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Home Early Childhood Three to Five Years Old Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children

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 are intended to increase the number of children participating in quality programs.

Webinars & Transcripts

Awarded Applicants

A total of 326 school districts have been awarded funding to provide Voluntary Preschool Programs for Four-Year-Old Children during the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009- 2010, and 2010-2011 school years. Over 13,000 four-year-olds were served in schools or community based sites across Iowa in 2009 - 2010.

icon Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program Fact Sheet

icon Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children List of Awarded Districts 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010

icon Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children List of Awarded Districts 2010-2011

icon Requirements for Newly Awarded Districts

Notice: Webinar scheduled for June 17th has been cancelled. Districts are required to participate in June 21st webinar.

icon Orientation Materials 2010-2011

Guidance

The application, technical assistance guidance manual and timelines for the 2010 - 2011 Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children grant are now available.

icon Technical Assistance Guidance Manual 2010-2011

 

Who Can Apply for Funds

Any local school district that meets the accreditation requirements under Chapter 12 is eligible to submit an Application.


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 House File 877 (HF 877) . 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 section 256c by Iowa Acts 2007 (HF 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.

Proposed Special Education Rules Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program Rules (2007-06-22)

Guiding Practices

The following are guiding practices that can assist applicants and participating school districts.

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 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 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.

Preschool Teacher Assistant Qualifications
The type of preschool program and required program standards determine the type of qualifications required for teaching assistants. This document provides options that are open to teaching assistants for meeting state and federal requirements.

Qualifications for Preschool Teacher Assistants Qualifications for Preschool Teacher Assistants

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 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 section 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 Affect 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 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. Contact information is provided in the following document:

icon 2009-2010 AEA Early Childhood Leadership Network

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:

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:

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.


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

Allocations

The allocation for the first year of this program is paid through a state grant (source/project 3317). The second and subsequent years are paid with State Aid (source/project 3117). The amount of aid is listed under Preschool Foundation Aid on the Aid and Levy form. See the State Aid Summary at State Payment Schedule for the monthly allocation.

Contact

Judy Russell

Education Program Consultant
515-281-4705
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it