of all of Mississippi First reports, including the State of Pre-K and Mississippi Voices. Rachel founded Mississippi First in 2008. [email protected]

Angela Bass is the Deputy Director of Policy. She is the co-author of many of Mississippi First's reports, including the State of Pre-K and Mississippi Voices. [email protected]

Report Art: iStockphoto© Copyright 2018 Mississippi FirstMississippi First encourages the non-commercial use, reproduction, and distribution of our ideas, perspectives, and analyses. We require attribution for all use. Commercial use is not allowed.

125 S. Congress Street, Suite 1510Jackson, MS 39201601.398.9008 • www.mississippifirst.org

MacKenzie Stroh Hines is the Director of Communications. MacKenzie designs all Mississippi First materials, including this report, and leads Mississippi First’s communications strategy. [email protected]

About Mississippi FirstMississippi First is a 501c3 public policy nonprofit specializing in improving public education in Mississippi. Mississippi First is a leading voice for state-funded pre-K, high-quality public charter schools, and rigorous state learning standards.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & AUTHORS

This report was made possible by the generous support of the Alliance for Early Success. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors alone.

We extend special thanks to Meghan Tooke and Jessica Benson of the Tallahatchie River Foundation; Cathy Grace of The Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning, University of Mississippi; Joyce Greer, Laura Dickson, and Jill Dent of the Mississippi Department of Education; and Holly Spivey of the Head Start Collaboration Office.

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

What is State-Funded Collaborative Pre-K? ................................................................................................................................... 1

Partnerships and the Collaborative Council ................................................................................................................................... 2

Program Requirements ................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Teacher and Assistant Teacher Qualifications ........................................................................................................................... 4

Professional Development ....................................................................................................................................................... 5

Standards ................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

Curriculum ............................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Assessment .............................................................................................................................................................................. 6

Class Size and Student-Teacher Ratios ...................................................................................................................................... 6

Screening, Referrals, and Support Services .............................................................................................................................. 6

Provision of Meals .................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Instructional Minutes ............................................................................................................................................................... 6

Parental Involvement ............................................................................................................................................................... 7

Pre-K Brochure ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Children with Disabilities ......................................................................................................................................................... 7

Antidiscrimination ................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Enrollment, Eligibility, and Coordination .................................................................................................................................. 7

Transportation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Facility ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Monitoring ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Requirements for Childcare Providers ...................................................................................................................................... 8

Requirements from Other Sources ........................................................................................................................................... 8

Budgeting ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

State Tax Credit.............................................................................................................................................................................. 9

The Application ........................................................................................................................................................................... 10

Appendix A: General Information ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Appendix B: Getting Started ....................................................................................................................................................... 15

Appendix C: Collaboration ........................................................................................................................................................... 27

Appendix D: Pre-K Budget Narrative Tool .................................................................................................................................... 40

Appendix E: State Tax Credit ........................................................................................................................................................ 62

Appendix F: Mock Interview Questions ....................................................................................................................................... 66

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WHAT IS STATE-FUNDED COLLABORATIVE PRE-K?

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

This toolkit is part of a series by Mississippi First intended to help communities understand how to launch different types of pre-K programs. This toolkit focuses on starting a state-funded collaborative pre-K program. Some parts of this toolkit are the same as each toolkit in the series while others are unique. Every toolkit is intended to stand alone, such that a person reading one toolkit will not need to refer to another to grasp all of the important information. Nonetheless, where appropriate, the toolkits each refer to relevant outside resources.

The best way to use this toolkit is to read it in chronological order; however, as authors, we have assumed readers have a certain level of background knowledge. These toolkits were not designed to provide basic information about pre-K—such as the research base or common practices. Instead, we suggest general resources about pre-K in Appendix A: General Information.

In addition to a basic level of knowledge about pre-K, we assume that readers of this toolkit are seriously considering or have decided to start a state-funded collaborative pre-K program. Readers who are still unsure what type of program they may wish to start should consult Appendix B: Getting Started for two tools that will help a community begin its work to start or improve a pre-K program. The first tool is a needs assessment that will help communities identify strengths and weaknesses for starting or improving a pre-K program. The second tool is a program selection tool that helps users select a best-fit program type based on their context. Only if a state-funded collaborative pre-K program is among a reader’s top scores should the reader continue using this toolkit. Appendix B also includes a one-page explanation of the different types of pre-K programs in Mississippi.

Finally, being able to operate a state-funded collaborative pre-K program is dependent on state funding appropriated by the legislature as well as a competitive application process managed by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). These aspects of this pre-K program type are discussed in The Application section.

“State-funded collaborative pre-K” refers to pre-K programs established by the Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013. These programs, known as “collaboratives,” operated in 14 communities in Mississippi in 2017-2018. All collaboratives are overseen by MDE, even though individual providers may also have other oversight agencies. Collaboratives have several unique features. The list below briefly describes the most important features differentiating collaboratives from other Mississippi pre-K programs:

• Collaboration: To be eligible for state funding, all collaboratives are required to have two or more partners, including at least one school district and at least one Head Start, if one exists within the county. Collaboratives can also include private childcare centers and private or parochial schools. These partners form a collaborative council and select a Lead Partner, who serves as the fiscal agent of the collaborative. The Lead Partner coordinates a joint application for state funding. More information about partners, the collaborative council, the Lead Partner, and collaboration can be found in the Partnerships and the Collaborative Council section of this toolkit.

• Quality: Collaborative pre-K programs are required to meet the highest levels of quality, as defined by meeting 10 of 10 quality benchmarks by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). More information about the program requirements for collaborative pre-K programs can be found in the Program Requirements section of this toolkit.

• Funding: Under the Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013, approved collaboratives receive state funding to operate full-day or half-day programs. The funding amounts to $4,300 per child enrolled in full-day programs and $2,150 per child enrolled in half-day programs. The State of Mississippi provides half of these costs ($2,150 per child enrolled in full-day pre-K and $1,075 per child enrolled in half-day pre-K). The state requires that the other half be provided by local matching funds, which may include local tax dollars, federal dollars (as allowed), parent tuition, philanthropic contributions, or in-kind donations of facilities, equipment, and services required as part of the program, such as food service or health screenings. For more information on revenues and expenses, please see the Budgeting section of this toolkit.

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http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2013/pdf/SB/2300-2399/SB2395SG.pdf

REQUIREMENTWHAT IS STATE-FUNDED COLLABORATIVE PRE-K?

PARTNERSHIPS AND THE COLLABORATIVE COUNCIL


• State Tax Credit: Individuals or corporations who make a contribution to support the local matching fund of an approved early learning collaborative may be eligible to receive a state tax credit for the donated amount up to $1 million. The Mississippi Department of Revenue can approve 1:1 tax credits up to the amount the legislature appropriates to collaboratives each year. For example, in 2018, the legislature appropriated $6.5 million; therefore, the 2018 donations eligible for the credit may not exceed $6.5 million.

• Competitive Application: The program is competitive and has had only two application cycles, one in 2013 and one in 2016. New application cycles depend on the legislature increasing the funding for the program or on the closing of a current collaborative. In 2018, the legislature appropriated $6.5 million for the program, which includes $2.5 million new dollars. This means a new application round will likely open in 2018. See The Application section for more information.

One aspect of the state-funded collaborative pre-K program that is most unique is its special focus on collaborating through a formal council of partner pre-K providers. This section of the toolkit focuses on required partners, the collaborative council, the Lead Partner, and collaboration.

