HighQualityPrekindergartenGrant,HouseBill4(84thLegislativeSession)

FrequentlyAskedQuestions

General

1. IsaschooldistrictoropenenrollmentcharterschoolthatisawardedtheHighQualityPre
KindergartenGrantunderHB4(84thLegislature)allowedtooperateonlyahalfdayfouryearold
program?
Yes.AschooldistrictorcharterschoolmayoperateahalfdayPreKprogramwithgrantfunding.

2. CanaschooldistrictorcharterschoolusethefundingtoprovideafulldayPreKprogram?
Yes.ThefundingcanbeusedtosupportexpansiontoafulldayPreKprogram,however,theprogram
mustcomplywithalllegalrequirementsfortheHighQualityPrekindergartenProgram.

3. Cangranteesusethefundingonexistingprekindergartenprograms?
Yes.TheHighqualityPreKGrantprogramprovidesadditionalfundingtoschooldistrictsandcharter
schoolstoenhanceexistingornewPreKprograms.

ThegrantfundingisinadditiontothehalfdayFoundationSchoolProgram(FSP)formulafundingof
$3,650thatisalreadyreceivedforeacheligiblefouryearoldPreKstudent.

4. Whatschoolyearisthegrantfundingfor?
Oneyear.Thegrantfundingisforthe20162017schoolyear.

Funding

1. HowmuchwasappropriatedfortheHighQualityPrekindergartenPrograminthe201617General
AppropriationsAct?Howwasthefundingutilized?
The201617GeneralAppropriationsActappropriated$118million.Thegrantwasprovidedforthe
201617schoolyear.Thefundingwasallocatedasfollows:
FiscalYearAmount:
FY2016Grants
$58,117,464(Providedtodistrictsinthesummerof2016;1sthalfoffunding)
FY2017Grants
$58,837,729(Providedtodistrictsinthefallof2016,2ndhalfoffunding)
TEAAdmin

$1,044,807
Total

$116,955,193
TotalAppropriation $118,000,000

2. Whatwasthe$1,044,807ofTEAadministrationusedfor?
TEAAdministration:
$340,5422FTEs(supportandcompliance)
$279,265ITAdditionofnewdatafieldsinPEIMS
$250,000EarlyEducationReports
$175,000PreKclasssize/ratioreport

3. Willtherebeadeadlineforschooldistrictsorcharterschoolstousetheirgrantfunds?
Yes.UnlessthedistricthasapprovalfromTEA,allgrantfundsmustbeobligatedbyAugust31,2017.
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HighQualityPrekindergartenGrant,HouseBill4(84thLegislativeSession)

FrequentlyAskedQuestions

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Howmuchfundingwilleachschooldistrictorcharterschoolgetpereligiblestudent?
Thedistrictswillget$734foreacheligiblestudent.

Whyisthe$734amountpereligiblestudentlessthansomedistrictsandcharterschoolswere
anticipating?
Thelegislatureappropriated$118millionforthisprograminthe201617GeneralAppropriationsAct.
Thegrantprogramisforthe201617schoolyear.Therefore,the$118million(lessadministrative
costsof$1,044,807)hadtobedividedevenly,duringthe201617schoolyear,foreacheligiblestudent
inadistrictorcharterschoolthatwasawardedthegrant.578schooldistrictsandcharterschools
wereawardedfunding.Asaresult,therewaslessfundingonaperstudentbasisthansomeschool
districtsandcharterschoolswereanticipating.

Whethertheprogramisfundedinfutureschoolyearswillbedeterminedbythelegislatureinthe
201819GeneralAppropriationsAct.

Whydothefundingamountsdifferperschooldistrictandopenenrollmentcharterschool?
Allschooldistrictsandopenenrollmentcharterschoolswereawarded$734perstudentbasedon
their201516prekindergartenstudentenrollment.Sincestudentenrollmentnumbersdifferper
school,totalfundingamountswillalsovary.

Whatifaschooldistricthasmoreprekindergartenstudentsenrolledin201617thantheydidin
201516?
TEAutilizedthe201516enrollmentnumbersbecauseTEAdidnothaveenrollmentdataforthe2016
17schoolyearwhenitmadethegrantawardsandneededtomakefinal,accurateandconsistent
awardstoalldistricts.

Schooldistrictsandopenenrollmentcharterschoolsthathaveprekindergartenenrollmentincreases
betweenthe201516and201617schoolyearswillbeprovidedincreasesintheFoundationSchool
Programformulafundingforalleligibleprekindergartenstudents.

CanaschooldistrictpurchasetechnologyfortheirHighQualityPrekindergartenclassroomwiththeir
HB4funding?
Generally,yes.However,everydistrictwillhavetoensuretheyareusingfundingconsistentwiththe
statutoryandgrantrequirements.PerTEC29.166(d)fundingreceivedunderthegrantawardmustbe
usedtoimprovethequalityoftheschoolsHighQualityPrekindergartenprogram.Therefore,while
districtshavewidediscretionwithregardtohowtheyensuretheyaremeetingallofthegrant
requirements.Eachdistrictmustensureexpendituresarebeingusedtoimprovethequalityoftheir
prekindergartenprograms.Incircumstancesofnoncompliance,entitiesmayberequiredtoreturn
fundstothestate.Inaddition,schooldistrictsandcharterschoolsareprohibitedfromsupplanting.

Couldaschooldistrictorcharterschoolapplyforthegrantforaselectgroupofcampusesormustit
applyforallcampusesinthedistrict?
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HighQualityPrekindergartenGrant,HouseBill4(84thLegislativeSession)

FrequentlyAskedQuestions

Aschooldistrictorcharterschoolcouldapplyforaselectedgroup.Ifthedistrictorcharterschool
intendedtoapplyforsome,butnotallcampuses,theapplicationmustlistthecampusesthatwould
receivefunding.

