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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 are intended to increase the number of children
participating in quality programs.
Awarded Applicants
Governor Chet Culver announces the names of the 48 school districts in
Iowa receiving state funds for 2008-2009 under the Statewide Voluntary
Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children. Read more...
- AHST Community School District
- Albia Community School District
- Battle Creek-Ida Grove Community School District
- Camanche Community School District
- Carroll Community School District
- Cedar Rapids Community School District
- Central Community School
- Chariton Community School District
- Clarksville Community Schools
- Clinton Community School District
- Coon Rapids-Bayard Community School District
- Creston Community Schools
- Davis County Community School District
- Dubuque Community School District
- East Buchanan Community School District
- East Central Community School District
- Edgewood-Colesburg Community School District
- English Valleys Community School District
- Fort Dodge Community School District
- Glidden-Ralston Community School District
- Green Mountain Garwin Community School District
- Griswold Community School District
- Hamburg Community School District
- Harris-Lake Park Community Schools
- Howard-Winneshiek Community School District
- Hubbard-Radcliffe Community School District
- Laurens-Marathon Community School District
- Maquoketa Valley Community School District
- Mason City Community School District
- Midland Community School District
- Moravia Community School District
- Murray Community Schools
- Nodaway Valley Community School District
- North Mahaska Community School
- Oelwein Community School District
- Okoboji Community Schools
- Pleasantville Community Schools
- Rockwell City-Lytton Community School District
- Sheldon Community School District
- Southeast Webster-Grand Community School District
- Twin Rivers Community School District
- Valley Community School District
- Van Buren Community Schools
- Washington Community School District
- Webster City Community Schools
- West Burlington Independent Community School District
- West Central Valley Community School District
- Whiting Community Schools
A total of 64 school districts
were awarded funding to provide Voluntary Preschool Programs for
Four-Year-Old Children during the 2007-08 school year. An estimated 4,500 preschoolers will be served
in schools or community based sites across Iowa.
-
Adair-Casey Community School
District
- Allison-Bristow Community School
District
-
Alta Community School
District
-
Anamosa Community School
District
-
Bedford Community School
District
-
Benton Community School
District
-
Boyer Valley Community School
District
-
Burlington Community School
District
-
CAL Community School
District
-
Carlisle Community School
District
-
Center Point-Urbana Community School
District
-
Central City Community School
District
-
Cherokee Community School
District
-
Council
Bluffs Community School
District
-
Davenport Community School
District
-
Delwood Community School
District
-
Des
Moines Independent Community School
District
-
Durant Community School
District
-
East Marshall Community School
District
-
Eastern
Allamakee
Community School
District
-
Estherville Lincoln Central Community School
District
-
Garner-Hayfield Community School
District
-
George-Little Rock Community School
District
-
Gilmore City-Bradgate Community School
District
-
Highland Community School
District
-
Iowa
City Community School
District
-
Iowa Falls Community School
District
-
Lamoni Community School
District
-
Lenox Community School
District
-
Lewis Central Community School
District
-
Lisbon Community School
District
-
Maple Valley Community School
District
-
Marshalltown Community School
District
-
Melcher-Dallas Community School
District
-
Mid-Prairie Community School
District
-
MOC-Floyd Valley Community School District
-
Mount Ayr Community
School
District
-
Muscatine Community School
District
-
Nevada Community School
District
-
North Fayette Community School
District
-
North Scott Community School
District
-
North-Linn Community School
District
-
Perry Community School
District
-
Pocahontas Area Community School
District
-
Rock Valley Community School
District
-
Sioux
City Community School
District
-
Southeast Warren Community School
District
-
Starmont Community School
District
-
Storm Lake Community School
District
-
Stratford Community School
District
-
United Community School
District
-
Waterloo Community School
District
-
West Liberty Community School
District
The new districts must follow the same requirements as other awarded
districts. The selected districts will not need to reapply next school.
After the first year, funding for the approved preschool programs will
move into a preschool aid formula based upon the prior year's
enrollment.
The additional 11 districts are:
- Centerville Community School District
-
Central Decatur Community School District
-
Clarke Community School District
-
Eagle Grove Community School District
-
East Union Community School District
-
Eddyville-Blakesburg Community School District
-
Keokuk Community School District
-
Nishna Valley Community School District
-
Oskaloosa Community School District
-
Walnut Community School District
-
Wayne Community School District
2008-09 Application Documents & Guidance
 Application Packet 2008-2009
 Technical Assistance Guidance Manual 2008-2009
Frequently Asked Questions 4/24/08
Timeline
2008-2009 Application ICN PowerPoint
Who Can Apply for Funds
Any local school district that meets the accreditation requirements under Chapter 12 is eligible to submit an Application.
Considerations for Districts Interested in Applying for Funding
Provides ideas of what districts may want to think about and discuss as they make their decision to apply for Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program funding or not.
Considerations for Districts Interested in Applying for Funding 2007-12-06 10:06:14
Legal Requirements and Reports
Legislation
The Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children was established May 10, 2007 when Governor Chet Culver signed HF877 . The Preschool Program provides 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.