PARTNERSAn early learning collaborative is comprised of at least one public school district and at least one local Head Start affiliate, if a local Head Start program exists. If there is no local Head Start affiliate, the early learning collaborative must have at least one school district and at least one other partner. The Early Learning Collaborative Act provides a clear definition of eligible partner providers: “a public, private, or parochial school; licensed childcare center; or Head Start center that serves pre-kindergarten children and participates in the voluntary pre-kindergarten program.”1

There is no limit to the number or type of partners that can participate in a single collaborative. Examples are provided below:

Meets Requirements(No Existing Head Start)

Meets Requirements(Existing Head Start)

Does Not Meet Requirements

Does Not Meet Requirements

A local school district forms a collaborative with three licensed childcare centers.

There is no local Head Start affiliate serving the district.

Two local school districts form a collaborative with a local Head Start affiliate serving one of the school

districts.

A local school district forms a collaborative with two licensed

childcare centers in the local community. There is a local Head Start affiliate serving the district

that is not included.

A Head Start affiliate forms a collaborative with a local

private school and two licensed childcare centers. The local school district is

not included.


REQUIREMENTTHE COLLABORATIVE COUNCIL

A collaborative council is “a district or countywide council that writes and submits an application”2 to participate in the early learning collaborative program. The purpose of the council is to ensure community-wide decision-making and buy-in about how the collaborative functions. All partner pre-K providers must participate in the collaborative council as full members. Each collaborative council should operate in a formal manner with by-laws, a membership list, and adopted policies. The council should meet regularly and be chaired by the collaborative’s Lead Partner.

In addition to the partner providers, the Early Learning Collaborative Act allows “local agencies or other organizations that work with young children and their families [to] also participate in the collaborative… even if they are not pre-kindergarten providers.”3 Collaborating with several different stakeholders on a council enables communities to maximize their resources and leverage their collective strengths to offer high-quality pre-K to children in the community. Some examples of non-provider entities or individuals that may be interested in joining a collaborative council include

• healthcare clinics,

• mental health providers,

• chambers of commerce,

• economic development authorities,

• local government officials,

• public safety officials,

• local philanthropic foundations, and

• local business leaders.

THE LEAD PARTNERA Lead Partner is “a public school district or non-profit entity with the instructional expertise and operational capacity to manage the early learning collaborative’s pre-kindergarten program as described in the collaborative’s approved application for funds.”4 Each collaborative is responsible for selecting one of its eligible partners to carry out the duties of the Lead Partner. If no Lead Partner can be agreed upon, a public school district in the collaborative must serve as the Lead Partner. The duties of the Lead Partner are as follows:

• Fiscal Agent: The Lead Partner serves as the fiscal agent for the collaborative. As fiscal agent, the Lead Partner must manage the budget, submit reimbursements to MDE, and disburse awarded funds. The Lead Partner is also responsible for any financial reporting required by MDE.

• Professional Learning Community: The Lead Partner must facilitate a professional learning community (PLC) for the instructional staff in the collaborative. A PLC provides a forum for professional development and coaching, an opportunity to collaborate with peers on lesson planning, and a structure for examining student performance data. PLCs should meet regularly throughout the pre-K year.

• Curriculum and Assessments: The Lead Partner ensures that the collaborative adopts and implements curriculum and assessments that align with state early learning standards. This duty requires the Lead Partner to have the ability to monitor and redirect providers within the collaborative.

MISSISSIPPI FIRST I PAGE 3MISSISSIPPI FIRST I PAGE 2

COLLABORATIONThe success of a collaborative is highly dependent on consistent quality in pre-K classrooms across different partner providers. This consistency is only achieved through effective collaboration. All collaborative applicants will be scored on the group’s history of and commitment to collaboration. In Appendix C: Collaboration, we have included a tool to help groups assess the strength of their proposed collaborations.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTSThe Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013 sets the legal requirements for the program. These requirements follow the NIEER benchmarks as they were in 2013 when the law passed. The law also grants MDE the power to enact rules and regulations to implement the requirements set in law. As a result, all collaboratives must also meet MDE’s Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children (2018). In this section, we outline the legal and regulatory requirements for all provider types within collaboratives. Because collaboratives contain many different types of providers, collaborative providers also have to meet program requirements specific to their type. For example, Head Start centers must meet both the Head Start Performance Standards and the requirements for collaboratives. Consult the Requirements from Other Sources subsection for more information about potential additional requirements.

Teacher and Assistant Teacher QualificationsThe Early Learning Collaborative Act establishes high standards for lead teacher and assistant teacher qualifications. MDE has createdadditional support documents, such as a two-page graphic and a list of approved courses, to assist pre-K providers in complying with theserequirements.

Lead teachers in collaborative classrooms must meet the following requirements:

1. Possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree

2. Demonstrate a specialization in early childhood education

3. Hold a valid license if teaching in a public school classroomSpecialization in early childhood includes

• a bachelor’s degree in early childhood or related field; • a valid pre-K endorsement (153) or Nursery through Grade 1 endorsement (N-1);*

• 12 early childhood college credit hours from an institution granting bachelor’s degrees in early childhood; or • completion of an approved program, such as a Child Development Associate (CDA), National Board Pre-K Certification, Director’s

Credential, Montessori Credential, or MDE’s intensive specialized early childhood training program.

Additionally, collaborative lead teachers in public school classrooms must hold one of the following valid licenses prior to any endorsements:

• Elementary Education K-3 (116)• Elementary Education K-4 (152)• Elementary Education K-6 (120)

* The N-1 endorsement may only be added to a K-6 (120) license.

MISSISSIPPI FIRST I PAGE 4 MISSISSIPPI FIRST I PAGE 4

http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/curriculum-and-instructions-library/early-childhood-early-learning-guidelines-4's-7-2-2015-sos-final.pdf?sfvrsn=2https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/policy/45-cfr-chap-xiiihttp://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/elementary-education-and-reading-library/2018-teacher-credentialing-pathways-20160628.pdf?sfvrsn=2https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/secondary-education/approved-credentialing-courses-and-programs-7-31-2017_20170915.docx?sfvrsn%3D2&sa=D&source=hangouts&ust=1526393046914000&usg=AFQjCNG05T3ukCPRyDRJMU5iSfp8KfW-eQ

Assistant teachers in a collaborative must meet one of the two following requirements:

1. Possess an associate’s degree in early childhood education, child development, or an equivalent field or

2. Possess an associate’s degree in any field and a Child Development Associate credential, a Montessori certification, or an equivalent certification, including completion of MDE’s intensive specialized early childhood training program.

Collaborative assistant teachers in public school classrooms are also required to meet the definition of a highly qualified paraprofessional. Because an associate’s degree in any field is one way to demonstrate an assistant teacher is highly qualified, collaborative assistant teachers should have no problem also being certified as highly qualified.

Collaboratives may also hire “master teachers,” either to serve as the lead teacher in a classroom or to serve as a coach or pre-K coordinator. The Early Learning Collaborative Act defines a master teacher as a teacher who meets the lead teacher qualifications and demonstrates effectiveness through a rating of "highly effective" on the state teacher evaluation or with evidence of improving the academic outcomes of pre-K students.

Professional DevelopmentThe Early Learning Collaborative Act requires that all collaborative pre-K instructional staff participate annually in at least 15 hours of training related to early childhood, including early literacy. This training can be delivered in a combination of ways, including from the Lead Partner, MDE, or other agencies or organizations that provide training related to early childhood. MDE provides both calendared and on-demand professional development free to collaboratives.

In 2017, NIEER updated its benchmarks to change the clock-hour requirement for professional development to a requirement based on coaching and individualized support. The collaborative should keep individualized annual professional development plans for all instructional staff and provide coaching to lead teachers.

