General

Pre-kindergarten Initiative in 2013-14:
Missouri Preschool Program

State agency with administrative authority over pre-K:
Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

Availability of program:
157 out of 518 school districts (30%)

Are districts, counties, or towns in Missouri required to offer this pre-kindergarten initiative?
No, competitive

Hours of operation per day:
Determined locally, 3 – 6.5 hours/day2

Is there a formal partnership at the state level to provide extended day services through collaboration with other agencies and programs?
No2

Enrollment

Fall 2013, Total children:
3,874

Fall 2011, by age:
1,246 3-year-olds; 2,628 4-year-olds1

Fall 2011, by type of administering agency:
Public schools, 3,676; Nonpublic schools, 1981

Program enrollment, Fall 2013, by operating schedule:
School day, 2,623; Part day, 1,2512

Eligibility

Minimum age for eligibility:
3 by July 31

Maximum age for eligibility:
5 by July 31

Kindergarten eligibility age:
5 by July 31

Does state policy allow any exceptions to the age requirement for prekindergarten or kindergarten eligibility?
Yes4

State policy on enrolling children in state pre-K when they are eligible for kindergarten:
Kindergarten age-eligible children with documented disabilities may enroll in pre-K

Aside from age, how is eligibility determined for individual children for this state prekindergarten initiative?
All age-eligible children in districts offering the program, or in the entire state, may enroll

What was the state-specified income requirement during the 2013-14 program year?
No income requirement

To whom, or to what percentage of children, does the income requirement apply?

Is there a sliding payment scale based on income?
Determined locally

Is child eligibility for this state prekindergarten initiative ever reassessed after a child has been enrolled in the program?
No

Risk Factors

Risk factors besides income that can be used to determine eligibility:
Not applicable

How many of the specified risk factors must be present for eligibility?
NA

How do these risk factors relate to the income cutoff for the state pre-K program?
No income requirement

Class Sizes

Maximum class size:
3- and 4-year-olds, 206

Staff-child ratio requirement:
3- and 4-year-olds, 1 to 106

Teachers

Minimum teacher degree requirement:
BA (public and nonpublic)

Required teacher certification, licensure, and/or endorsement:
Public and nonpublic: Early Childhood Education (EC) (Birth-3rd Grade); EC Special Education (ECSE) (Birth-3rd Grade); Four-Year CD Degree11

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 by percent:
Breakdown not available; BA required

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 totals:
BA, 19012

Teacher in-service requirement:
12 clock hours per year13

Minimum assistant teacher degree requirement:
CDA (public and nonpublic)14

Assistant teacher specialized training requirement:
Public and nonpublic: CDA (Child Development Associate) (Infant/Toddler and Preschool) ; 2 year associate degree in child development/education

Services

Meal requirement:
Depends on length of program day7

Support services for English Language Learners and families:
State policy does not regulate services for English Language Learners

Support services required for all programs:
Parenting support or training; Parent involvement activities; Transition to K activities; Parent conferences and/or home visits; Other9

Regulations

Screening and referral requirements:
Required: Vision; Hearing; Height/Weight/BMI; Immunizations; Full physical exam; Developmental; Dental; Locally determined: Blood pressure; Psychological/Behavioral; Other8

State’s early learning standards document in 2013-14.
Missouri Early Learning Goals

For more information about the early learning standards in 2013-14:
http://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/eel-el-2013-MELGoals.pdf10

Funding

Days per week the state prekindergarten initiative is funded to operate using state funds:
5 days per week2

Annual operating schedule for this state-funded prekindergarten initiative:
Determined locally3

Actual fiscal year 2014 spending for this state prekindergarten initiative:
$7,782,864

All funding sources:
State, $7,782,864

State funding sources and amounts:
Tobacco Settlement Funds, $7,782,864

Federal funding sources and amounts:
None

Is funding for this state prekindergarten initiative determined by a school funding or state aid formula?
No

Agencies eligible to receive funding directly:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CCFamily CC

Agencies with which subcontracting is permitted:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CCFamily CC

Is there a required local match for this program?
No

Select a state program to view details.


