Why Montessori / The State of Preschool Education

Wisconsin | Four-Year-Old Kindergarten Program

General

Pre-kindergarten Initiative in 2013-14:
Wisconsin Four-Year-Old Kindergarten Program

State agency with administrative authority over pre-K:
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Availability of program:
386 out of 413 school districts (93%)1

Are districts, counties, or towns in Wisconsin required to offer this pre-kindergarten initiative?
No, optional1

Hours of operation per day:
Determined locally4

Is there a formal partnership at the state level to provide extended day services through collaboration with other agencies and programs?
Yes, districts may contract with child care, Head Start and private schools.4

Enrollment

Fall 2013, Total children:
48,590

Fall 2011, by age:
Breakdown not available2

Fall 2011, by type of administering agency:
Public schools, 48590;

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

Eligibility

Minimum age for eligibility:
4 by September 1

Maximum age for eligibility:
Locally determined

Kindergarten eligibility age:
5 by September 1

Does state policy allow any exceptions to the age requirement for prekindergarten or kindergarten eligibility?
Yes5

State policy on enrolling children in state pre-K when they are eligible for kindergarten:
State policy does not regulate the enrollment of kindergarten age-eligible children in pre-K5

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 enroll6

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?
No

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:
4-year-olds, determined locally7

Staff-child ratio requirement:
4-year-olds, determined locally7

Teachers

Minimum teacher degree requirement:
BA and early childhood teacher license (public and nonpublic)

Required teacher certification, licensure, and/or endorsement:
Public and nonpublic: EC Endorsement, with or without special education EC Endorsement ((Birth to age 8);(Birth to age 11)); Kindergarten to 3rd (4K-3rd grade)

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 by percent:
BA, 73.41%; MA, 25.91%; Other, .68%

Education level of teachers during 2011-12 totals:
BA, 969; MA, 342; Other, 912

Teacher in-service requirement:
6 credit hours per 5 years13

Minimum assistant teacher degree requirement:
HSD or Equivalent (public); As per child care licensing standards (nonpublic)14

Assistant teacher specialized training requirement:
None14

Services

Meal requirement:
Depends on length of program day8

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; A home language survey is sent home at the beginning of the school year; Information must be presented to parents in their primary language; A systematic, written plan must be in place on how to work with English Language Learners; Translators or bilingual staff are available if children do not speak English10

Support services required for all programs:
Parent involvement activities; Child health services; Referral for social services; Parent conferences and/or home visits; Other support services locally determined; Other; Referral for special education, Access to school nurse, school psychologist, school social worker

Regulations

Screening and referral requirements:
Required: Full physical exam; Locally determined: Other9

State’s early learning standards document in 2013-14.
Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards

For more information about the early learning standards in 2013-14:
http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/wmels-about.php11

Funding

Days per week the state prekindergarten initiative is funded to operate using state funds:
Determined locally4

Annual operating schedule for this state-funded prekindergarten initiative:
Determined locally4

Actual fiscal year 2014 spending for this state prekindergarten initiative:
$273,000,000

All funding sources:
State, $169,000,000; Required local, $104,000,00015

State funding sources and amounts:
General revenue funds, $169,000,000

Federal funding sources and amounts:
IDEA, Title I, TANF/CCDF, USDACACFP, amounts not reported15

Is funding for this state prekindergarten initiative determined by a school funding or state aid formula?
Yes16

Agencies eligible to receive funding directly:
Public schools17

Agencies with which subcontracting is permitted:
Public schools, Head Start, Private CC, Faith-based centers, Family CC, Other settings: Boys and Girls Clubs, the YMCA, and other community programs that may help implement the parent outreach component of 4K.

Is there a required local match for this program?
Yes16

Select a state program to view details.


