SLIDE 1
SLIDE 2 Preschool Benefits
- Preschool benefits (academically and socially) all children, but may be particularly valuable for children
from poor or disadvantaged families.
- Dual language learners can increase English-language proficiency which in turn supports improved self
regulation.
- Preschool provides all children with opportunities to learn to interact with a diverse group of peers, to
participate in group activities, and to listen and follow directions--all necessary skills for successful participation in school..
- Longitudinal studies suggest that there are long-term benefits in terms of social adjustment, reduced
criminality, stable relationships and work history for preschool participants.
“Investments in high-quality early childhood education and care support our current workforce (working parents) and strengthen business today while building the workforce we'll depend on tomorrow and for decades to come.” US Chamber of Commerce
SLIDE 3 FSC Timeline
Skyline CAP announced in July 2018 that the Rappahannock County Head Start Program would no longer be funded.
Future
Years
apply for next round of MDG funding in November 2020 2020-2021 School Year
CCA funding, but reopens VPI
enrollment begins
carryover just $48,485 in MDG funds 2019-2020 School Year
MDG & PDG funds “to increase access to preschool”
share enrollment
children 2018-2019 School Year
FSC partnership to serve 26 children
approves $150k
SLIDE 4 FSC: Program Successes
- 54 FSC children served at CCLC in addition to 42
preschoolers served at RCPS
- 4 Latino children from non-English speaking household
enrolled at CCLC
- 10 children referred for early intervention services to
RCPS; 2 children referred to CCLC for inclusive services
- RCPS provides transportation to/from CCLC--the
biggest barrier to preschool participation
- RCPS provides speech & language and behavioral
support at CCLC Rappahannock County is serving the same number of preschoolers with MDG funds as United Way of SW Virginia (Pulaski,Giles, Floyd & Montgomery Counties)
SLIDE 5 FSC: Program Challenges
- Classroom sizes are still too large with an average
- f 18.5 children across the three preschool
classrooms
- CCLC experienced more children with behavioral
issues this year resulting in additional staff and training expenses
- MDG funds of $100,000 covered tuition costs for
- nly 13 of the 28 children accepted for the 2019-20
school year. CCLC subsidized the remaining 15 children in the current school year.
- Without an additional (and reliable) source of
subsidy for low-income families, CCLC and other providers cannot continue to grow.
SLIDE 6
Years 1 & 2: FSC Revenue
Revenue Total = $260,000 Revenue Total = $287,000
SLIDE 7 Years 1 & 2: FSC Averaged Expenses
CCLC’s published tuition rate for full-time preschool is $853 monthly-
- or just over $10,000 annually. This rate helps support our families,
but covers just 61% of annual expenses.
- VA Licensing requires a 1:8 ratio for preschool classrooms. In both
years of FSC operation, CCLC has employed 6 staff in 2 classrooms to serve all of our preschool children.. Additionally, in Year 1 CCLC employed a Family Support Coordinator
- Program expenses include classroom materials and teacher training
- Operating expenses include utilities, license and food expense
SLIDE 8 Public Child Care Funding Sources
- Federal Head Start Program
- Federal Child Care Development Block Grant
(CCBG) provides Child Care Assistance funding to working parents based on household size and
- income. Virginia has a “child target” for each
- county. Rappahannock currently has 32 slots all
- f which are in use.
- Federal Child Care Food Program provides funding
for licensed child care providers offering breakfast, lunch, and snacks to children.
- Virginia Preschool Initiative provides funds to
support preschool for “at risk” children. Rappahannock County is in the Governor’s budget for $52,000 this year. CCLC participates in the USDA Food Program and is a Virginia DSS subsidy provider. Both sources of revenue supplement grant and donor funds to cover operating expenses and tuition discounts.
SLIDE 9 Head Start Eligibility
- Head Start funds are provided to states to provide early childhood
education to the most vulnerable children ages 0-5.
- Most Head Start grants require a Community Action Program to act as
the grantee. The grantee is the only party with appeal rights in the event of a dispute.
- Children who are homeless, in foster care or receiving SSI; children
with a documented disability; or, families receiving or eligible for TANF are automatically eligible for Head Start admission.
- Head Start grantees are required to provide an annual review of the
enrollment and community data to determine whether eligibility requirements have been met. . Skyline CAP found Rappahannock County children enrolled in Head Start were too often financially ineligible, and concluded that eligible children were unlikely to be found given the county’s demographics.
“Based on community needs
and other factors, the grantee made the determination to close the classroom where Head Start services were being provided by its partner (RCPS).”
Nicholas Vucik, January 16, 2019, responding on behalf of ACF to Sen Mark Warner’s office inquiry.
SLIDE 10 Pros & Cons of Head Start
PROS
- Reliable funding stream
- Mixed-age classrooms
- Case Management
Services
- Home visits
- Parenting Classes
- National Learning
Community
- Serves very needy families
CONS
provides $8,000 per child for year round care; average cost in VA is $10,500
- Head Start requires a BA-
level teacher & case manager increasing expenses
not routinely authorized
SLIDE 11 Recommendations
1. Support a second preschool classroom at RCPS increasing capacity to 30 children 2. Create a Preschool Set-Aside Fund for 2020/21 and future years.
- CCLC & RCPS together have served an average of 44 children for the past two years.
- For the 2020/21 school year, CCLC will carry over $48,485 of the Year 1 MDG grant. With a
projected total of $112,050 of MDG funds available in Year 2, CCLC will have the capacity to provide services for 11 children (@ $10,000 per child) and will need $30,000 in funding to provide a preschool class of 14 children.
- MDG funding is not certain for the 2021/22 school year. Grant proposals are due in November
2020 and RCPS and CCLC anticipate submitting a joint proposal. Grant funding is for 2 years.
- Both Belle Meade and Hearthstone School are seeking to become licensed subsidy providers
working with Virginia Quality. We anticipate both organizations participating in the 2021/22 preschool enrollment process.
SLIDE 12
SY 2020/21 SY 2021/22 SY 2022/23 MDG Funds (Secured) $ 112,050 $ 109,150 $ 90,850 CCA Funds $ 9,600 $ 19,200 $ 28,880 Other (donations/carryover/ grants) $ $ 11,650 $ County Ask $ 30,000 $ $ 20,350 Total $ 151,650 $ 140,000 $140,000 Best Case Scenario: Budget if MDG Returns for SY 2021/22 & SY 2022/23
SLIDE 13
Worst Case Scenario: Budget if MDG Does Not Return for SY 2021/22 & SY 2022/23 SY 2021/22 SY 2022/23 CCA Funds $ 19,200 $ 28,800 Other (donations/carryover/ grants) $ 50,000 $ 50,000 County Ask $ 70,800 $ 61,200 Total $ 140,000 $140,000
SLIDE 14 Questions, Comments?
For more information about CCLC, please go to: www.rappcclc.org See our daily program content on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChildCareLearningCenter/ For more information about the benefits of preschool, please see:
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/05/03/524907739/pre-k-decades-worth-of-studies-one-strong-message
For more information about the National Chamber of Commerce’s position on quality childcare and preschool education, please see: https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/early-childhood-
education/the-business-case
