More at Four PreKindergarten Program

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More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program

• Ready for School

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More at Four Purpose/GoalsGovernor Easleys
Vision

• Readiness for Kindergarten (closing the gap)
• Focus on at-risk children
• Developmentally appropriate educational program
• Voluntary
• Build on existing service delivery system

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Estimated Unserved/Underserved

• 4 year olds 110,862
• at-risk 4 year olds
• (FRL) 44,345
• 4/5 y.o. preschool
• disabilities (not in other) 5,342
• Total At-Risk 49,678
• Currently served
• (Title I, 4/5-star, Head Start) -25,802
• Total Unserved Underserved 23,876
• Estimated 1-3 star centers -13,198
• Total Estimated Unserved 10,687

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More at Four Legislation

• 6.456 million 2001-02 (1621 slots)
• 28 million expansion 2002-03 (to 7621 slots)
• 8.6 million expansion 2003-04 (to 10,000 slots)
• Requirement for Local Contribution
• Joint DHHS and DPI initiative
• More at Four Task Force Oversight

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More at Four Legislation - continued

• Essential program requirements
• External Evaluation (no longer in legislation as
  of 03-04)
• Child-Specific Database with ability to link to
  public school database
• Study of all funding sources going to four-year
  olds recommendations for any changes

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Program Requirements in Brief

• Maximum class size 18 91 ratio
• 6 to 6 ½ hour school day
• Specific criteria for at-risk children
• Five domains of development addressed Required
  research-based curriculum
• Staff qualifications established
• Facility/environment requirements
• Family involvement
• Screening ongoing assessments required

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Domains of Development

• Health and physical development
• Social/emotional development
• Approaches to learning
• Language development/communication
• Cognition general knowledge

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At-Risk Criteria 2002-03 2003-04 Optional

• Family Income
• Childs Health Status
• Identified Special Needs
• Parent Education
• Parent Employment
• Family Composition
• Housing Stability
• English Proficiency
• Minority Status (in combination w/ others)

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At-Risk Criteria 2003-04 Optional Required
2004-05

• 130 below of poverty 5 pts.
• 131-185 of poverty 4 pts.
• 186-200 of poverty 3 pts.
• 201-250 of poverty 2 pts.
• Extra weighted factors
• Limited English proficiency 1 pt.
• Identified disability 1 pt.
• Chronic health problem 1 pt.

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At-risk Criteria 2004-05 (continued)

• For children 251-300 poverty level, can be
  eligible for following reasons
• Limited English proficiency
• Identified disability
• Chronic health problem
• Development/educational need
• No more than 20 of a countys slots may be
  filled in this manner.

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Order of Priority for Service

• Unserved Children (never or currently unserved)
• Eligible for subsidy but not receiving it
• Unregulated care
• Other children meeting at-risk criteria,
  including those in programs not meeting More at
  Four standards

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Recommended Curricula

• High Scope
• Creative Curriculum
• Bright Beginnings
• Montesorri
• Bank Street College
• Note
• Other curricula may be reviewed
• Other materials may be used in combination with a
  comprehensive curricula

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Staff Qualifications Minimum Credentials

• Lead teachers - B-K license or pre-school add-on
  (4 years to attain)
• Assistants - CDA credential two-year ECE/CD
  degree strongly encouraged
• Administrators - schools principal license
  degree in ECE/CD a goal
• Administrators other pre-K settings Level II
  working toward Level III
• Salaries and benefits comparable to public
  schools

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Implementation Process

• State Collaboration DHHS, DPI, NCPC, Governors
  Office
• State develops standards/guidelines
• Community Collaboration all relevant early
  childhood groups
• Develop Local Plan for Use of Slots and
  Leveraging of Resources-Designates Administrator
• Orientation Curriculum Training by State More
  at Four Office

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Putting the Pieces Together
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How do they all fit?
Smart Start
Not This Neatly, But it Works
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Organizational ManagementStructure
NCPC/ Smart Start
More at Four State- Wide Task Force
DHHS, Secretarys Office (budget/contracts)
Chair
Chair
Dept. of Public Instruction
(Executive Committee)
More at Four Pre-K Office (Governors Office)
County Planning Comm Chairs, Supt. Smart
Start Bd. Chair
County Administering Agency
Sites Public Schools
Sites Private Child Care
Sites Head Start
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Implementation Status 2001-02

• 165 classes 1621 child positions approved
• 28 grants 34 counties
• 55 classrooms in public schools

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Implementation Status 2002-03

• Expansion to 7,621 positions
• Moved to formula allocation process for all
  counties
• 91 of 100 counties under contract
• Slower implementation than desired due to late
  budget, budget cuts, space issues qualified
  staff
• Over 6400 children served

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Implementation Status 2003-04

• 99 Counties under contract last county
  considering participation
• 9,661 child slots under contract as of November
  30th continuing to complete all 10,000
• 8550 children served to date

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More at Four Children by Facility Type 2002-03
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More at Four Children by Facility Type 2003-04
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Comparisons from 2002-03 to 2003-04

• Slight decrease in number of slots in public
  schools
• Increase in private child care centers
• More for-profit centers than non-profits
• Decrease in Head Start slots (although may
  increase)

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More at Four Web Page
www.governor.state.nc.us (Look for the
rectangular link)
919 715-0040
Carolyn.cobb_at_ncmail.net