Why Montessori / The State of Preschool Education

Pennsylvania | Head Start

General

Pre-kindergarten Initiative in 2013-14:
Pennsylvania Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program

State agency with administrative authority over pre-K:
Pennslyvania Department of Education

Availability of program:
111 out of 500 school districts (22%)

Are districts, counties, or towns in Pennsylvania required to offer this pre-kindergarten initiative?
No, competitive1

Hours of operation per day:
School day, 5.5 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?
No3

Enrollment

Fall 2013, Total children:
5,643

Fall 2011, by age:
Breakdown not available2

Fall 2011, by type of administering agency:
Public schools, 1,485; Nonpublic schools, 5,643

Program enrollment, Fall 2013, by operating schedule:
Breakdown not available

Eligibility

Minimum age for eligibility:
Locally determined

Maximum age for eligibility:
Locally determined

Kindergarten eligibility age:
Locally determined

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-K4

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?
At least 90% of children.

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:
Child disability or developmental delay; Low parental education level; History of abuse, neglect, or family violence; Homelessness or unstable housing; Non-English speaking family members; Parental substance abuse; Risk that child will not be ready for kindergarten; Teen parent; Low birth weight or other child health risk; Child history of foster care; Parental active military duty

How many of the specified risk factors must be present for eligibility?
Determined locally5

How do these risk factors relate to the income cutoff for the state pre-K program?
Determined locally5

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:
AA (public and nonpublic)8

Required teacher certification, licensure, and/or endorsement:
Public: EC Certification (N-3); EC Certification (PK-4)8

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

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 totals:
Breakdown not available

Teacher in-service requirement:
15 clock hours per year

Minimum assistant teacher degree requirement:
CDA (public and nonpublic)8

Assistant teacher specialized training requirement:
Public and nonpublic: CDA8

Services

Meal requirement:
Lunch and either breakfast or snack

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

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;

 

Regulations

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

State’s early learning standards document in 2013-14.
Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood

For more information about the early learning standards in 2013-14:
http://www.pakeys.org/pages/get.aspx?page=career_standards7

Funding

Days per week the state prekindergarten initiative is funded to operate using state funds:
Determined locally3

Annual operating schedule for this state-funded prekindergarten initiative:
Academic year3

Actual fiscal year 2014 spending for this state prekindergarten initiative:
$38,919,024

All funding sources:
State, $38,919,024

State funding sources and amounts:
General fund, $38,919,024

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:
Head Start

Agencies with which subcontracting is permitted:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CC, Faith-based centers, Family CC

Is there a required local match for this program?
No

Select a state program to view details.


Pennsylvania | Head Start Footnotes

  1. For 2013-2014, funds were awarded through continuation grants.
  2. Breakdown by age is not available. By program requirements, children cannot be under age 3 or eligible for kindergarten.
  3. Programs must operate according to federal Head Start Performance Standards, which require a minimum of 3.5 hours per day, 4 days per week. Full day for HSSAP is considered more than 5.5 hours per day. Center-based programs can operate 4 or 5 days per week; home-based programs offer home visits once per week with socialization days. Most programs operate between 128 to 180 days a year with a few offering full-year services of approximately 240 days per year. Collaboration with other agencies and programs is required per program regulation, but implementation is locally determined.
  4. Age eligibility follows federal Head Start eligibility requirements. Most children who are age-eligible for kindergarten will not be eligible for HSSAP. The recommended age cut-off is 5 by September 1, but this is determined locally. If a child with special needs remains in the pre-K program when they are age-eligible for K, they are not funded by HSSAP, but instead by other resources.
  5. State pre-K children must meet the federal Head Start income guidelines. Effective as of December 2007, 35 percent of the enrollment may be children whose family incomes are between 100 and 130 percent FPL after priority is given to children at or below 100 percent FPL. In addition to income requirements, individual Head Start agencies determine eligibility requirements based on their community assessments and give priority based on multiple risk factors.
  6. The maximum class size is 20 children, regardless of age. A smaller class size of 17 is recommended. A ratio of 2:17 is recommended.
  7. Revised Early Learning Standards that include PA Core standards were released July 2014. The standards go into effect formally in July 2015, though some programs have already begun implementing.
  8. 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. If teachers are employed by a school district, ECE certification is required.
  9. Head Start programs may voluntarily participate in QRIS. If they choose to do so, there is monitoring that occurs.
  10. Choose from a list of approved assessment tools aligned to Pennslyvania’s Early Learning Outcomes Reporting Frameworks
  11. Pennsylvania Kindergarten Entry Inventory was piloted in from 2010 to 2013. In 2014, the Inventory was implemented for Cohort 1 (required in focus and priority schools, voluntary for all others). In 2015 and beyond, implemention is in Cohort 2 (required in focus and priority schools and Community Innovaiton Zones, voluntary for all others).