WV Prek and Child Care Partnerships WV DHHR

WV Pre-k and Child Care Partnerships WV DHHR, Division of Early Care & Education

Timelines • 2012 -2013 full implementation • Full participation is estimated to be between 75 -80% of the eligible children

Why Consider Participation? Statewide • ’ 05 -’ 06 enrollment – 8, 942 • 2012 -13 projected four year old population – 21, 106 • Unmet need at 80%- 9, 744

Why Consider Participation? Consider Where are those children now? Where will they be? What impact will there be on your center?

What can child care offer? • Inclusive of all children • Facilities/equipment/expertise for young children • Continuity of care, extended day/ year care for families

What can child care offer? • Families and children are already connected and have relationships • Expanded period of time for learning • Food service • Transportation does not need to be provided

What can child care offer? • With help of LEA, a qualified staff can be hired through the child care center, without factoring into professional positions for LEA • Parental choice

Benefits of Child Care Involvement • Raises credibility and provides validation for the child care center • Opportunity to enhance quality programming • Access to additional resources • Provides access to additional professional development • Opportunity to increase teacher salaries

Think Strategically What does it mean to child care to be involved in the WV Pre-k?

Programmatic Differences Structural Orientations – • Child care provides education as well as care but on an extended and more flexible schedule • Public education is oriented to “education” with a consistent schedule, they provide care also but is not the main focus

WVBE Policy 2525 • All pre-k programs in public schools, including preschool special needs, and any contracted community program must follow this policy

Policy 2525 • First in effect Feb. 12, 2003 • Revised and adopted Aug. 14, 2005 • Several revisions with input from a large collaborative group • Revisions this fall/winter

§ 126 -28 -4 Parents as Partners • Two Face to face conferences • Documented methods of communication • Meaningful involvement • Transition and inclusion supports • Decision-making

§ 126 -28 -5 Attendance • Enrollment is voluntary • Children can only be dis-enrolled with the consent of parent, teacher, and principal if deemed in the best interest of the child • Once enrolled children follow attendance polices • Attendance is not part of the LEA’s OEPA Monitoring

§ 126 -28 -5 Attendance- Implications • County collaborative policy on procedures for attendance/ tardiness/ dis-enrollment • Must follow WV Code § 18 -8 -1 for removal from classroom ( IE- financial or behavior) • Options • Advance discussions/ contractual agreement on how to handle

§ 126 -28 -5 Attendance- Implications • Expectation that children attend consistently and on time • Increased expectations from child care attendance that may vary from parent work schedules

§ 126 -28 -6 Collaboration and the County Plan • All counties must submit a plan for approval • Review team; makes approval recommendation; and provides county specific feedback

§ 126 -28 -6 Collaboration and the County Plan • Secretary of WV DHHR receives the approval/non-approval recommendations and accepts or rejects • WV State Board of Education reviews the Secretary's actions and the recommendations for approval/nonapproval

County Collaborative Planning Team The county plan is to be developed by a team that includes core partners: • Public School Preschool Special Needs • Licensed Child Care Center(s) • Head Start • Local DHHR • Parent

County Collaborative Planning Team The county planning team can also include: • WV Birth to Three • CCR&R’s • FRN’s • ACDS • Starting Points • Business

Child Care Core Partner • Elected by the licensed child care in county • Core partner is designated in order to have one person sign • Represent all child care interests • Encourage other centers to attend in addition to core partner • Critical to attend meetings

Child Care Core Partner • Seek out CCR & R and local WV DHHR CSM or representative for support • Questions or problems contact ECE Division WV DHHR • Sign plan to indicate agreement – feel comfortable that child care was adequately supported and is involved • State in letter concerns

Maximization of Resources • Must collaborate with existing community programs within the county before opening new LEA only classrooms- unless partners do not exist or choose not to participate • 50% of classrooms in community programs • Counties must explore all feasible supports to enable child care to participate

Maximization of Resources Impact Study • Purpose to determine impact on community programs for any proposed classroom • Preference of personal contact to complete – during a team meeting; individual or phone contact

Changes to Plan • All changes of substance must be submitted with signatures of all the collaborative partners for approval to the Secretary of the WVDHHR and WVBE 30 days prior to implementation of changes.