These rules implement the Statewide
Voluntary Preschool for Four-Year-Old Children created in new Iowa Code chapter
256C by Iowa Acts 2007 (House File 877). They provide guidance to school
districts in the implementation of this new preschool program. These rules are
subject to non-substantive changes by the Iowa Code Editor.
Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program Rules (2007-06-22)
Guiding Practices
The following are guiding practices that can assist applicants and participating school districts.
QPPS ICN Training for Awarded Districts and Future Applicants of Statewide Voluntary Four-Year-Old Preschool Program:
Iowa QPPS Standard 6-Teachers and Standard 10-Leadership and Management 2008-02-28 12:26:01
Iowa QPPS Standard 5 -Health and Standard 9-Physical Environment
Required Criteria for Verification
Teleconference Standard 5 and 9 PowerPoint
Qualifications of Teacher Assistants
Curriculum Decision-Making
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)
outlines dimensions to consider when making decisions about preschool
curriculum in this Policy Brief.
NIEER Curriculum Policy Brief (2007-05-22)
Iowa Early Learning Standards/Child Standards
Participating school districts in the Statewide Voluntary Preschool
Program for Four-Year-Old Children will follow the Iowa Early Learning
Standards. These standards identify the knowledge, skills, motivation,
and attitudes needed by preschoolers that lead to success as students
enter school and as adults. The six developmental areas are:
- physical well-being and motor development
- approaches toward learning
- social and emotional development
- communication, language, and literacy
- mathematics and science
- creative arts
IA Early Learning Standards (2006-11-16)
Program Standards
Programs participating in Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for
Four-Year-Old Children must meet one of the following program
standards. Each standard is indicative of high quality programming
efforts. Preschool programs meet or will meet quality standards within
12 months of implementation of the preschool program.
Quality Preschools
Research offers unarguable evidence that children who participate in a
high-quality, research-based preschool program exhibit stronger
language, math, thinking, and social skills. The Iowa Department of
Education provides both research and policy guidance in this Issue
Brief.
High Quality Preschools Issue Brief (2007-05-22)
Staff Development
Participating school district teachers will receive professional
development focusing on areas appropriate to the role of an early
childhood teacher and implemented in accordance with Iowa Code 284.6
. School districts will also make appropriate professional development
opportunities available to community partner teachers of the preschool
program who are not employed by the district. District support staff
working in four-year-old preschool classrooms should also be provided
opportunities for staff development in early childhood education. These
opportunities are to be addressed in the school district career
development plan and follow the Iowa Professional Development Model .
Teacher Quality
Numerous studies have found that the education levels of preschool
teachers and specialized training in each childhood education predict
teaching quality and positively effect children's achievement of
social, emotional, language, literacy and cognitive skills. The Iowa
Department of Education provides both research and policy guidance in
this Issue Brief
Teacher Quality Issue Brief 2007-05-22 14:42:59
Transportation
Participating School Districts must work within the transportation guidelines of Iowa Code 285.10
Contacts in your Area
Each Area Education Agency has Early Childhood Consultants that can
provide information and support to local school districts as they plan
for the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children. Contanct information is provided in the following document:
2006-2007 AEA EC Contacts 2007-06-06 13:31:03
Supporting Links
Assessment
Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children
requires participating school districts to adopt an assessment system
linked to its research or evidence-based curriculum.
The Iowa Department of Education does not endorse any one preschool
assessment. Commonly used, commercially developed assessment tools
linked to research-based or evidence-based curriculums include:
Best Practices in Curriculum, Assessment & Program Evaluation
The National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has a Position Statement on Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation to guide implementers of early care and education programs.
Curriculum
Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children
requires participating school districts to adopt a research or
evidence-based curriculum that is developmentally appropriate,
including age appropriate, individually appropriate, and culturally
appropriate. In order to meet the needs of the diverse population of
children, families and communities; the curriculum should be culturally
sensitive and flexible.
The Iowa Department of Education does not endorse any one preschool
curriculum. Commonly used, commercially developed curriculum packages
that meet the above criteria include:
Inclusive Preschools
3-4-5 Thrive: A Guide to Providing Educational Opportunities in the
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for Iowa's Preschoolers with
Disabilities. This guide, was developed by the Iowa Department of
Education and the LRE Work Group, representing all 11 AEAs 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).
3-4-5 Thrive 2006-07-31 13:12:09
Hiring Licensed Teachers
The Teach Iowa website is an avenue to recruit licensed teachers for the preschool program:
- School districts can post job vacancies and search applicants' resumes.
- Early childhood teachers interested in these jobs can search for jobs and share information with School Districts through the online application.
http://www.iowaeducationjobs.com
Contacts:
Inquires from applicants should be directed to Susan Ward
Susan Ward
Education Program Consultant
(515) 281-4709
susan.ward@iowa.gov
Lorri Cooper
Education Program Consultant
(515) 281-3033
Lorri.Cooper@iowa.gov
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