Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Liss, Emmy
• Wallack, Josh
• Weisenfeld, G. G
• Frede, Ellen

Titel

Components to Consider When Planning City Preschool Programs. Preschool Policy Brief

Ist Teil von

• National Institute for Early Education Research, 2023

Ort / Verlag

National Institute for Early Education Research

Erscheinungsjahr

2023

Quelle

ERIC

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Over the last several years, a growing number of cities have invested in early care and education for 3- and 4-year-old children, known as "preschool." This paper aims to aid cities in planning preschool programs by outlining a range of factors to consider. We largely do not make recommendations, but rather try to identify a range of options so communities can choose a course that best meets their needs. We focus on nine major components: (1) Governance and Administration -- Some cities govern their program through a new agency, and others add the program to an existing city agency. Some assign responsibility to the school district. Cities also need to determine whether to administer the program directly, contract out the services, or run a hybrid model; (2) Financing and Cost - Most localities have identified revenue on top of their state preschool funding. They have employed a range of strategies, including ballot measures, property taxes, and general funds; (3) Eligibility and Pace of Scale -- Some localities strive for universal access, while others target eligibility based on income. Local programs also differ in how rapidly they plan to scale; (4) Enrollment and Outreach -- Cities should mount serious efforts to reach out to families and maximize enrollment; a number of design dimensions and enrollment pathways are presented; (5) Structural Program Features -- When planning for preschool programs, local leaders will consider several structural design questions; (6) Workforce -- Building a high-quality workforce is critical to the success and sustainability of a preschool initiative; several factors are presented; (7) Program Standards and Supports for Program Implementation -- Local leaders will decide what program standards and supports will be a part of preschool programs; (8) Continuous Improvement and Evaluation -- Many programs have implemented systems of quality improvement. Quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) and research partnerships are two elements; and (9) Integration with Other City Services -- Cities have created models that help families access other services more easily by integrating preschool with other local services. [This report was funded by CityHealth.]