StandardsThe Early Learning Collaborative Act requires all collaborative providers to use the state’s early learning standards, which are the Mississippi Early Learning Standards for Classrooms Serving Infants through Four-Year-Old Children (2018). These standards are aligned to the Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for K-12. Collaboratives should also incorporate the Mississippi Early Learning Teaching Strategies for Classrooms Serving Four-Year-Old Children in their programs.

CurriculumThe Early Learning Collaborative Act contains strict language about the type of curriculum that providers must use—“an age-appropriate curriculum that is based on the findings of current research and has been found to be effective in improving student learning.”5 The legislation further states that the curriculum must be “designed to prepare students to be ready for kindergarten, with emphasis in early literacy”6 and must be aligned to the Mississippi Early Learning Standards for Classrooms Serving Infants through Four-Year-Old Children. The Legislative Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) Committee interpreted this language to mean that collaboratives must use evidence-based curricula, a very high bar. As a result, only the Opening the World of Learning (OWL) curriculum currently meets requirements for use by collaboratives. All new collaboratives must adopt and use OWL.


http://www.trumba.com/calendars/MDEhttp://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/elementary-education-and-reading-library/mde-early-childhood-technical-assistance-request-form_20160217095011_106301.docx?sfvrsn=2http://nieer.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Overview-of-Changes-to-NIEER-Quality-Standards-Benchmarks.pdfhttp://mdek12.org/docs/2018-board-agenda/tab-01-early-learning-guidelines.pdf?sfvrsn=2http://mdek12.org/docs/2018-board-agenda/tab-01-early-learning-guidelines.pdf?sfvrsn=2http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/curriculum-and-instructions-library/early-learning-teaching-strategies-for-classrooms_updated7-10-2015.pdf?sfvrsn=2http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/curriculum-and-instructions-library/early-learning-teaching-strategies-for-classrooms_updated7-10-2015.pdf?sfvrsn=2

AssessmentCollaboratives must use assessments aligned to the Mississippi Early Learning Standards for Classrooms Serving Infants through Four-Year-Old Children. All children enrolled in a collaborative must take the required state kindergarten-readiness assessment in both the fall and spring of each year. Currently, MDE uses the MKAS2 as the state’s kindergarten-entry exam. The MKAS2 was developed by Renaissance Learning, the same national testing company that developed STAR Reading. MDE has purchased MKAS2 for each enrolled collaborative child. Collaboratives must also use the Brigance Early Childhood Screen III (3-5), which is the state-adopted comprehensive early learning assessment (CELA). Finally, collaboratives should use developmentally appropriate techniques on an ongoing basis to measure children’s progress. Such techniques could include “portfolios of children’s work, age-appropriate checklists, performance scales, anecdotal records, observational reports, video and audio tape recordings, experience charts, photographs, and other formal and informal assessments.”7

Class Size and Student-Teacher RatiosCollaborative classrooms must have a student-teacher ratio of one adult for every 10 children, with a maximum class size of 20 children per classroom and a minimum of five children per classroom. At least one adult who meets lead teacher qualifications must be assigned to each classroom, with a second adult meeting at least the assistant teacher qualifications. Occasional visitors and parents are not counted as adults in each classroom’s student-teacher ratio. Please see Teacher and Assistant Teacher Qualifications for requirements for adults.

Screening, Referrals, and Support ServicesAll collaboratives must have “plans to screen and/or refer children for vision, hearing, and other health issues.”8 Screenings for vision andhearing are required within the first 45 days of school, with any needed referrals required in the 30 days following the screening. A comprehensivehealth screening (e.g., EPSDT) is strongly recommended. In addition to conducting screenings, collaboratives may partner with another organization,such as the health department or Head Start, to conduct screenings or may accept screenings from private physicians, as long as each child is screened.As part of a program’s child assessments, teachers can administer observational checklists that can also serve as screening tools (e.g., ASQ-3).

Provision of MealsAll collaboratives must offer at least one daily meal meeting state and federal nutritional guidelines. Students may pay for thesemeals or may qualify for free or reduced-priced meals if the provider participates in the National School Lunch Program.

Instructional MinutesFull-day programs must complete at least 1,080 hours a school year, which is 360 minutes per day for 180 instructional days. Half-day programs must complete 540 hours a school year, which is 180 minutes per day for 180 instructional days.


http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/OSA/KRA

Parental InvolvementAll collaboratives must provide opportunities for parental involvement. Each collaborative must have a written parental involvement planthat enables parents to communicate with pre-K staff informally, access the program without prior notification, and participate in learningactivities with their children. MDE further requires that collaboratives create a parent handbook that includes the program’s philosophy,goals, policies, and unique program information and make it available to parents upon request. Programs must also schedule at least threeface-to-face parent-teacher conferences throughout the year and be able to provide MDE with documentation of these meetings.

Collaboratives must notify parents of their child’s progress, including their child’s formal assessment results, at least three times peryear. Collaboratives must also facilitate a parent satisfaction survey once a year.

Pre-K BrochureThe collaborative should provide community parents with profiles of participating pre-K programs in a format designed by MDE as ameans of informing parents of pre-K opportunities available.

Children with DisabilitiesEvery collaborative must have a written plan describing how it will serve students with disabilities, including meeting the provisionsof individualized education plans (IEPs).

AntidiscriminationAll collaboratives must follow state and federal antidiscrimination laws that public schools are required to follow. Collaboratives arestrongly recommended to adopt an antidiscrimination policy.

Enrollment, Eligibility, and CoordinationEnrollment in a collaborative is voluntary. All children supported through state funds in a collaborative must have reached the age of fouron or before September 1 of the enrollment year. Collaboratives must keep a cumulative file for each child that includes a birth certificateand immunization record. Collaboratives are required to develop a coordinated enrollment system with Head Start to prevent areduction in the number of students served by Head Start.

TransportationTransportation is optional. Only 10% of a collabortive’s state funds may support transportation. Collaboratives providing transportation mustfollow the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) guidelines. These guidelines recommend placing four-year-oldstudents in the first few rows of a school bus as well as utilizing properly secured Child Safety Restraint Systems (CSRS). Caregivers should be18 years of age or older and an employee of the provider. In addition, collaboratives must follow the caregiver ratio below:

• When transporting 5 to 16 four-year-olds on a bus, one caregiver in addition to the driver should be on the bus.• When transporting 17 to 32 four-year-olds on a bus, two caregivers in addition to the driver should be on the bus.


https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety

FacilityMississippi collaborative pre-K classrooms must contain at least 35 square feet per child and a minimum of 600 square feet,† as well as meet other facility requirements as detailed in the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children. The maximum number of children enrolled in each classroom may not exceed 20, regardless of the square footage. Non-public school spaces must also follow the physical structure components in the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children.

MonitoringThe Lead Partner must develop an internal procedure for monitoring pre-K classrooms within the collaborative. In addition, early childhoodstaff members from MDE will conduct an annual effectiveness evaluation. Collaboratives, and each provider within a collaborative, must meeta minimum score on this evaluation to continue in the state-funded program. The effectiveness evaluation combines child outcome datafrom the kindergarten-readiness assessment (MKAS2), the comprehensive early learning assessment (Brigance), and a measure ofclassroom quality (CLASS). The effectiveness evaluation requires MDE to annually complete on-site monitoring to determine the collaborative’sadherence to program standards (the monitoring tool can be found in the effectiveness evaluation) and to conduct CLASS observationsin each collaborative.

