….take a look at what’s been happening in early education!
BUDGET
Legislative Department: Continuation of the “Money” Committees’ VPI Study
The Chairmen of House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees shall each appoint up to five members from their respective committees to a Joint Subcommittee to provide recommendations on reforming the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI). The Join Subcommittee will:
- Consider increasing accountability, flexibility, innovation.
- Clarify the state’s role and policy relating to providing a preschool for economically disadvantaged children.
- Continue to facilitate partnerships between school divisions and private providers.
- Review and consider possible recommendations regarding the development of a competency-based professional development framework for early childhood teachers in public schools and early learning practitioners in private early learning settings.
Virginia Department of Education: VPI funding
- The budget allocates $2.9 million over the next two years to increase the VPI annual per pupil base amount from $6,000 to $6,125.
Virginia Department of Education: Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Assessment
- The budget allocates $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year to UVA for the purpose of continuing the statewide implementation of the Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Assessment program.
Virginia Department of Education: VECF Initiatives
- The budget allocates $2,350,0000 the first year and $2,750,000 the second year to the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF).
- $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the second year for general operations of VECF’s grant program strengthening the capacity of local communities to promote school readiness for young children through innovative regional partnerships.
- $600,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year to operate a scholarship program increasing the skills of Virginia’s early education workforce.
- $1,500,000 the first year and $1,500,000 the second year to establish a pilot initiative promoting public and private delivery of pre-kindergarten services to high-risk children and communities. (Also see HB 47 – below) *
Virginia Department of Social Services: VECF “base” funding
- $1,250,000 the first year and $1,250,000 the second year to VECF to provide information and assistance to parents and families and facilitating partnerships with both public and private providers of early childhood services.
LEGISLATIVE
SJR 88 (Norment), A Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) study of early childhood programs:
- SJR 88 directs JLARC to study specific early childhood development programs, prenatal to age five, to determine the best strategies for future early childhood development investments. The Commission shall report to the General Assembly prior to the 2018 Session.
HB 46 (Greason), Establishment of a School Readiness Committee:
- HB 46 directs the Secretary of Education to establish a School Readiness Committee to address the development and alignment of an effective professional development and credentialing system for Virginia’s early childhood education workforce. The Committee will:
- Develop a competency-based professional development pathway for practitioners teaching children birth to age five in both public and private early childhood education programs.
- Consider the development of articulation agreements between associate and baccalaureate degree programs.
- Refine teacher licensure and education programs addressing competencies specific to early childhood development.
- Align existing professional development funding streams.
- Develop innovative approaches increasing accessibility, availability, affordability, and accountability of the state’s workforce development system for early childhood education teachers and providers.
HB 47 (Greason), Establishment of the Mixed-Delivery Preschool Services Fund and Grant Program: *
- HB 47 establishes the Mixed-Delivery Preschool Services Fund and Grant Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to urban, suburban, and rural communities. Applicants must be field-testing innovative strategies and evidence-based practices supporting a robust system of mixed-delivery preschool services in the Commonwealth. Grants will be awarded by VECF and priority will be given to applicants committed to:
- Pursuing models of local governance promoting the successful mixed-delivery of preschool services.
- Comparing classroom and child outcomes among teachers with different credentials and qualifications.
- Utilizing incentives to encourage participation.
- Utilizing strategic assessment to discern outcomes.
That’s approximately $14.6m in new biennial funding for early education! We are grateful to Governor McAuliffe, Lt. Governor Northam, Secretary of Education Anne Holton and the state legislators who made sure early education was a priority. We especially want to thank Delegate Jones and Senator Norment for their support in getting the JLARC study approved. The study will articulate programs, funding and outcomes to policymakers to inform budget and policy decisions and help policy makers make strategic investments in early education.