Why Montessori / The State of Preschool Education

Pennsylvania | Pre-K Counts

General

Pre-kindergarten Initiative in 2013-14:
Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts

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

Availability of program:
405 out of 500 school districts (81%)

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

Hours of operation per day:
School day, 5 instructional hours/day; Part day, 2.5 instructional hours/day

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:
12,131

Fall 2011, by age:
80 under age 3; 3,960 3-year-olds; 7,939 4-year-olds; 148 5-year-olds; 4 6-year-olds2

Fall 2011, by type of administering agency:
Public schools, 3,030; Nonpublic schools, 9,101

Program enrollment, Fall 2013, by operating schedule:
School day, 9,441; Part day, 2,690

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:
Children may not enroll in pre-K if they are age-eligible for kindergarten4

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?
300% FPL5

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

How do these risk factors relate to the income cutoff for the state pre-K program?
Meeting the income cutoff can count as one of the risk factors5

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: EC Certification (N-3); EC Certification (PK-4)10

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 by percent:
HSD, 0.3%; CDA, 0.4%; AA, 1%; BA, 68%; MA, 24%

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 totals:
HSD, 2; CDA, 3; AA, 10; BA, 518; MA, 17910

Teacher in-service requirement:
180 clock hours per 5 years

Minimum assistant teacher degree requirement:
Meets NCLB requirements (public and nonpublic)11

Assistant teacher specialized training requirement:
Public and nonpublic: Meets NCLB requirements11

Services

Meal requirement:
Snack (part day); snack and one meal (full day)

Support services for English Language Learners and families:
Bilingual non-English classes are permitted in pre-K; Information must be presented to parents in their primary language

Support services required for all programs:
Parent involvement activities; Referral for social services; Transition to K activities; Parent conferences and/or home visits8

 

Regulations

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

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_standards9

Funding

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

Annual operating schedule for this state-funded prekindergarten initiative:
180 days per year3

Actual fiscal year 2014 spending for this state prekindergarten initiative:
$85,914,213

All funding sources:
State, $85,914,213

State funding sources and amounts:
General fund, $85,914,213

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 CC, Other settings: licensed nursery schools12

Agencies with which subcontracting is permitted:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CC, Faith-based centers, Family CC, Other settings: licensed nursery schools12

Is there a required local match for this program?
No

Select a state program to view details.


Pennsylvania | Pre-K Counts Footnotes

  1. For 2013-2014, grants were awarded through a competitive procurement process. The competitive grants run on a 5 year cycle.
  2. Enrollment figures are accurate as of May 2014. There were four children in total who were 6-year-olds.
  3. Programs must operate at least 180 days per year, though days can be stretched across the full calendar year rather than used in the traditional 9-month school calendar. This is a local decision. Partnerships to extend the program day are encouraged but no formal partnership agreement at the state level exists. Programs must operate at least 180 days per year, though days can be stretched across the full calendar year rather than used in the traditional 9-month school calendar. This is a local decision. Partnerships to extend the program day are encouraged but no formal partnership agreement at the state level exists.
  4. Local boards may decide exceptions for kindergarten. Children must be at least 3 years old and no more than 5 years old by the beginning of the program year. Children who are kindergarten age eligible are not eligible for Pre-K Counts. The recommended kindergarten age cutoff is 5 by September 1, but this is locally determined. Children whose IEPs recommend an additional third year of pre-K may continue in the Pre-K Counts program, but they may not be funded through Pre-K Counts. Children who are not age eligible for enrollment in Pre-K Counts may be enrolled if funding is provided by a non-state source. Districts may determine if a child may enter kindergarten prior to the eligibility date on an individual basis.
  5. Families must demonstrate income eligibility. The recommended priority is at or below 250 percent FPL, though families can enroll at or below 300 percent FPL.
  6. A class size of 17 students is recommended. The recommended staff-child ratio is 2:17; if the 1:10 ratio is used, other qualified staff must be present on site in case of emergency.
  7. Immunizations and developmental screening are program requirements; however, method for referral is determined locally.
  8. Support services are required via guidance, not law or regulation, and they are monitored. Parent conferences are recommended but not required.
  9. 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.
  10. As of January 2012, only PK–4 will be issued for certification, though N-3 certifications are still valid.
  11. By December 2011, lead teachers in all settings had to have a BA and ECE certification. The N–3 certification will no longer be issued, though teachers who currently have it will still be able to work in the program. Teachers who do not meet this requirement are considered not in compliance, which can lower the program’s score on the Program Review Instrument and affect future funding.
  12. Assistant teachers must meet NCLB requirements and are required to have two years of post-secondary education/60 college credits, an AA or higher, or the ability to meet a rigorous standard of quality and to demonstrate through formal state or local assessments knowledge of the ability to assist in instruction. A minimum of a CDA is required to demonstrate the knowledge of the ability to assist in instruction.
  13. Child care agencies must participate in Pennsylvania’s tiered quality improvement rating system at either of the top two levels (STARS 3 or 4).
  14. Choose from a list of approved assessment tools aligned to Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Outcomes Reporting Frameworks
  15. The Pennsylvania Kindergarten Entry Inventory was piloted in 2013 and is required in focus and priority schools in 2014.