Requirements for Childcare ProvidersChildcare providers who participate in collaboratives must be licensed by the state unless they are exempted by § 43-20-5 of the MississippiCode. Providers must also “select and utilize a nationally recognized assessment tool, approved by the State Department of Education,designed to document classroom quality.”9 Because the CLASS evaluation is used by MDE to monitor all collaboratives, childcare providers withincollaboratives may use the MDE CLASS observations to satisfy this requirement, provided that the childcare provider meets the minimum score onthe CLASS. Other tools that can be used include the ECERS-R, FCCERS-R, PQA, PQA-FCC, ELLCO, and CHELLO. If a childcare provider wishes to use analternate assessment tool, it must receive prior approval from MDE.

Requirements from Other SourcesBecause collaboratives are comprised of different types of providers, these providers must fulfill any separate requirements for their particular oversight agency as well as the requirements for the collaborative program. In many cases, the collaborative requirements meet or exceed similar program requirements of other agencies, meaning that providers who meet the requirements of the collaborative in relevant areas will also meet the requirements of another agency. Nonetheless, providers need to ensure that they stay compliant with their original agency as they begin participating in a collaborative. Requirements for different provider types can be found as follows:

• Head Start: Head Start Performance Standards• Licensed Childcare: Mississippi Child Care Licensure Regulations• Non-Exempt Private or Parochial Schools: Mississippi Child Care Licensure Regulations• Exempt Private or Parochial Schools: See private school accrediting agency• Title I-Funded Pre-K: U.S. Department of Education Guidance and Mississippi Department of Education Guidelines


† Classrooms constructed after July 2017 must contain a minimum of 1,000 square feet.

http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/elementary-education-and-reading-library/pre-k-classroom-effectiveness-evaluation-plan-2016-06.pdf?sfvrsn=2https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/hspps-appendix.pdfhttps://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/resources/78.pdfhttps://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/resources/78.pdfhttps://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/preschoolguidance2012.pdfhttp://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/curriculum-and-instructions-library/early-childhood-early-learning-guidelines-4's-7-2-2015-sos-final.pdf?sfvrsn=2

BUDGETINGOne of the most important considerations for starting a collaborative is how to develop a workable budget based on expected funding. This section and the accompanying appendix explain expected revenue for the collaborative program as well as expected costs.

All approved collaboratives receive funds from the state based on whether they are half-day or full-day programs, and all programs must match every state dollar with a local dollar (referred to as a 1:1 match). For students in a half-day program, the funding per child is $2,150, with half coming from the state ($1,075) and half coming from the local program ($1,075). For students in a full-day program, the funding per child is $4,300, with half coming from the state ($2,150) and half coming from the local program ($2,150). The local portion, or the “match,” is the minimum local amount required for a collaborative to receive state dollars.

Collaboratives are allowed to use any source of funding to match state dollars. For example, a collaborative could use Title I or other federal funding (as allowed), local district dollars, tuition, philanthropic sources, or even in-kind donations to meet its match. If any match dollars come with their own set of restrictions—such as in the case of Title I—collaboratives must abide by those restrictions in addition to the collaborative program rules. A note of caution on in-kind donations: In-kind donations that can be valued monetarily and are of use to the collaborative may be accepted and may count towards a collaborative’s match; however, a collaborative must still raise enough cash to meet the requirements of its budget. A collaborative whose match is primarily comprised of in-kind donations will have a hard time meeting payroll on a regular basis, the largest expense of any pre-K program.

Since class sizes in the state-funded program are capped at 20 students, programs can expect a maximum of $86,000 in program funding ($43,000 from the state and $43,000 in local match). This amount may not be enough to staff one classroom meeting MDE Guidelines, depending on the salary set for the lead and assistant teachers. Furthermore, the legislature assumed collaborative funding will cover only classroom-based costs. Any additional administrative costs generated by the program (such as a pre-K coordinator who is not also a classroom teacher) or additional rent expenses would need to be borne by the local program. As a result, most current collaboratives have needed to “over-match,” or raise more money than their match per child in order to make their budgets balance. Appendix D: Budget Tool includes a realistic, itemized estimate of what a state-funded pre-K classroom might cost. According to our estimate, collaboratives should expect to spend approximately $100,000 per classroom, depending largely on staff salaries. Please refer to the appendix to find a list of suggested and required expenses as well as an estimate of their cost.

STATE TAX CREDITThe Early Learning Collaborative Act established a 1:1 state tax credit to help local programs raise their matching funds. This state tax credit allows donors to reduce their state taxes by an amount equal to their donation to an approved collaborative. For example, a donor giving $100 to a pre-K collaborative can reduce her tax burden by $100. Collaboratives have used this tax credit to raise additional funds for their programs. In the 2017 tax year, collaboratives raised $2,670,775.00.10 Donations to all collaboratives are capped at the amount appropriated by the legislature to the collaborative program in any given year. In 2018, the legislature appropriated $6.5 million to the program, so there are $6.5 million tax credits available.

Mississippi First has done extensive work explaining the tax credit and providing ongoing technical assistance to collaboratives interested in promoting it. We also produce an annual flyer for use by approved collaboratives. Please refer to Appendix E: State Tax Credit for more information about the tax credit, including the most recent example of this flyer.


THE APPLICATIONThe Early Learning Collaborative Act gives MDE the power to manage the state-funded collaborative program. As part of its responsibilities, MDE administers the application process for new collaboratives. Because the law allows approved collaboratives to remain in the program as long as they continue to meet program requirements, the application process only opens when MDE has the funding to award new collaboratives. There have only been two application cycles—an initial round in 2013 and a round in 2016 when the legislature increased the funding for the collaboratives. In the 2018 session, the legislature appropriated an additional $2.5 million to the program, meaning a new application round is scheduled for August 2018. Applicants who prepare well in advance of an application cycle are more competitive for the few program opportunities available. This section is intended to explain the process to readers and offer some helpful tips on applying.

In past cycles, the collaborative application process has had several stages—an intent to submit proposal form, a written application, and an interview. Applicants must score high enough at each stage in order to advance to the next stage. Currently, the 2018 application and rubric are available online. Below, we provide a general description of each of the 2018 application stages and advice on how to approach each stage.

• Intent to Submit Proposal Form—MDE frequently requests that applicants complete an initial form stating the applicant’s intent to submit an application. This form is typically due several weeks in advance of the full application. The form is not used to exclude applicants in any way. The purpose of the form is to allow MDE to estimate how many applications it may receive so that it can recruit an adequate number of reviewers. We recommend submitting it if the applicant is serious about applying.

• Proposal (Written Application)—The proposal phase of the process is the first in which an applicant gets to describe their plan. The application is detailed and takes several weeks to complete, so applicants should not procrastinate or expect to write the whole application in a week. In addition to being lengthy, the application may also require the applicant to compile important documents, such as proof of 501(c)3 status (if the applicant is not a school district) or letters of support from partners, which may take additional time. We strongly encourage applicants to begin as soon as the application is released and expect it to take the full amount of time alloted by MDE.

Our other important advice on writing the application is to pay close attention to the rules for submitting a proposal. Like all MDE-managed applications, the pre-K application contains strict guidelines for its completion, including the format, page length, and deadlines. Applicants who violate any of these guidelines, including page limits, may be disqualified from having their applications reviewed. MDE rarely allows applicants who submit incomplete applications to amend them and resubmit. Similarly, MDE does not accept late applications. In the past, applicants with strong plans have not succeeded due to errors such as failing to complete all sections of the application or failing to attach a required appendix, so applicants must be very diligent about following all of the rules.

