Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 591-2-1-.01 - Georgia's Pre-K Program
(1)
General Scope and Purpose:
This program is designed to provide grant funding to license or government
childcare centers, local school systems, and Head Start organizations.
Providers are to conduct a full day (6 1/2 hours of instructional
services), 180 days per year of appropriate educational/instructional services
for four-year-old children and eligible five year old children (five year old
children who did not previously participate in Georgia's Pre-K
Program).
(2) Georgia's Pre-K
Program will also offer a Summer Transition Programs. These programs operate a
full day (6 1/2 hours of instructional services), five days a week for
6 weeks and provides appropriate educational/instructional services for all
eligible children. Eligible children are those who meet Childcare and Parent
Service minimum qualifications, who are age eligible. Rising Pre-K STP
eligibility is for dual language learners age eligible for Pre-K services.
Rising kindergarten STP is for students who did not attend a Georgia's Pre-K
program or who attended a Pre-K Program but need additional instruction to
prepare them for Kindergarten and are age eligible for kindergarten.
(3)
General Terms and
Conditions: Contract recipients agree to use the awarded funds to
provide a developmentally appropriate educational program for the children. The
funds may be used to provide salaries and benefits for lead teachers, assistant
teachers, and limited support staff; materials and equipment to support an
appropriate early education program; Category 1 eligible child transportation
costs; staff travel to required training; and the purchase of other materials
and services necessary to implement the program. Providers may also be granted
funds to coordinate comprehensive services for the family. These same
conditions apply to the Georgia's Pre-K Summer Transition Program.
(4)
Eligible Recipients: Any
legal educational or licensed childcare entity, such as a local school system,
a public or private not-for-profit [501c(3)] agency, or a private for-profit
agency. Each private site must have a room with licensed space for a minimum of
22 children.
(5)
Application
Process: If funding is available, applications are available during an
annual application period and can be downloaded from the agency website (www.decal.ga.gov). Interested entities must
complete a detailed application, which includes vendor TIN verification,
licensing information, description of the program curriculum choice, and
assurances. A competitive application process is made available for the
Georgia's Pre-K Program. Programs must demonstrate need by providing data about
unserved children.
(6)
Approximate time to apply: If funding is available, the
application period for Georgia's Pre-K Program generally runs from February
through April, for the following school year. If funding is available, the
application for the Summer Transition Program is generally available January
through April, for the program beginning in June. The exact due date is
published each year in the Application Information Package.
(7)
Criteria for Grant Award:
Grant Agreements are awarded to Georgia's Pre-K and Summer Transition Program
providers through a competitive process, subject to funding availability,
previous program compliance (for continuation programs), and identified
regional population needs. DECAL shall contract with both public and private
providers for Pre-K services. Licensed applicants must have a history of
compliance with regulations.
(8)
Calculation of Payment: For Georgia's Pre-K Program, each Pre-K
provider must submit detailed class rosters four times during the school year,
which include teacher's name, Social Security Number and teaching credential
information. The roster also includes all Pre-K students' names, Social
Security Numbers, gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, English
language proficiency and dates of birth. The enrollment and teacher credentials
reported are applied to the Pre-K rate model to determine the amount of the
monthly Pre-K payment. Payments for the Summer Transition Programs must submit
attendance reports during the six week program detailing program attendance in
the program. Additional documentation may also be collected outlined by the
Child and Parent Service Program requirements including parent education/ work
participation and parent education attendance participation. The teacher
credentials and CAPS attendance reported are applied to the Summer Transition
Program rate models to determine the amount of bi-weekly payments.
(9) Length of Award: For Pre-K grants, awards
are valid for one school year only, and are in effect from July 1 through June
30. For Summer Transition Programs, awards are valid from mid- May to mid/ late
August depending on the program calendar.
(10)
Authority: O.C.G.A.
20-1A-1;
20-1A-4;
50-27-2;
50-27-3.
Notes
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