Why Montessori / The State of Preschool Education

Wisconsin | Head Start State Supplement

General

Pre-kindergarten Initiative in 2013-14:
Wisconsin Head Start State Supplement

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

Availability of program:
38 out of 38 Federal Head Start Grantees (100%)

Are districts, counties, or towns in Wisconsin required to offer this pre-kindergarten initiative?
Required for some1

Hours of operation per day:
Determined locally, most common is 3 hours/day4

Is there a formal partnership at the state level to provide extended day services through collaboration with other agencies and programs?
Yes4

Enrollment

Fall 2013, Total children:
1,097

Fall 2011, by age:
Breakdown not available2

Fall 2011, by type of administering agency:
Breakdown not available3

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

Eligibility

Minimum age for eligibility:
3 by September 1

Maximum age for eligibility:
5 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?
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?
Eligibility is determined by individual child or family characteristics in addition to age6

What was the state-specified income requirement during the 2013-14 program year?
100% FPL6

To whom, or to what percentage of children, does the income requirement apply?
90% of children. Additional Details: Children must meet the federal Head Start income guidelines. Effective as of 2007, 35 percent of 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. Income is the primary determinant of eligibility. However, children in foster care as well as those who are experiencing homelessness are also eligible. With a federal waiver, children eligible for free lunch are also eligible. Regulations also allow 10 percent of the children to be over-income and 10 percent with disabilities. Each Head Start grantee can prioritize risk in their selection process. Children with more risk factors have greater priority for enrollment.

Is there a sliding payment scale based on income?
No6

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 factors6

How many of the specified risk factors must be present for eligibility?
Per federal Head Start requirements6

How do these risk factors relate to the income cutoff for the state pre-K program?
Income is the first consideration6

Class Sizes

Maximum class size:
3-year-olds, 17; 4-year-olds, 207

Staff-child ratio requirement:
3-year-olds, 2 to 17; 4-year-olds, 1 to 107

Teachers

Minimum teacher degree requirement:
BA (public); AA (nonpublic)12

Required teacher certification, licensure, and/or endorsement:
Public: ECE (birth to age 8); ECE (birth to 11); AA (depends on program); CDA (as per program)12

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 year13

Minimum assistant teacher degree requirement:
HSD or Equivalent (public and nonpublic)12

Assistant teacher specialized training requirement:
None

Services

Meal requirement:
Lunch; Snack8

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 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 support services locally determined; Other; in accordance with federal Head Start performance standards

Regulations

Screening and referral requirements:
Required: Vision; Hearing; Height/Weight/BMI; Blood pressure; Immunizations; Psychological/Behavioral; Full physical exam; Developmental; Dental; 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 locally, 4 days per week4

Annual operating schedule for this state-funded prekindergarten initiative:
Determined locally, as per federal application4

Actual fiscal year 2014 spending for this state prekindergarten initiative:
$6,264,100

All funding sources:
State, $6,264,10014

State funding sources and amounts:
General purpose revenue, $6,264,100

Federal funding sources and amounts:
TANF, IDEA, USDA CACFP, amounts not reported14

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; Private CC; Family CC

Is there a required local match for this program?
No

Select a state program to view details.


Wisconsin | Head Start State Supplement Footnotes

  1. Funds are available to federal Head Start grantees choosing to implement the supplement.
  2. The Department of Public Information does not collect information on the ages of the children enrolled in the program. Reported enrollment figure reflects funded slots.
  3. The Head Start State Supplement is administered by DPI, which is the public agency for education. DPI funds a variety of Head Start grantees that could be schools, community action, or a range of other grantees. DPI does not have any administrative authority of the agencies receiving the grant (except for the grant itself). Some Head Start programs also have collaborative agreements with schools and children may be considered in both programs.
  4. Local programs determine operating schedule by the approved federal grant application model. Part-day is the most common schedule for hours per day, and summer school and full-year programs exist. Extended-days are provided in collaboration with child care and school districts.
  5. Districts and local Head Start programs may adopt early entrance policies or set higher dates. While the state does not regulate the enrollment of kindergarten age-eligible children into Head Start, the state advises against it.
  6. Children must meet the federal Head Start income guidelines. Effective as of 2007, 35 percent of 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. Income is the primary determinant of eligibility. However, children in foster care as well as those who are experiencing homelessness are also eligible. With a federal waiver, children eligible for free lunch are also eligible. Regulations also allow 10 percent of the children to be over-income and 10 percent with disabilities. Each Head Start grantee can prioritize risk in their selection process. Children with more risk factors have greater priority for enrollment.
  7. For mixed-age groups, the maximum is 16 for class size and 1:8 for staff-child ratio.
  8. The federal Head Start Performance Standards require that part-day programs provide children with at least one-third of their daily nutritional needs and school-day programs provide one-half to two-thirds of daily nutritional needs, depending on the length of the program day.
  9. Other as determined by federal Head Start requirements.
  10. Based on federal Head Start standards. The screening tool must be sensitive to the child’s cultural background. In Wisconsin, DLL approaches are more prevalent.
  11. Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards and Common Core are aligned for literacy and math
  12. School districts that are federal Head Start grantees may require lead teachers to have a BA and appropriate licensure. 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.
  13. As per federal requirements, grantees must establish and implement a structured approach to staff training and development and provide academic credit whenever possible.
  14. Programs receive federal funding directly from the US ACYF
  15. Required assessments must comply with federal Head Start requirements.