Once you have submitted a complete proposal, MDE will use internal and external reviewers to score your proposal. In 2018, MDE has a two-part process for scoring the written application: an eligibility check and a full proposal review.

o Eligibility Check—In 2016, MDE instituted an “eligibility check” as part of the pre-K proposal review. Applicants not passing the eligibility check were disqualified from having the remainder of their proposal scored. During the eligibility check, reviewers


assessed whether the applicant and their partners met all of the following requirements:

the Lead Partner (applicant) has signed and attached the application assurances (MDE will provide these with the application); and

the Lead Partner (applicant) is either a school district OR has provided proof of 501(c)3 status such as an IRS determination letter and/or a certification of registration from the Mississippi Secretary of State; and

the Lead Partner (applicant) demonstrates in the application that it serves or will serve four-year-old children through classroom-based pre-K (in other words, the Lead Partner is not merely a support organization but actually operates a program); and

the collaborative includes at least one school district AND at least one Head Start partner (Early Head Start does not count), if one is available; and

the collaborative will operate at least one classroom in each of at least two eligible partners; and

each partner provider will receive funds to operate classrooms; and

each partner has provided a signed identification form AND written a letter of support.

We advise applicants to read the 2018 application carefully to ensure their eligibility based on these or other factors.

o Review of Full Proposal—For applicants passing the eligibility check, reviewers will score the full proposal using a rubric that is usually released along with the application. Read the rubric if one is provided before beginning to write the application so that your answers will meet the criteria that the reviewers are looking for. Too often, applicants provide lengthy, well-written responses that do not actually provide the information that the reviewers are seeking. Do not make this mistake; shorter responses that meet the review criteria will always earn more points than long responses that do not. Proposals may still be disqualified at this stage if applicants violate the guidelines on things such as page limits, a lack of commitment to state learning standards, or a lack of commitment to using an eligible curriculum. Once the full proposal has been reviewed, reviewers will total the score for all proposals still eligible, and those with qualifying scores will move to the next phase of review.

• Interview—The interview phase is for applicants who make a qualifying score after the written application process. MDE has used interviews in the past to clear up lingering confusion over responses in the written proposal and to assess the capacity of the applicant to execute its plan as written. Previously, the interviews have been conducted at MDE, and the applicant as well as important partners are required to attend. Everyone on the applicant interview team should read the proposal because anyone attending the interview will be responsible for knowing the full plan; if only the Lead Partner knows the plan, it calls into question whether the collaboration among partners is authentic. The best way to prepare for an interview is to have someone conduct a mock interview with the applicant interview team. The mock interviewers should be familiar with pre-K but not involved in writing the application so that they can read the proposal with an objective lens and ask clarifying questions. See Appendix F: Mock Interview Questions for a list of sample questions that the mock interviewers can use.

When the interview is complete, the interview scores are usually added to the proposal score to reach a final summative score. MDE will rank proposals according to this summative score and fund in order of rank until all funds are exhausted. The reality of a competitive application process means that proposals with good scores may still not receive funding.


One way that applicants can give themselves an advantage in the proposal review is to earn any preference points that MDE has written into the rubric. Some preference points give priority to applicants with greater need while other preference points may give priority to applicants with greater capacity. In previous cycles, applicants with low rates of kindergarten readiness or high third grade reading test retention were given a slight preference (1 extra point). Conversely, applicants with more diverse collaborative partners—such as childcare partners or private school partners—received more points (3 extra points). Applicants who had participated in a formal collaboration program prior to applying, such as Excel by 5 or Mississippi Building Blocks, also received preference points (3 points). Review the rubric carefully once it is released to see if you are eligible for any preference points.

Based on past experience, our best advice in earning preference points is to build a collaborative with many types of partners and to develop a history of formal collaboration prior to applying.

1 Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51(1)(c).

2 Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51(1)(b).

3 Ibid.

4 Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51(1)(d).

5 Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51(1)(f).

6 Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51(3)(d)(vi).

7 Wright, Carey M., and Kim S. Benton. 2016. “Appendix C: Audit Checklist for 17.2-Pre-Kindergarten.” In Effectiveness Evaluation for Early Learning Collaboratives and Other Pre-K Classrooms. Jackson, MS: Mississippi Department of Education.

8 Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51(3)(d)(x).

9 Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51(3)(d).

10 Laura Dickson (Mississippi Department of Education), email to R. Canter, April 2, 2018.


GENERAL INFORMATION

APPENDIX A

This appendix is intended to provide general information about pre-K for toolkit readers who know very little about the topic. Below, we provide links for a beginner’s study of current information about pre-K, both nationally and in Mississippi.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PRE-KNew America FoundationThe New America Foundation’s website offers a clear, simple write-up about pre-K.New America Foundation. 2018. “Pre-K.” Accessed April 13. https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/policy-explainers/early-ed-prek-12/ pre-k/.

RESEARCH ABOUT PRE-KSouthern Regional Education BoardPre-K Benefits features a summary of some of the most recent, high-quality research studies pertaining to the benefits of pre-K programs for children.Durrance, Samantha. 2018. Pre-K Benefits: 2018 Update. Research report, Atlanta, GA: Southern Regional Education Board. Accessed April 13, 2018. https://www.sreb.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/research_snapshot_pre-k_march_2018.pdf.

Brookings InstituteThe Current State of Scientific Knowledge on Pre-Kindergarten Effects provides a comprehensive description of the pre-K landscape in America today. In addition, the report presents some of the most prevalent issues and challenges in early education along with a summary of the research findings pertaining to each issue.Brookings Institute. 2017. The Current State of Scientific Knowledge on Pre-Kindergarten Effects. Research Report, Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institute. Accessed April 13, 2018. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/duke_prekstudy_final_4-4-17_hires.pdf.

Mississippi FirstThe State of Pre-K in Mississippi 2014-2015 quantifies pre-K access—whether public or private—in every Mississippi community. Additionally, the report includes detailed programmatic and contextual information about pre-K programs and the communities they serve. It is released every three years.Canter, Rachel, and Angela Bass. 2017. The State of Pre-K in Mississippi 2014-2015. Research Report, Jackson, MS: Mississippi First. Accessed April 13, 2018. http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/.

The National Institute for Early Education ResearchThe State of Preschool is an annual publication that tracks the funding, access, and policies of state-funded pre-K programs. In addition, NIEER identifies 10 research-based program standards linked to highly effective programs and ranks each state-funded program across the nation according to these 10 standards. Barnett, Steven W., Allison H. Friedman-Krauss, G.G. Weisenfeld, Michelle Horowitz, Richard Kasmin, and James H. Squires. 2018. The State of Preschool 2017. Research report, New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University. Accessed April 18, 2018. http://nieer.org/state-preschool-yearbooks.


https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/policy-explainers/early-ed-prek-12/pre-k/https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/policy-explainers/early-ed-prek-12/pre-k/https://www.sreb.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/research_snapshot_pre-k_march_2018.pdfhttps://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/duke_prekstudy_final_4-4-17_hires.pdfhttp://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://nieer.org/state-preschool-yearbooks

STATE AND FEDERAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OFFICESMississippi Department of Education, Office of Early ChildhoodThe Office of Early Education at the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) provides regulatory guidance for pre-K programs implemented in public school settings. Additionally, they provide resources for families and providers to prepare children to be ready for kindergarten. MDE disseminates federal and state funds for early childhood programs in Mississippi.Website: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/ESE/EC

Mississippi Head Start Collaboration OfficeThe Mississippi Head Start Collaboration Office is located in the Office of the Governor. The office develops collaborative partnerships with early childhood and family service providers, educators, advocates, and agencies statewide. Website: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/mississippi-head-start-collaboration-office

Mississippi Department of Human Services, Division of Early Childhood Care and DevelopmentThe Division of Early Childhood Care and Development at the Mississippi Department of Human Services tracks the licensed childcare services available to young children in Mississippi communities. Additionally, they administer the Child Care Development Fund program, which provides assistance to working families in need of childcare services.Website: http://www.mdhs.ms.gov/early-childhood-care-development/

