General

Pre-kindergarten Initiative in 2013-14:
Oregon Head Start Prekindergarten

State agency with administrative authority over pre-K:
Early Learning Division, Oregon Department of Education

Availability of program:
36 out of 36 counties (100%)

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

Hours of operation per day:
School day, 6 hours/day; Part day, 3.5 hours/day3

Is there a formal partnership at the state level to provide extended day services through collaboration with other agencies and programs?
No

Enrollment

Fall 2013, Total children:
7,209

Fall 2011, by age:
2,582 3-year-olds; 4,627 4-year-olds1

Fall 2011, by type of administering agency:
Public schools, 716; Nonpublic schools, 6,4932

Program enrollment, Fall 2013, by operating schedule:
Extended day, 748; Part day, 6,4613

Eligibility

Minimum age for eligibility:
3 by September 1

Maximum age for eligibility:
4 years, 11 months by September 1

Kindergarten eligibility age:
5 by September 1

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:
Children may not enroll in pre-K if they are age-eligible for kindergarten

Aside from age, how is eligibility determined for individual children for this state prekindergarten initiative?
Eligibility is determined by individual child or family characteristics in addition to age5

What was the state-specified income requirement during the 2013-14 program year?
100% FPL5

To whom, or to what percentage of children, does the income requirement apply?
80% to 90% of children. State pre-K children must meet the federal Head Start income guidelines. After priority is given to families whose income is at 100 percent FPL or below, then up to 35 percent of children can be enrolled whose family income is between 100 percent FPL and 130 percent FPL. If grantee has both state pre-K and federal Head Start funds, 90 percent must meet the income requirements. If grantee has only state pre-K funding, 80 percent must meeting the income requirement. A minimum of 10 percent of total enrollment must include children with disabilities. Locally determined risk factors determine priority for services.

Is there a sliding payment scale based on income?
No5

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:
Locally determined risk factors; Other state-specified risk factors5

How many of the specified risk factors must be present for eligibility?
Locally determined risk factors determine priority for services

How do these risk factors relate to the income cutoff for the state pre-K program?
80-90% of children must meet income requirements5

Class Sizes

Maximum class size:
3-year-olds, 17; 4-year-olds, 20

Staff-child ratio requirement:
3-year-olds, 2 to 17; 4-year-olds, 1 to 10

Teachers

Minimum teacher degree requirement:
AA (public and nonpublic)10

Required teacher certification, licensure, and/or endorsement:
AA- ECE (preschool) (public and nonpublic); Birth Ð 3rd grade (public); PreK Ð K (public)10

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 by percent:
CDA, 4%; AA, 30%; BA, 45%; MA, 21%

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 totals:
CDA, 18; AA, 119; BA, 181; MA, 82

Teacher in-service requirement:
15 clock hours per year

Minimum assistant teacher degree requirement:
CDA (public and nonpublic)11

Assistant teacher specialized training requirement:
Public and nonpublic: CDA (Preschool)11

Services

Meal requirement:
Breakfast; Lunch; Snack6

Support services for English Language Learners and families:
Bilingual non-English classes are permitted in pre-K; Monolingual non-English classes are permitted in pre-K; Professional development or coaching is provided for teachers; Programs are required to screen and assess all children; Information must be presented to parents in their primary language; Translators or bilingual staff are available if children do not speak English; Other8

Support services required for all programs:
Parent education or job training; Parenting support or training; Parent involvement activities; Parent health services; Child health services; Nutrition information; Referral for social services; Transition to K activities; Parent conferences and/or home visits; Other; Mental health services

Regulations

Screening and referral requirements:
Required: Vision; Hearing; Height/Weight/BMI; Blood pressure; Immunizations; Psychological/Behavioral; Full physical exam; Developmental; Dental; Other7

State’s early learning standards document in 2013-14.
Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework

For more information about the early learning standards in 2013-14:
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/eecd/Assessment/Child%20Outcomes/revised-child-outcomes.html9

Funding

Days per week the state prekindergarten initiative is funded to operate using state funds:
Determined locally, grantees follow Head Start Performance Standards3

Annual operating schedule for this state-funded prekindergarten initiative:
Academic year

Actual fiscal year 2014 spending for this state prekindergarten initiative:
$61,069,891

All funding sources:
State, $61,069,891

State funding sources and amounts:
State General Fund, $61,069,891

Federal funding sources and amounts:
CACFP, CCDF, Head Start, amount not reported12

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 CC, Faith-based centers, Family CC, Other settings: Community Colleges, Government Agencies, Higher Education13

Agencies with which subcontracting is permitted:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CC, Faith-based centers, Family CC, Other settings: Community Colleges, Government Agencies, Higher Education

Is there a required local match for this program?
No

Select a state program to view details.