Contractual Agreements • Contract and budget must be submitted for each collaborative community classroom to WVDE Early Childhood Coordinator by July 15 of each year. • Negotiate and analyze each area of policy to establish expectations between the partners – resources, oversight, and how the quality standards will be managed.

Contracts- Implications • Be sure you are clear on all aspects • What oversight activities will there be? • How will resources be distributed and who decides how they will be spent? • If an LEA teacher is placed in the center what on-site oversight is there? • What happens when a teacher is ill or needs to be out?

§ 126 -28 -8 Personnel Standards Qualifying certification/ endorsement • • Early education Prek-K endorsement Birth to Five Preschool Special Needs

§ 126 -28 -8 Personnel Standards Teacher Permits Individuals without qualifying certification/ endorsement may be eligible for a permit up to five years, annual renewal: • Educational requirements per § 126 -28 -8 plus 25% of required coursework for qualifying certification as defined by the higher education institution in which they are enrolled. • Annual minimum of 6 credit hours towards qualifying certification/endorsement

§ 126 -28 -8 Personnel Standards Teacher Permits Annual Permit for up to five years for persons with degrees in: • Elementary Education • Child and Family Studies/Early Childhood or Child Development

§ 126 -28 -8 Personnel Standards Teachers – Community Programs can allow for following degrees to work towards certification: • Board of Regents – Specialization in Early Childhood • Associate on Child Development & 1 yr experience • Associate in Occupational Development & 1 yr experience – Emphasis on Child Development

Assistance in Obtaining Permit WV Department of Education Nathan Estel 558 -7011 Verification of 25% Coursework or enrollment in college – Higher Education Institution County Board of Education

§ 126 -28 -8 Personnel Standards Implications Options in Community Programs • Center may employ a teacher with qualifying certification – consider salary enhancement • Center may employ a “permitable” teacher • LEA may place a teacher in the center • Clarify in contract how qualifying teacher absences will be covered

§ 126 -28 -9 Regulation of Facilities • Core set of health and safety standards that align with the child care licensing and Head Start Performance Standards are imbedded in WVBE Policy 2525 • Differing governance • Child care centers must be licensed; private preschools must meet licensing standards

§ 126 -28 -9 Regulation of Facilities • No more than 20 children enrolled per classroom • 1 adult : 10 children

§ 126 -28 -9 Regulation of Facilities Implications • Enrollment of Pre-k classroom cannot exceed 20 children • Enrollment must be stable for designated WV Pre-k hours • Financial implications should be considered when negotiating contract

§ 126 -28 -10 Standards for Preparing Students - Early Learning Standards Framework (ELSF) • ELSF provides the content standards and objectives for pre-k classrooms( WVBE Policy 2520. 15) • ELSF effective June 1, 2004 • ELSF part of President Bush’s Good Start, Grow Smart program (CCDF Funds)

§ 126 -28 -11 Curricular Frameworks and Assessments Requires Approved Curricular Framework and Assessment systems be used in WV Pre-k classrooms

§ 126 -28 -11 Curricular Frameworks and Assessments Creating Child-Centered Classrooms: 3 -5 Yr Olds (1997; 2000 reprint) Assessment system under development The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool (2002) Fourth Edition The Creative Curriculum Developmental Assessment System (2001) Educating Young Children (2002), Second Edition Preschool Child Observation Record COR 2 nd Edition (2003)

§ 126 -28 -11 Curricular Frameworks and Assessments Required Companion Resources Creating Inclusive Classrooms (1999) Learning to Read and Write Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children (2000)

§ 126 -28 -11 Curricular Frameworks and Assessments- Implications Every WV Pre-k Classroom: • Must be using an approved curricular framework and accompanying assessment • Curriculum and Assessment is time consuming – teachers need planning time • Teacher time considered in planning/ negotiations

§ 126 -28 -12 Transition and Continuity • The goal is high quality care and education in every setting • It is important to consider the child within the family context • Minimize the number of settings in which a child receives care and education

§ 126 -28 -12 Transition and Continuity- Implications Intention is that children being served naturally in the child care should continue at the child care and receive quality WV Pre-k in their regular classroom to minimize transition and provide continuity.

