Why is Governor Kaine expanding access to preschool for four-year-olds?
Research shows that 90% of brain development occurs before a child turns five. We know that children who attend high-quality preschool are more likely to finish school, find good jobs, and are less likely to commit a crime. We know how powerful preschool is in improving children’s chances for success. That’s why Governor Kaine believes that every four-year-old child in Virginia should have the opportunity to attend high-quality, voluntary preschool.
I have heard Governor Kaine mention his concern about third grade reading scores. What does preschool have to do with reading at third grade?
Third grade reading scores can be a real predictor for the likelihood of school success for children. Around 20% of Virginia’s third graders are failing the SOL reading exam (23% in 04-05; 16% in 05-06).
If a child is unable to read by third grade, his or her chance of success throughout the rest of school is dramatically reduced. Studies have shown that high-quality preschool can help children learn to read, helping us ensure that all Virginia’s third graders are reading on grade level.
In Virginia, programs like Virginia Preschool Initiative, Head Start, and private preschools already exist. Why do we need a new program? Why not just expand existing programs?
In fact, Start Strong is a significant expansion of the existing VPI program, along with a new focus on utilizing public-private partnerships to serve more four-year-olds.
While VPI is successful in helping better prepare children for kindergarten, there are barriers in the current program to reaching all eligible children. Currently, VPI serves approximately 12,500 students, but approximately 6,500 more four-year-olds, who qualify as “at risk” under the current formula, are not able to participate in the program. A lack of classroom space, cost of starting up the program, lack of parent awareness, and the challenge for some communities to contribute the local match deter some localities from fully serving eligible children in need of these services.
Start Strong addresses these barriers by incorporating private providers where space is readily available; diversifying funding streams (including corporate and foundation support, and parent tuition on a sliding scale, as appropriate); and creating alternative solutions for the local match.
Is the Start Strong program intended to be mandatory?
No. Start Strong is a voluntary initiative, seeking to expand access to high-quality preschool for four-year-olds whose families choose to access it.
Is the program attempting to diminish parental responsibility or to take children from their homes?
No. Parents are their child’s first and most important teachers. Start Strong promotes increased high-quality, voluntary preschool options for parents, along with strong parental involvement in children’s preschool experiences. It recognizes that some parents may want to keep their children at home until kindergarten.
How do you define “at risk”?
In terms of funding allocation by the state, “at risk” is viewed as those children eligible for free lunch, or up to 130% of poverty (for a family of four, an annual household income up to $26,845). With the new preschool plan, this definition would change to include children eligible for free and reduced price lunch, or up to 185% of poverty (for a family of four, an annual income up to $38,203). There is flexibility and variety, however, in the way local communities define “at-risk,” and it is these criteria that determine enrollment. Many communities base their eligibility and enrollment on a number of risk factors, including socio-economic level, homelessness, limited English proficiency, and a variety of family or community risk factors.
Why does Start Strong include private providers?
Partnerships between public and private programs will help leverage the existing system, give parents more options, and ensure that we are spending taxpayer dollars on education in the classroom, not bricks and mortar.
How will programs be assessed?
The quality of settings will be rated through the Quality Ratings and Improvement System (QRIS), which will measure, encourage, and reward quality in both public and private preschool settings. All providers who choose to accept state funding, whether in public or private settings, will be rated. Additionally, other private providers can choose to be rated, even if they do not participate in the state-funded program.
Using a five star rating system, the QIRS will establish clearly identified levels of increasing quality. The state will provide technical assistance to improve program quality, and offer incentives that reward achievement in quality improvement.
What about testing? Will there be SOLs for 4 year olds?
The preschool environment is focused on preparation, not achievement; high-stakes testing is not appropriate for four-year-olds. High-quality preschool settings recognize that very young children learn through play and exploration, and provide a structured environment that facilitates that kind of growth and development. Age- and stage-appropriate curriculum and assessment, effective teacher competencies, and informed classroom practices address the unique learning needs of four-year-old children.
Will the state recommend a curriculum?
Particular curricula will not be mandated, but programs must utilize a curriculum that addresses the Foundation Blocks for Early Learning standards. The quality ratings system will measure the effective implementation of curricula.
How much will the program cost?
When it is fully phased in, Start Strong will represent a $90 million expansion of the current VPI program. The total state-funded preschool program will cost $140 million, at full phase-in. The Governor’s proposal reaches that level in 2012.