United States Department of Education, Office of Early LearningThe Office of Early Learning at the United States Department of Education is charged with supporting the department’s early learning initiatives and its goal of improving the health, socio-emotional, and cognitive outcomes for children from birth to third grade. The office is also responsible for the discretionary grant programs exclusively focused on early learning.Website: https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/earlylearning/index.html

PRE-K ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONSMississippi FirstMississippi First is a state-based policy and advocacy 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Mississippi First has been an advocate for early childhood education in Mississippi since our founding in 2008. The organization advocates for the expansion of high-quality, state-funded pre-K and tracks pre-K access and quality in the state. Website: www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/

Alliance for Early SuccessThe Alliance for Early Success brings early education leaders together in innovative ways to advance state policies leading to improved health, learning, and economic outcomes for young children, starting at birth and ending at age eight.Website: www.earlysuccess.org

First Five Years FundThe First Five Years Fund advances federal investment in quality early childhood education for disadvantaged children from birth to age five. Additionally, it provides policymakers, advocates, and the public with the research and information necessary to make informed investments in quality early childhood development.Website: www.ffyf.org


http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/ESE/EChttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/mississippi-head-start-collaboration-officehttp://www.mdhs.ms.gov/early-childhood-care-developmenthttps://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/earlylearning/index.htmlhttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/mississippi-head-start-collaboration-office http://www.earlysuccess.orghttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/mississippi-head-start-collaboration-office http://www.ffyf.org

GETTING STARTEDAPPENDIX B

An effective program aligns services to community needs. As a part of the application for the state-funded pre-K program, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) assesses the community’s need for a pre-K program.

This needs assessment tool provides a list of data that collaborative groups should use to evaluate the need for pre-K in their communities. Additionally, we provide data guidelines for how to use the information collected. A template for organizing the data can found at http://www.mississippifirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Needs-Assessment-tool.xlsx.

ACCESSDATA RESOURCES & CONSIDERATIONS

Number of Students Enrolled in Kindergarten (Present Year) We use present-year enrollment to estimate the number of children likely to be in kindergarten next year. If your school district is experiencing rapid declines or growth in enrollment, you may want to determine the average percentage change over a three-year period to raise or lower the present-year enrollment (Present Year*% Change + Present Year = Projected Enrollment).

Enrollment information is readily available on the MDE website. You can access it by going to this link: http://mdereports.mdek12.org/data/. Be sure to include both special education and regular education kindergarten enrollments.

Number of Seats Available in District Pre-K Program (Capacity) We use present-year capacity to demonstrate capacity prior to any proposed collaborative program. If you know that your school district plans to grow or shrink its pre-K program in the next year without a new collaborative program, use the planned capacity instead.

This information is collected by Mississippi First every three years and published in the State of Pre-K report. The latest report can be accessed here: http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/.

For more recent data, you should contact your local school district. Be sure to gather information about pre-K offered to both regular education and special education students. Some districts offer pre-K services limited to special education students only.


NEEDS ASSESSMENT TOOL

This appendix contains two important tools: a needs assessment tool and a program selection tool. It also contains a short explanation of the different types of public school pre-K programs.

http://www.mississippifirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Needs-Assessment-tool.xlsxhttp://www.mississippifirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Needs-Assessment-tool.xlsxhttp://mdereports.mdek12.org/data/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/


Number of Students Enrolled in District Pre-K Program (Enrollment in Present Year)

We use present-year enrollment to assess access prior to any proposed collaborative program. If your school district is experiencing rapid declines or growth in enrollment, you may want to determine the average percentage change over a three-year period to raise or lower the present-year enrollment (Present Year*% Change + Present Year = Projected Enrollment).

Enrollment information is readily available on the MDE website. You can access it by going to this link: http://mdereports.mdek12.org/data/. Be sure to include both special education and regular education pre-K enrollments.

Number of Students in Local Head Start Centers Head Start eligibility is countywide, so counties with multiple school districts share the overall number of Head Start seats available. Some school districts in a county may have better access to seats, depending on where centers are located. This makes it hard to determine a separate Head Start “capacity” figure from an “enrollment” figure in most instances, as most counties have multiple school districts. As a result, we recommend using enrollment in Head Start in nearly all instances (if you are in a single-district county, you can decide between “capacity” and “enrollment”).

This information is collected by Mississippi First every three years and published in the State of Pre-K report. The latest report can be accessed here: http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/. For more recent data, you should contact your local Head Start center(s). Ask them how many children transitioned or will transition to your target school district to estimate Head Start enrollment for your district.

Total Number of Seats Available in Other Public Pre-K Programs (Capacity)

In some cases, your district may have a pre-K program operated by a nonprofit organization and funded by philanthropic dollars. These seats may not show up as either “district” seats or “licensed childcare” seats. If such a program exists in your community, you should include these seats as part of your evaluation of access. The State of Pre-K report may include information about these types of programs if they existed in 2014-15.

Number of Students Enrolled in Other Public Pre-K Programs (Enrollment)

Ask your local school district for the enrollment of any other public pre-K program that you discover.

APPENDIX BGETTING STARTED



http://mdereports.mdek12.org/data/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/


GETTING STARTEDNEEDS ASSESSMENT TOOL


Number of Four-Year-Old Children in Licensed Childcare Centers In addition to public pre-K, licensed childcare offers access to early childhood experiences. The State Department of Health maintains a listing of all the licensed childcare centers currently in operation in your county at https://www.msdh.provider.webapps.ms.gov/ccsearch.aspx. (Please note that some Head Start centers are required to be licensed. Exclude those centers that you have already counted in your Head Start data collection.) The capacity data listed on the State Department of Health website is not specific to four-year-olds. Mississippi First collects four-year-old capacity data for licensed childcare centers every three years for our State of Pre-K report. (When childcare centers did not provide a response about capacity, we used four-year-old enrollment.) Using the list of active providers from the State Department of Health, add up all the relevant capacity numbers from the State of Pre-K report. The latest report can be accessed here: http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/.

In addition, districts collect information on student attendance in pre-K programs, including childcare, prior to entering kindergarten. You can request this information from the local district or MDE. However, please note that this information may have low validity as it is self-reported by parents and often incomplete.

QUALITYDATA RESOURCES & CONSIDERATIONS

Number of NIEER Benchmarks Met by District Pre-K Program This information is collected by Mississippi First every three years and published in the State of Pre-K report. The latest report can be accessed here: http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/. Contact your local school district to discover any recent program changes.

Average CLASS Score from District Pre-K Program CLASS is a classroom quality measure used by MDE to evaluate all public school pre-K programs. Contact your local school district to request average CLASS scores.

Average CLASS Score from Heat Start Most Head Start centers in Mississippi also use CLASS to measure classroom quality. Contact your local Head Start center(s) to request average CLASS scores.

Quality of Licensed Childcare Programs Quality data for childcare centers has become harder to find since the state halted the star rating system. We suggest visiting childcare centers in your area. Consider administering a survey to childcare providers to capture information on how well they fare against the NIEER benchmarks.

Also consider how many of your childcare providers are accredited by national organizations with high standards (such as NAEYC, AMS, etc.) You can find some accreditation data in the Mississippi First State of Pre-K report, accessed here: http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/.


https://www.msdh.provider.webapps.ms.gov/ccsearch.aspxhttps://www.msdh.provider.webapps.ms.gov/ccsearch.aspxhttp://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/

QUALITYDATA RESOURCES & CONSIDERATIONS

Percentage of Students “Ready” for Kindergarten (scoring 530 or above on the MKAS2)

Contact your local school district to obtain this information.