§ 126 -28 -13 Inclusive Environments • No segregation on the basis of socioeconomic level, ability, and/or funding streams • Fully inclusive classrooms provide individual services and programming for all children.

§ 126 -28 -14 Staff Development and Training • 15 hours annually on high quality programming for four year olds; 6 on inclusive environments • Follow the WV STARS process • 30 hrs of curriculum training over a 24 month period. • Participation with county collaborative to receive

§ 126 -28 -15 Program Oversight • Local oversight designed through county planning teams • Part of collaborative contracts • Be very clear and upfront with the LEA on classroom oversight • Clear on oversight of LEA employed teacher

§ 126 -28 -16 Financing 16. 2 If programs are part of the collaborative county plan and provide education services to eligible children that can be counted in the county school aid funding formula, those services must be provided at no cost to the parent/guardian of the children. In collaborative settings, WV Prek is considered an enhancement to the program and parents shall not be charged additional costs for the enhanced services.

§ 126 -28 -16 Financing. Implications Operating Expenses for WV Pre-K Parent Tuition • Tuition reduction based on supporting LEA resources – Payment of set rate per child/ per day by LEA – Resources that offset other costs • Tuition charges for before and after based on supporting LEA resources

§ 126 -28 -16 Financing. Implications Operating Expenses for WV Pre-K Parent Tuition • Tuition policy of full day/week payment with Pre-k being an enhancement to the existing program

§ 126 -28 -16 Financing. Implications Options for Operating Expenses for WV Pre-K- Child Care Subsidy May continue to receive subsidy payment based on defined conditions: • Licensed child care center; at least 10 hours per day • Child must be eligible and only for approved hours

§ 126 -28 -16 Financing. Implications Options for Operating Expenses for WV Pre-KChild Care Subsidy • Payments received from LEA are to be considered as support to enhancement of program, and not to cover basic cost of care. • Parents cannot be charged the fee during WV Pre-k hours • Use center to maximum extent possible • Process to insure sign in/out procedures alert the center to times child may attend Pre-k but not eligible for subsidy

§ 126 -28 -16 Financing • Children in a contractual classroom in a child care center are enrolled in WVDE WVEIS system and are counted for the LEA to receive school aid funding formula. • School aid funding formula is generally paid a year behind. • Counties considered “growth” counties can receive a % of the funding during the school year

§ 126 -28 -16 Financing • Centers and LEA work collaboratively to determine what resources each will provide • Approach collaboration with what center has to offer vs what will center gain • Budgets are reflected on the WV Pre-k Contractual Community Programs FTE Calculations Form • FTE for school aid funding formula is determined by the budget • FTE adjustment can be made by WVDE to cover cost of teacher

§ 126 -28 -17 Program Evaluation Annual evaluation of each classroom based on the ECERS-R assessment • Due annually by July 15 • Must use the ECERS-R ADF • Classroom reviews conducted by a county level team with at least one administrator • Center Directors should participate on the ECERS-R evaluation teams

Technical Assistance Website www. wvdhhr. org/oss/pieces/ta • County Plan format • Request Assistance • Guidance Documents • Frequently Asked Questions • Curriculum • WV Early Learning Standards Framework

Contact Information WV DHHR – ECE Division Kay Tilton (304) 558 -2993 ktilton@wvdhhr. org Melanie Clark (304) 558 -0971 melanieclark@wvdhhr. org Ann Nutt (304) 558 -0863 annnutt@wvdhhr. org

Contact Information WV Pre-k Team Cathy Jones, WVDE (304) 558 -8098 ctrjones@access. k 12. wv. us Lena Rapp, Head Start State Collaboration (304) 558 -4638 lenarapp@wvdhhr. org