Isn’t that less than what the Governor proposed during the campaign? Does that mean it is a smaller program?
The Governor’s goal has always been to ensure that all Virginia families who want to send their children to a high-quality pre-k program have the opportunity to do so. Start Strong is a smarter way to expand our existing preschool network that will achieve that goal. In states that offer voluntary pre-k programs where every slot is paid for with government funds, the maximum enrollment is usually about 70%. With Start Strong fully phased in, we expect approximately 67% of all Virginia’s four-year-olds to be enrolled in a preschool program.
Where will you get the money to pay for the program? Does this mean you’re raising taxes?
No, Governor Kaine will not raise taxes to pay for this expansion. Instead, he has proposed reprioritizing the use of existing dollars to fund the program.
Isn’t Virginia facing a budget shortfall? Doesn’t that mean this is the wrong time for a new program?
Start Strong builds on the existing Virginia Preschool Initiative, utilizing innovative public-private partnerships to ensure that money is spent on services, not bricks and mortar. So, in fact, Start Strong is not a new program. When dollars are tight, investing in high-return, effective programs like high-quality preschool is a smart budgeting strategy.
Will you factor in pre-k transportation expenses for local schools?
Transportation costs are included in the calculation of per pupil funding for the Virginia Preschool Initiative. Communities will find solutions to providing transportation, as needed, to both public schools and private programs participating in the preschool network.
What about funding in localities where the challenge is bricks and mortar? Even if you allow use of private buildings, it may not help in some areas.
For some communities, the local match requirement is a challenge. Start Strong encourages communities to find diverse funding streams, including corporate and foundation support, and parent tuition on a sliding scale, as appropriate. Start Strong also promotes the idea of innovative financial incentives in high composite index localities to help them expand access to pre-kindergarten programs.
What will be accomplished by the pilots?
We already know that high-quality pre-K is effective in improving student outcomes. The pilots are testing models of high-quality preschool network delivery. Pilot sites are incorporating strategies including partnership with private, faith-based, home-based and military providers; serving Head Start and VPI students in the same classrooms; utilizing diverse funding streams, including parent tuition; and using the quality ratings system.
Which communities are participating in the pilot initiative?
Albemarle County, Alexandria, Alleghany County, Bath County, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Hampton, Highland County, Richmond County, and Virginia Beach are each participating. All together, the pilot sites will serve an additional 300 at-risk children during the 2007-08 academic year.
Shouldn’t you wait until the pilots return more results to launch the full initiative?
Since we already know from brain research that preschool programs are effective in better preparing children for school, the pilots are designed to test the implementation of the Start Strong program, focusing on how we form public-private partnerships and engage a quality rating system. We have already learned a great deal by establishing unique public-private partnerships in the pilot communities, and we’ll apply the lessons we have learned to the Governor’s proposed expansion, which begins in the fall of 2008.
Aren’t faith-based daycare centers exempt from regulation? Then how can you include them in pre-K?
Preschool programs in faith-based facilities may be eligible to participate, by meeting basic health and safety criteria required of other settings. Even though these programs are exempted from licensure, they can still go through a process to show that they meet these specific criteria if they choose to participate in the state-funded preschool network.
What about separation of church and state issues?
Participation is voluntary. Some preschool programs in religious facilities will be willing to provide non-sectarian preschool services as part of the state-funded initiative. While they will agree to provide a state-funded program free of religious instruction, they also have the option of offering an additional program of religious instruction not funded by the state.
Can you do something to promote the “career-switcher” model to encourage more qualified pre-K teachers? How will you address teacher salaries and incentives?
We plan to use various recruitment, retention, and professional development strategies to strengthen our pool of effective teachers. The quality ratings system, for example, will reward programs with effective teachers, and will facilitate access to scholarships for professional development for teachers in those programs.
What will you do to make sure the 4-year-olds attending pre-k receive proper nutrition?
Since children participating in the Virginia Preschool Initiative are eligible for free or reduced price lunches, programs often provide two healthy meals at school – breakfast and lunch. Children or families with nutritional concerns will be connected to appropriate community agencies to support their needs outside of the school day and school year.
How will you make sure parents know about these opportunities?
Parent education and engagement are an important component of the Start Strong initiative. Parents should have access to information about the importance of their children’s early years, as well as services and resources available to support their children’s healthy growth and development.