MAAP Proficiency Rates Proficiency information is readily available on the MDE website. You can access it by going to this link: http://mdereports.mdek12.org/report1/r2016-17.aspx.

District Dropout Rate This information is readily available on the MDE website. You can access it by going to this link: http://mdereports.mdek12.org/data/.

District Retention Rate The district retention rate is the rate of students who have repeated a grade at least once since starting kindergarten. This information is available through the online Kids Count Data Center. You can access this data here: https://data-center.kidscount.org/data/tables/7576-dropout-rates?loc=26&loct=10#de-tailed/10/7461-7612/false/871,870,573,869,36/any/14722.

Achievement Gaps (gaps in achievement between different subgroups)

Achievement gap information is readily available in the MDE Achievement Gap Report. You can access it by going to this link: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/student-assessment/2017-assessment-achievemnet-gap-analysis.pdf?sfvrsn=2.

AT-RISK POPULATIONSDATA RESOURCES & CONSIDERATIONS

Percentage of Students in Poverty (Identified Student Percentage) Due to the growing use of the Community Eligibility Provision, free or reduced-price lunch data is becoming less valid as an indicator of poverty. As an alternative, we suggest using your district’s identified student percentage, which means the percentage of students whose families participate in other government-funded poverty programs. This will provide a more accurate estimate of the percentage of children experiencing the effects of poverty. MDE annually publishes estimates of each district’s identified student percentage: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/child-nutrition/cep-2017-2018-lea-notification_20180418101541_381861.pdf?sfvrsn=2.

Percentage of Racial Minority Students This information is readily available on the MDE website. You can access it by going to this link: http://mdereports.mdek12.org/data/.

Percentage of Students with Disabilities (IEP or 504 plan) Contact your local school district to obtain this information.

Percentage of Children in Poverty (U.S. Census) To quantify the percentage of children communitywide who live in poverty, use child poverty estimates for each school district provided by the U.S. Census. This information is readily available through the online Kids Count Data Center. You can access this data by district here: https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/ta-bles/8215-poverty-by-school-district?loc=26&loct=10#detailed/10/7461-7612/false/870,573,869,36,868/any/16733.

This information can also be accessed by county here: https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/3740-poverty-by-age-group?loc=26&loct=5#de-tailed/5/3914-3995/false/870,573,869,36,868/255,2713,214/13287,7697.




http://mdereports.mdek12.org/report1/r2016-17.aspxhttp://mdereports.mdek12.org/data/https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/7576-dropout-rates?loc=26&loct=10#detailed/10/7461-7612https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/7576-dropout-rates?loc=26&loct=10#detailed/10/7461-7612https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/7576-dropout-rates?loc=26&loct=10#detailed/10/7461-7612http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/student-assessment/2017-assessment-achievemnet-gap-analysis.pdf?sfvrsnhttp://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/student-assessment/2017-assessment-achievemnet-gap-analysis.pdf?sfvrsnhttp://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/child-nutrition/cep-2017-2018-lea-notification_20180418101541_381861.phttp://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/child-nutrition/cep-2017-2018-lea-notification_20180418101541_381861.phttp://mdereports.mdek12.org/data/https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/8215-poverty-by-school-district?loc=26&loct=10#detailedhttps://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/8215-poverty-by-school-district?loc=26&loct=10#detailedhttps://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/8215-poverty-by-school-district?loc=26&loct=10#detailedhttps://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/3740-poverty-by-age-group?loc=26&loct=5#detailed/5/3914https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/3740-poverty-by-age-group?loc=26&loct=5#detailed/5/3914https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/3740-poverty-by-age-group?loc=26&loct=5#detailed/5/3914

GETTING STARTED




AT-RISK POPULATIONSDATA RESOURCES & CONSIDERATIONS

Percentage of Children in Foster Care, Identified as Homeless, or Identified as Migrant

Contact your local school district to obtain this information. This information may be particularly important if you intend to use any federal dollars as a match.

Other Factors Related to Children At Risk Other indicators, such as teen pregnancy rates, unemployment rates, percentage of children with no parent in the workforce, percentage of families using TANF and SNAP, food insecurity data, maternal education data, etc., can be found through the online Kids Count Data Center. You can access this information by county here: https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data#MS/5/0/char/0.

Determine whether to highlight access needs, quality needs, or both.There are two ways to demonstrate the need for an early learning collaborative in your community. If your community does not have many public pre-K options available to families, then you can demonstrate the need for pre-K by highlighting access needs. If your community has high access rates to pre-K, but your student outcome data shows low rates of school readiness or school achievement, then you can demonstrate the need to increase the quality of existing pre-K programs. Your community may have low access and poor outcomes; in this case, you can highlight needs in both access and quality.

It is good practice to assess the needs of the community prior to drafting a plan. The community needs you identify should align to your proposed program. For example, if your proposed program focuses on improving quality and not expanding access, you should sufficiently demonstrate the need for higher quality programs in your community.

Calculating Public Pre-K AccessThe first step in assessing the pre-K needs in your community is to understand the level of access that parents have to existing public pre-K services. In general, you calculate this by subtracting the previous year’s number of pre-K seats available in your defined service area (county or district) from the total number of kindergarten students entering the school district in the current year. To calculate an access rate, you simply divide the difference by the total number of entering kindergarteners and multiply by 100. See our worksheet to help you analyze access rates.

Guidelines for Using Data to Demonstrate Community Need

Access Rate =# of entering kindergarteners this year - # of public pre-K seats last year

# of entering kindergarteners this year*100%


https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data#MS/5/0/char/0.



11 Canter, Rachel, and Angela Bass. 2017. The State of Pre-K in Mississippi. Research Report, Jackson, MS: Mississippi First. Accessed on April 19, 2018. http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/.

12 Ibid.

• Considering Enrollment vs. CapacityIn these guidelines and the worksheet, we recommend the use of capacity data (the actual number of seats available) instead of the use of enrollment data to measure access. However, we recommend that you carefully analyze enrollment data as well, especially if enrollment data is much lower than capacity data. You may need to investigate the underlying reasons for low enrollment because lower enrollment figures can have important implications for actual access. For instance, a district pre-K program may have 20 seats available but only eight students enrolled in the program. Further investigation might reveal that a lack of transportation is an enrollment barrier for families who wish to send their children to the program. As a community group, you must then decide if you would consider a capacity of 20 seats to be a true measure of access in this scenario.

• Considering Licensed Childcare Enrollment in Your Evaluations of AccessTo get a comprehensive view of what pre-K looks like in your community, you should consider the enrollment rates of four-year-old children in licensed childcare centers as well as enrollment in public pre-K. We know that, on average, the greater a school district’s public pre-K access, the smaller its four-year-old childcare enrollment.11 This may be due to low demand for licensed childcare. It may also occur because districts with high public pre-K capacity are more likely to have high poverty rates,12 and tuition-based licensed childcare centers are less accessible to consumers. Additionally, areas with large licensed childcare sectors may face more political barriers to expanding public pre-K programs. A careful analysis of licensed childcare’s role in offering pre-K access to four-year-olds in your community should be an essential part of your needs assessment. In cases where access to licensed childcare and public pre-K are both low, you might choose to highlight licensed childcare access rates in the needs assessment section of your application.

Demonstrating Need for QualityIf you determine that pre-K expansion is not aligned to your community’s needs and/or your collaborative’s current goals, you need to demonstrate the need to increase the quality of existing programs. Conversely, you might decide to expand access while increasing quality at the same time. To demonstrate the need for improved quality, you must make a case to MDE that current programs are not meeting the 10 NIEER benchmarks and/or producing favorable student outcomes among the population you wish to serve. You should also demonstrate that the population you wish to serve may be at risk of academic failure without an early intervention.

