Report: The State of Preschool 2008: State Preschool Yearbook

18 Evaluation of program-level outcomes is required, but information is not collected by the state.
19 The Self-Assessment Validation System (SAVS) is an annual process conducted by all 31 Abbott districts. The SAVS requires a review of district records on finances,
professional development, curriculum, administration, community collaboration, and several other program areas.
NEW JERSEY – Non-Abbott Early Childhood Program Aid (ECPA) 2007-2008
1 Primary oversight of the preschool education program is through the state Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Education. The Department of Children and
Families (DCF) oversees licensing of private preschool providers. The Department of Human Services oversees the before- and after-school portion of the preschool program.
2 School districts oversee their own programs as well as programs operating in any contracting private preschool provider sites.
3 Only districts where 20 to 40 percent of children qualify for free or reduced-price lunch receive funding through this initiative. All 3- and 4-year-old children within those
districts are eligible to participate. However, the program is only open to 3-year-olds once the district has offered full-day K to all age-eligible children and either half- or
full-day preschool to all 4-year-olds.
4 Special education students are not included in this enrollment count.
5 Head Start, faith-based centers, and family child care homes (if any) are all considered private providers.
6 Length of program day varies by district. In some cases, both half- and full-day programs are offered.
7 Children with special needs may be allowed to enter or exit the program outside of the age requirements if the child’s IEP states that it is necessary and appropriate.
8 If a child is no longer a resident of the district he/she is no longer eligible to participate in the program. Districts attempt to keep track of changes in residency throughout
the school year.
9 Beginning July 1, 2008, the maximum class size changed to 18 and the staff-child ratio requirement changed to 2:18.
10 Meals are required in full-day programs.
11 In districts or schools supported by Title I funding, assistant teachers are required to meet the education/degree requirements specified in NCLB.
12 Assistant teachers must attend professional development sessions as they are offered by their district, but the district is not required to provide a specific number of hours.
13 Districts are encouraged to work with Head Start and private child care centers to avoid duplication of services. However, there is no specific level of collaboration required.
14 While districts are permitted to work with Head Start agencies, there currently are no Head Start agencies contracting with non-Abbott ECPA districts.
15 The DOE does not have any regulations preventing the use of TANF funds to support state pre-K or transportation to state pre-K.
16 The DOE is not aware of changes in TANF subsidies due to the use of pre-K funds.
NEW JERSEY – Early Launch to Learning Initiative (ELLI) 2007-2008
1 Primary oversight of the preschool education program is through the state Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Education. The Department of Children and
Families (DCF) oversees licensing of private preschool providers. The Department of Human Services oversees the before- and after-school portion of the preschool program.
2 School districts oversee their own programs as well as programs operating in any contracting private preschool provider sites.
3 Enrollment numbers are based on a mid-year report submitted by each district. Since several ELLI districts are also non-Abbott ECPA districts, the enrollment total could
include some children also included in the non-Abbott ECPA enrollment count. While ECPA funds cover every enrolled preschooler in an ECPA district, ELLI funds only
cover specific enrolled preschoolers. Special education students are not included in this enrollment count.
4 Head Start, faith-based centers, and family child care homes (if any) are all considered private providers.
5 Districts may offer a half-day or full-day program.
6 In addition to age, the child must be a resident of the district and qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch. Districts may allow other students in unusual circumstances to be
eligible for the program.
7 The income requirement applies to all children being funded by ELLI, except for children in unusual circumstances for whom the district has made exceptions.
8 Full-day programs must offer meals.
9 In districts or schools supported by Title I funding, assistant teachers are required to meet the education/degree requirements specified in NCLB.
10 Assistant teachers must attend professional development sessions as they are offered by their district, but the district is not required to provide a specific number of hours.
11 Districts are required to include special education students in classrooms with ELLI-funded students. Special education students must be supported with special education
funding (not with ELLI funding).
12 Districts are required to include general education students who are not low-income in classrooms with ELLI-funded students. These students may be supported with
district general funds or parent tuition.
13 Districts are encouraged to work with Head Start and private child care centers to avoid duplication of services. However, there is no specific level of collaboration required.
14 Special education and local funding or parent tuition must be used to fund other preschoolers in the program, in addition to those receiving ELLI funding.
15 While districts are permitted to work with Head Start agencies, there currently are no Head Start agencies contracting with ELLI districts.
16 The DOE does not have any regulations preventing the use of TANF funds to support state pre-K or transportation to state pre-K.
17 The DOE is not aware of changes in TANF subsidies due to the use of pre-K funds.
NEW MEXICO – New Mexico PreK 2007-2008
1 Priority for funding is for geographic areas or communities that are served by Title I schools and schools with the highest percentage of children not meeting NCLB AYP in
reading and math.
2 These children would most likely be receiving ancillary services and not enrolled in the 3- and 4-year-old programs for children with developmental delays. State pre-K funds
pay for all services except for specific special education services in a child’s IEP.
3 These are contracted numbers that are lower than the budgeted numbers, which are divided equally between public school settings and all other settings.
4 Programs are required to provide at least 450 hours of instructional time plus 90 hours of parent or family activities per year. Most programs operate 2.5 hours per day, 5
days per week. Some school districts operate 4 days per week.
5 If a child has a developmental delay, the IEP group and the parents may recommend a New Mexico PreK placement instead of kindergarten. This is handled on a case-bycase
basis and requires permission from the state agencies.
6 Sixty-six percent of the children attending each program must live within the attendance zone of a Title I elementary school. Priority funding is given to programs feeding
into schools with the highest percentages of children failing to meet the NCLB AYP requirements in math and reading.
7 Either breakfast or lunch must be provided in programs operating more than 3.5 hours per day. Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, all programs will be required to
provide at least one meal per day.
8 New Mexico PreK program standards require programs to be accredited within three years of becoming a New Mexico PreK provider.
9 For each classroom, the lead teacher must hold a New Mexico Early Childhood Teacher License: Birth Through Third Grade within five years of the program starting.
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