Missouri Footnotes

  1. Enrollment figures are based on the number of children receiving classroom services based on May 2014 count.
  2. The program must provide 6.5 hours of educational activities appropriate to the developmental level of the child per day, 5 days per week for 12 months per year and operate between the hours of 7:30am and 5:00pm. Only governmental entities or public school districts can provide a part-day program (minimum of 3 hours) to better serve those children participating in other district programs, such as Title I and/or early childhood special education, and can provide services for no less than the school year. Public schools who implement a four day school week for their K-12 grade levels can also implement a four day schedule for the preschool program. The length of the day should mirror the K-12 day. In 2013-2014, 56 of the 180 programs provided extended day services to meet the needs of working families through a variety of funding options. Enrollment by operating schedule data are from May 2014.
  3. Preschool programs must provide educational activities appropriate to the developmental level of the children 12 months a year. Governmental entities or public school districts only may provide preschool services for no less than the school year.
  4. Some local discretion is granted in enrollment. Additional information may be found at http://dese.mo.gov/governmental-affairs/kindergarten-first-grade-entry.
  5. If a preschool program charges a fee for preschool, they must implement a sliding scale fee. Programs determine the basis for a sliding scale. Private agencies use a Social Services sliding scale, while public schools use free- and reduced-lunch as a criteria. The sliding scale fee is required for families whose income does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level.
  6. The preschool program must serve a minimum of 10 age eligible children per classroom and have no more than 20 age eligible children in a classroom. Classrooms with 10 children must have a lead teacher. A teacher assistant is required if more than 10 children are enrolled in the classroom.
  7. In 2014, of the 180 Missouri Preschool Programs, 110 provided breakfast, 89 provided an AM snack, 143 provided lunch, and 160 provided a PM snack. Part-day programs are required to provide one meal or one snack. School-day programs are required to provide one meal and two snacks or two meals and one snack.
  8. A full physical must meet the requirements of child care licensing.
  9. All preschool programs are required to work with their local Parents as Teachers (PAT) program which provides parent education and health & development screenings. In addition, PAT also provides referrals to services that may be beneficial to the family based on need/request.
  10. Additional domains: Mathematics Science Understanding the World Expressive Arts
  11. Lead teacher must have Early Childhood Teacher Certification, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher Certificate, or 4 year college degree in child development.
  12. Missouri does not maintain records on teacher educational attainment for the MPP. Data on teacher certification levels indicate the following breakdown: Early Childhood (148, 78%), Early Childhood Special Education (6, 3%) EC/ECSE (19, 10%), and Child Development (17, 9% ).
  13. Additional required professional development hours for first year teachers and teacher assistants beyond the state’s minimum include at least of 30 hours of curriculum training. Teachers in new and renewal programs must be trained in the State Board of Education adopted early childhood readiness tool. This tool is used to look at each childs growth and development to guide learning activities in the classroom. The Professional Development Plan also includes college-credit courses through T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Missouri, follow-up/advanced training of the selected curriculum model provided only by the approved curriculum source, professional conferences, seminars, consultants, and DESE required meetings. The plan should include a list of the specific professional development opportunities to be provided. Evidence of continuous professional development associated with the selected curriculum model must be included each year in the plan. Professional development opportunities should reflect the general philosophy of the curriculum model selected from a state-approved list.
  14. Teacher assistants must have a CDA, 2-year Associate Degree in Child Care/Education or 60 college hours with a minimum of 3 college credit hours in early childhood, child development, or child/family related courses and experiences working in a program with young children and their families.
  15. Site-based consultation are provided to newly awarded classrooms to support program improvement.
  16. Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP); required for new and renewal programs.
  17. Teachers in new and renewal programs must be trained in the State Board of Education adopted early childhood readiness tool. This tool is used to look at each childs growth and development to guide learning activities in the classroom.