• NIEER Quality StandardsThe state measures the quality of pre-K programs in part by their adherence to the NIEER quality standards. To assess existing quality in your community, you should evaluate how programs perform against the standards. More information about the NIEER standards can be found in their most recent evaluation of Mississippi’s program: http://nieer.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Mississippi_YB2017.pdf. The Early Learning Collaborative Act requires collaboratives to meet the “current” NIEER benchmarks, but the state is working to meet all 10 of the “new” benchmarks as well. You should evaluate your community’s current programs against both sets of standards to see what their strengths and weakness are.


http://www.mississippifirst.org/education-policy/pre-kindergarten/msf-prek-publications/state-pre-k-mississippi-2014-2015/http://nieer.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Mississippi_YB2017.pdf.

GETTING STARTED


• CLASS Scores CLASS is an early childhood classroom quality measure that the state uses for all public school pre-K programs, including collaboratives.

Head Start centers also frequently use CLASS. CLASS measures several dimensions of classroom quality, such as the quality of adult-child interactions. If your community has an existing public school pre-K program, the program should have CLASS scores for its classrooms. Head Start centers in your area are also likely to have CLASS scores for their classrooms. If the programs in your area have average scores of less than a 4, this may indicate the need to increase quality.

• Nationally Accredited Licensed Childcare Centers Although Mississippi no longer uses a robust quality rating system for childcare, some centers may be nationally accredited. For example,

the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers an accreditation program that is considered a national leader in quality. The NAEYC search function provides up-to-date information about accredited programs: http://families.naeyc.org/find-quality-child-care. A good list of national accreditation programs can be found here: https://qrisguide.acf.hhs.gov/files/National_Accred.pdf. Centers without national accreditation may still be high quality, but a community will have to work harder to measure that quality. Evaluating local childcare centers against the NIEER standards may be one simple alternative to accreditation to determine quality.

• Assessing Student OutcomesAlongside the NIEER standards and CLASS scores, the state examines student outcomes to measure quality. In this tool and the worksheet, we provide a comprehensive list of student outcome data you should use to identify the need for pre-K. It is important to look at aggregate data—i.e., data for entire populations in your district or community—as well as disaggregated data—i.e., information used to compare various student subgroups. See the worksheet to help you with this analysis.

Analyzing Data on At-Risk PopulationsThe presence of a high rate of at-risk populations can show a compelling need for pre-K. In this tool and the worksheet, we provide acomprehensive list of demographic data you can use to gain a deeper understanding of your community and the at-risk populations that may bepresent. See the worksheet to help you with this analysis.



C ontinue on the next pageTYPES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL PRE-K PROGRAMS


http://families.naeyc.org/find-quality-child-carehttp://families.naeyc.org/find-quality-child-carehttps://qrisguide.acf.hhs.gov/files/National_Accred.pdf

District dollars are utilized to support these programs. Local district pre-K programs must follow the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children. These programs are typically located on campus at one or more elementary schools in a given district.

2 Local District

All funds utilized to support this program are Title I dollars. Title I Pre-K programs must follow the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children and Title I, Part A – Basic Guidelines. These programs are typically located on campus at one or more elementary schools in a given district.

1 Title I

USE OUR PROGRAM SELECTION TOOL TO FIND THE BEST PRE-K PROGRAM FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.

Title I and Head Start dollars are blended to support these programs. Blended programs must follow the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children, the Head Start Performance Standards, and Title I, Part A – Basic Guidelines. These programs are located either on campus at one or more elementary schools in a given district or at a local Head Start agency.

4 Blended Head Start

These programs are funded by multiple sources, such as Title I and district dollars, district dollars and tuition, external sources and Title I, etc. Any program that uses Title I dollars must follow the Title I, Part A – Basic Guidelines. Children supported through Title I dollars must also meet Title I eligibility requirements. All hybrid pre-K programs must follow the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children. These programs may be located on campus at one or more elementary schools in a given district or in a donated space (e.g., apartment complex).

5 Hybrid

Tuition paid by parents of enrolled children supports these programs. Tuition-based pre-K programs must follow the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children. These programs are typically located on campus at one or more elementary schools in a given district.

3 Tuition-Based 6 State Collaborative

These programs are supported by state pre-K funding that is matched with any eligible source. Most often, matching funds come from Title I. All state collaborative pre-K programs must follow the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children. Any collaborative program that uses Title I dollars must also follow the Title I, Part A – Basic Guidelines. Head Start or blended programs within a collaborative must additionally follow the Head Start Performance Standards. These programs may be located on campus at one or more elementary schools in a given district, in a Head Start center, or in a private childcare center.

These programs are funded partially by sources outside of the school district and exclude Head Start funds. Examples of externally funded pre-K programs are those that are partially funded through grants, private donations, and nonprofit organizations. Externally funded pre-K programs must follow the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children. These programs may be located on campus at one or more elementary schools in a given district or in a donated space (e.g., apartment complex).

7 Externally Funded



TYPES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL PRE-K PROGRAMS

http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/curriculum-and-instructions-library/early-childhood-early-learning-guidelines-4's-7-2-2015-sos-final.pdf?sfvrsn=2http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/curriculum-and-instructions-library/early-childhood-early-learning-guidelines-4's-7-2-2015-sos-final.pdf?sfvrsn=2http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/OFP/basichttp://www.mde.k12.ms.us/OFP/basichttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/docs/hspps-appendix.pdfhttps://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/docs/hspps-appendix.pdf

6 State Collaborative

GETTING STARTED


PROGRAM SELECTION TOOL

NEED HEAD STARTHow would you describe the student population you plan to serve?

Our student population is high need, as defined by having a high rate of one or more of the following: poverty; percent of children in foster care, identified as homeless, or identified as migrant; percent of children not “ready” for kindergarten; percent of children with disabilities; and the number or percent without quality pre-K options.

Our student population is average need, as defined by having an average rate of most of the following: poverty; percent of children in foster care, identified as homeless, or identified as migrant; percent of children not “ready” for kindergarten; or percent of children with disabilities; and the number or percent without quality pre-K options.

Our student population is low need, as defined by having a low rate of most of the following: poverty; percent of children in foster care, identified as homeless, or identified as migrant; percent of children not “ready” for kindergarten; or percent of children with disabilities; and the number or percent without quality pre-K options.

COLLABORATIONHow closely do you work with partners in early childhood?

We have a strong history of collaboration with early childhood partners. As part of our collaboration, we meet regularly to discuss common goals, define interrelated roles, develop joint strategies, and share decision-making.

We are actively building stronger collaboration among partners. We have begun regular meetings to increase collaboration and are working to develop common goals and strategies.

We have little to no history of collaboration among partners. In the past, we have cooperated on an as-needed basis or coordinated with each other on specific projects.

How would you describe your relationship with Head Start?

We have a very strong relationship with Head Start and frequently closely collaborate.

We have a working relationship with Head Start and collaborate as needed.

We have a limited relationship with Head Start in that we only work together as required by law.

PARTNERSHIPSHow do you plan to include partnerships in the operation of your program?

We want to independently operate our programs.

We want to collaborate with partners to ensure community-wide quality, but we do not want to jointly operate our programs.

We want to jointly operate our programs with one or more local partners.

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PROGRAM SE

Documents

HOW TO START A€¦ · 21/08/2018 · start a state-funded collaborative pre-K program. Readers who are still unsure what type of program they may wish to start should consult Appendix