Iowa Department of Education

Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four Year Old Children

This guide, developed by the Iowa Department of Education and the LRE Work Group, representing all 11 AEA's and the Des Moines School District. The purpose of the document is to provide AEA and LEA administrators and staff and their early childhood partners guidance on placing and supporting preschoolers with IEP's in the least restrictive environment (LRE).

3 to 5 Every Child Reads

Every Child Reads 3-5 (ECR 3-5) is a statewide initiative led by the Iowa Department of Education to enhance the literacy development of preschool children. The goal is to expand the capacity of early care and education systems (including early childhood care and education providers) to use language, reading, and writing strategies to enhance the literacy development of children 3 to 5 years of age.

Early Childhood Special Education

Early childhood special education services for children, three to five years of age and their families are provided by area education agencies and local school districts. Professional with training and expertise in special education services implement the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B. Early childhood services and resources are provided to support the educational needs of young children and families three to five years of age.

Voluntary early childhood state standards and information are provided for implementation of quality early learning child (Early Learning Standards) and program (Iowa Quality Preschool Program Standards) developmentally appropriate practices.

Empowerment - School Ready Funds

Community Empowerment was established by 1998 state legislation to create a partnership between communities and state government to improve the well being for children, prenatal through 5, and their families. There are 58 Community Empowerment Areas (CEA) that represent Iowa's 99 counties. The Iowa Department of Education is represented on the state-level Iowa Empowerment Board and the state technical assistance team to provide support for local CEAs and promote early care, health and education services.

Even Start

Even Start is a Federally funded program that supports improving the educational opportunities of the Nation's low-income families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program.

Head Start

The Head Start community recognizes that the states play an important role in the formulation and implementation of policies and initiatives that affect low-income children and their families.

Iowa Early Childhood Network

The Iowa Early Childhood Network is a leadership group of Early Childhood specialists from each area education agency who meet monthly to provide technical assistance to early childhood programs within their region.

Shared Visions

The Shared Visions Preschool programs provide quality child development programs for high-risk children in 51 Iowa counties. The preschool programs are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and serve children ages three to five.

Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children

The purpose of Iowa's Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children is to provide an opportunity for all young children in the State of iowa to enter school ready to learn by expanding voluntary access to quality preschool curricula for all four-year-old children. The allocation of funds for the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program is intended to improve access to quality early childhood education and provide a predictable, equitable and sustainable funding method to increase the number of children participating in quality programs. Therefore, the four-year-old preschool funds should increase the number of children participating in quality programs. The statewide program was established May 10, 2007 when Governor Chet Culver signed HF 877 .