Oregon Footnotes

  1. Total enrollment figure includes 90 blended slots supported by both state and federal funds. An additional 81 children served through home-based models are not included in the total enrollment
  2. Figures for programs administered in education service districts, public universities or community colleges are included with “nonpublic schools” totals.
  3. Programs must offer at least 3.5 hours per day for a minimum of 32 weeks per year, plus required home visits at 1.5 hours each. Minimum required contact time is determined by the classroom hours combined with home visit hours offered. School- and extended-day programs (more than 6 hours) are generally supported with other funding. Most programs operate 3.5 to 4 hours per day for a school year using state funding. Figures collected by the state do not fully align with NIEER definitions for part-, school-, and extended-day programs.
  4. State law for pre-K allows serving children ages 3 to school entry (age 5 by Sept 1). School districts must follow state law or local school board can develop a policy for early kindergarten entrance.
  5. State pre-K children must meet the federal Head Start income guidelines. After priority is given to families whose income is at 100 percent FPL or below, then up to 35 percent of children can be enrolled whose family income is between 100 percent FPL and 130 percent FPL. If grantee has both state pre-K and federal Head Start funds, 90 percent must meet the income requirements. If grantee has only state pre-K funding, 80 percent must meeting the income requirement. Children in foster care or who are homeless are categorically eligible. A minimum of 10 percent of total enrollment must include children with disabilities. Locally determined risk factors determine priority for services. Risk factors are prioritized by local boards and policy councils.
  6. Programs are required to offer meals and snack that provide one-third to one-half of the child’s daily nutritional needs in part day programs. Part-day programs provide lunch and either breakfast or snack. Full day programs serve breakfast, lunch and snack.
  7. All programs follow Head Start Performance Standards, which require a doctor’s written health appraisal confirming up-to-date, age-appropriate prevention and health care, including medical, dental, and mental health. Programs that receive state funding are required to follow Oregon’s Interventions Considered and Recommended for the Periodic Health Examination, which guides requirements for a full physical exam. Nutrition assessments are required for all families.
  8. Oregon Pre-Kindergarten programs follow Federal Head Start Performance Standards which include the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. Programs are required to develop procedures for identifying children who are limited English proficient, ensure that children make progress towards acquisition of English through culturally and linguistically appropriate instructional services, and inform parents of such children about instructional services used. If 50 percent or more of children speak a language other than English, programs must ensure that non-English speaking children are provided language support as needed.
  9. Oregon has adopted the national Common Core State Standards for K–12. Alignment with the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework adopted in 2012 is in progress.
  10. Under the Head Start Reauthorization Act of 2007, all lead teachers were required to have at least an AA by October 2011; by September 30, 2013, 50 percent must have at least a BA. By September 30, 2013, all assistant teachers must have at least a CDA or be enrolled in a program to receive a CDA, AA, or BA within two years. Some programs have participated in local partnerships (e.g. school districts) where early bachelor’s level degrees and childhood licensure with or without special education are required as locally determined. Teacher licensure options for public schools include Birth – 3rd grade and PreK-K (Birth – K).
  11. Under the Head Start Reauthorization Act of 2007, by September 30, 2013, all assistant teachers must have at least a CDA or be enrolled in a program to receive a CDA, AA, or BA within two years.
  12. Local grantees partnering with agencies may receive Title I and IDEA funding but are unable to directly access those funds.
  13. Faith-based programs free of religious content are eligible to receive funding.
  14. As of July 2012, the Oregon Department of Education requires all State Head Start Pre-K programs to use Teaching Strategies GOLD as their developmental assessment tool. The use of this tool will be phased in for grantees that are not currently using it. Many programs also participate in QRIS.
  15. Teaching Strategies GOLD.
  16. of validity and reliability.