Wisconsin | Four-Year-Old Kindergarten Program Footnotes

  1. There are 413 elementary school districts, not including high school-only districts. Of these districts, approximately 105 work with child care or Head Start partners to implement the program. Districts are not required to have the program, but if they do provide 4K, it must be open to all age-eligible children.
  2. Enrollment figures are based on third Friday count.
  3. The enrollment total of children receiving special education services is a duplicated count. Age breakdown does not equal total enrollment because it includes children who are not between the ages of 3 and 5.
  4. Our actual enrollment in 2012-2013 was 46,914. It appears I gave you the wrong years information last year for this count. The other 2012-2013 data was accurate for that year.
  5. The number of hours varies as districts adopt different class schedules based on collaboration with community programs, transportation, and other considerations. Districts must provide a minimum of 437 hours of direct instruction per year, or 349.5 hours of instruction plus 87.5 hours of parent outreach. Most programs are part-day 4-5 days per week, but districts may offer school-day programs 2-3 days per week. The 4K community approach models allow district contracts with child care, Head Start and private schools.
  6. The state defines ages for starting the program. An IEP team may determine a child’s placement as 4K if they have considered the full range of options. Districts may or may not have policies on retention. Districts may adopt early entrance policies for pre-K.
  7. Districts offering the 4K program must enroll all-age eligible children whose families wish them to attend.
  8. Districts may consider the following staff-child ratios and class sizes: a 1:10 staff-child ratio with a maximum class size of 20; a 1:13 staff-child ratio with a maximum group size of 24; and early childhood special education inclusion models; or two teachers working with groups of 16 to 20 children as advised by NAEYC. Community approach models must follow child care or Head Start requirements.
  9. Programs in child care or Head Start must follow those requirements. If a school-based program operates longer than 2.5 hours per day, it must provide a meal or snack through the school nutrition program.
  10. State law supports vision, hearing, and health screenings prior to enrollment. When 4K uses the community approach with Head Start, screenings are required. Students entering 4K must have a physical exam (unless waived for religious reasons). There is a standard form but the physician has some discretion in what is done. Referrals and follow-up policies are locally determined.
  11. At this time, the state allows schools to plan their 4K programs for ELLs/DLLs in a manner consistent with their other grade levels.
  12. Wisconsin has a ‘train the trainer’ model for professional develoment and also a parent training module. A module exists for districts to align Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards with the literacy standards in common core http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=892140
  13. BA and early childhood teacher license (public and nonpublic)
  14. A different method of calculation was used this year compared to last year. This year the previous high degree was calculated from the person’s license. This year the high degree was calculated from the staff data.
  15. Teachers also have the option of doing a performance-based system that includes writing professional development plans, working with a mentor, and having a team review and approval.
  16. Assistant teachers can meet one of three requirements: At least two years of higher education, an AA or higher, or meet a rigorous standard of quality through a state or local academic assessment regardless of degree. The requirement for assistant teachers in nonpublic settings reflects child care licensing regulations. School districts that are federal Head Start grantees may require assistant teachers to have an AA and assistant teacher license.
  17. Spending figures are estimates as 4K is part of the overall state school funding formula and it is difficult to break out costs of only one grade level. Funding for 4K is 0.5 of the funding for other grade levels. Districts may receive 0.6 if they provide 87.5 hours of parent outreach. When children with disabilities are enrolled in 4K, IDEA funds support their services as per the IEP. Local districts may use Title I funds to supplement 4K. When districts partner with child care or Head Start, they may use TANF, CCDF, and USDA to support the program or extend services based on the agreements and program models.
  18. the funding or state aid formula as it applies to this state prekindergarten initiative: Prior Year Data: Spending figures are estimates as 4K is part of the overall state school funding formula and it is difficult to break out costs of only one grade level. Funding for 4K is 0.5 of the funding for other grade levels. Districts may receive 0.6 if they provide 87.5 hours of parent outreach. When children with disabilities are enrolled in 4K, IDEA funds support their services as per the IEP. Local districts may use Title I funds to supplement 4K. When districts partner with child care or Head Start, they may use TANF, CCDF, and USDA to support the program or extend services based on the agreements and program models.
  19. As part of the school funding, districts receive the funding but they can contract with Head Start and private agencies.
  20. Local property taxes are part of the funding formula.
  21. Other information such as special education documents, fiscal reports, enrollment reports, program schedule, program description reports, membership counts, personnel reports
  22. SWEEP report. UW-Madison is currently concluding research
  23. The state has started literacy screening with PALS – PreK in 2013-14. The state does not require other assessment at 4K, so districts determine their own assessment process. Teaching Strategies GOLD and Ages and Stages are often used. Common applications of the assessment information are to identify needs that will guide teacher training or professional development, make adjustments to curricula, and track child and program level outcomes over time.
  24. This year the state started literacy screening with PALS-preK in 2013-14. The state does not require other assessment at 4k, so districts determine their own assessment process. Teaching Strategies GOLD and Ages and Stages are often used. Common applications of the assessment information are to identify needs that will guide teacher training or professional development, make adjustments to curricula, and track child and program level outcomes over time.
  25. Literacy screening began statewide in 5 year old kindergarten in 2012-13