Grantees Share Best Practices at Pre-K Expansion Grant Summit in Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Education today kicked off a two day Pre-K Expansion Grant Summit in Baton Rouge to celebrate the successful implementation of year one and begin expansion into year two. More than 100 early childhood providers, educators, lead agency staff, and district staff shared best practices from year one and discussed ways to improve Pre-K instruction and increase access for Louisiana’s children. In 2014, the United States Department of Education awarded Louisiana a $32 million Preschool Expansion Grant to expand high-quality preschool programs in high-need communities. In the first year, 2015-2016, the grant funded 340 new preschool seats and improved 442 seats in six Cohort 1 Community Networks including Caddo, Iberville, Lincoln, Orleans, Ouachita, and Rapides parishes. These seats are funded at a higher rate, $5,185 per child, to help ensure children receive the best Pre-K education to help prepare them for kindergarten. In August, year two of the grant will offer an additional 660 new preschool seats, for a total of 1,000 over two years, and 858 additional improved seats in East Baton Rouge, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Plaquemines, and Tangipahoa parishes, for a total of 1,300 improved seats over two years. By empowering families with choice and ensuring easy access to high-quality options, the state seeks to start every child on track for success.
“Only 54 percent of our kids enter kindergarten ready to learn,” said State Superintendent John White. “It is critical that we expand access to high-quality preschools to ensure the success of our children in school and beyond, this Pre-K Expansion grant helps fulfill that need."
Over the four-year life of the grant, more than 10,000 at-risk Louisiana children will be better prepared for kindergarten. This is in addition to existing Pre-K seats such as LA 4 or Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development (NSECD). Louisiana was one of 18 states selected for the highly-competitive federal grant. Grantees were chosen on three factors:
- Community Network Pilot: Capacity to coordinate enrollment and implement a parent choice model,
- Unmet Parent Demand: More parents requesting preschool seats than are available,
- Children in Poverty: Designation as a high need community by LSU/Tulane Risk and Reach Report.
Using the community network pilot model as the centerpiece, Louisiana applied for the $32 million over 4 years to expand high-quality preschool programs in high-need communities through a unique parent choice model. Among a competitive field, Louisiana was selected to receive funding which not only validates the pilot model but provides Louisiana children with:
- New Quality Pre-K Seats through Choice: Families of 4,600 at-risk children will be able to choose a new, high-quality option in diverse settings including child care, Head Start, nonpublic and public schools; and
- Improved Seats: Families of 6,000 at-risk children will benefit from quality improvements for existing seats. Children will have 1) a credentialed teacher who is receiving coaching and professional development and 2) access to comprehensive services.
For more information on Louisiana’s Preschool Expansion Grant, please click here.
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