10. CangrantfundsbeusedtohireaPreKaidetomeetthe11:1ratio?
Yes,adistrictorcharterschoolmayusegrantfundstohireaPreKaidetolowertheirstudenttostaff
ratios.

TeacherRequirements

1. WhenwillteachersberequiredtomeetthequalificationsforHighqualityPrekindergartengrant?
Ateachermustmeettheteacherqualificationrequirementsbeforetheendofthe201617school
year.

2. Whattypeofdegreeorcertificationmeetstheteacherrequirements?
TherearemanywaysateachercanqualifytoleadaHighQualityPrekindergartenclassroom.A
teachermustbecertifiedandhaveoneofthefollowingadditionalqualifications:aChildDevelopment
Associates,MontessoriCertification,8yearsofexperienceinanationallyaccreditedchildcare
program,agraduateorundergraduatedegreeinearlychildhoodeducationorbeemployedasa
prekindergartenteacherinaschooldistrictwithaminimumof150hoursofpriorprofessional
development.Ifateacherassignedtoaprekindergartenclassroomdoesnothavethe150hoursof
previousprofessionaldevelopment,theteachershallcomplete30hoursofteachertraininginallten
domainsoftheTexasPrekindergartenGuidelinesbytheendofthe201617schoolyear.

3. Whencandistrictsofferandpayforprofessionaldevelopmentoutofgrantfunds?
Beginningwiththenoticeofgrantawardandreleaseofthefirstamountoffundsinsummer2016
throughAugust31,2017.

GrantApplicationandReviewProcess

1. Howmanyschooldistrictsandcharterschoolsappliedforgrantfunding?Howmanyreceivedgrant
funding?Howmanydeclined?

603schooldistrictsappliedforfunding
599applicantswereeligibleforfundsafterTEAreview;4applicationswereineligible
578schooldistrictsorchartersreceivedfunding;21districtsorchartersdeclinedfunds.

2. Canyouprovidealistofthe21schooldistrictsorcharterschoolsthatdeclinedfunding?
1. ElkhardISD
2. BrazosISD
3. LearyISD
4. LockhartISD
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HighQualityPrekindergartenGrant,HouseBill4(84thLegislativeSession)

FrequentlyAskedQuestions

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PrincetonISD
GainesvilleISD
VillageTechSchools
DuncanvilleISD
AcceleratedIntermediateAcademy
AldineISD
CovingtonISD
PenelopeISD
LipanISD
KirbyvilleCISD
HallettsvilleISD
HondoISD
GarrisonISD
TulosoMidwayISD
SpringtownISD
TaftISD
PrairieValleyISD

3. Which4entitiesthatappliedwereineligibleforgrantfundingandwhy?
ManaraAcademynotauthorizedintheirchartertoserveprekindergarten
PremierLearningAcademynotauthorizedintheirchartertoserveprekindergarten
SanAntonioSchoolforInquiryandCreativitynotauthorizedintheirchartertoserveprekindergarten
WindhamSchoolDistrictdoesnotserveprekindergartenorelementaryschoolstudents

4. WhatwerethecriteriathatTEAusedtoreviewschooldistrictandchartergrantapplications?
ConsistentwiththelanguageinHB4,tobeeligibleforagrant,aschooldistrictorcharterschoolis
requiredtoprovide:aprekindergartenstudentprogressmonitoringtool,aprekindergarten
curriculum,theirteacherqualifications,afamilyengagementplanandhowthedistrictorcharterwill
usethefundingtoimprovethequalityoftheirprekindergartenclassrooms.

MonitoringandCompliance

1. HowwilltheagencyensuredistrictsimplementHighQualityPrekindergartenstandards?
Bylaw,allschooldistrictsandopenenrollmentchartersthataccepttheHighQualityPrekindergarten
grantfundingforthe201617schoolyearmustmeetthequalitystandardsasspecifiedinHB4.Inan
effortbothtosupportcontinuousimprovementinqualityandtoensurefullcompliancewiththe
qualitystandardsofHB4(84thLegislativeSession),TEAislaunchingamonitoringprogramduringthe
fallof2016tomonitorschooldistrictuseoffundsandensureitcomplieswithHB4requirements.

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HighQualityPrekindergartenGrant,HouseBill4(84thLegislativeSession)

FrequentlyAskedQuestions

Each grant award from TEA notified the districts and charter schools that funding is contingent on
meetingallthestatutoryrequirementsofChapter29,SubchapterE1oftheTexasEducationCodeand
anyotherlawsorrulesapplicabletoprekindergarteneducationprograms.

Inaddition,toimproveoverallagencyoperations,theagencyhasrecentlyissuedproposedRules(see
belowforlinktotheRules)tomonitorstategrantprograms,includingHB4.Ifanentityfailstomeet
thequalitystandardsrequiredinthelaw,theymaylosetheabilitytosecurefuturegrantfundinguntil
theycomeintocompliancewithanycorrectiveactionplansissuedbyTEA.Incertaincircumstancesof
noncompliance,correctiveactionplansmayseekthereturnofthefundstothestate.

AsrequiredwithinHB4,theagencywillalsobeconductingastudytoevaluatetheuseand
effectivenessofHighQualityPrekindergartenGrantfundingtoimprovestudentlearning,aswellas
identifyeffectiveinstructionalstrategies.ThefirstreportisduebyDecember1,2018.

2. WhatdatawillwehavetoproveHighQualityPrekindergartenworks?Howwillassessmentdatabe
used?

HighQualityPrekindergartenclassdatatobecollectedattheendofthe20162017schoolyear:

Demographicdata*
Enrollmentinhalfdayand/orfulldayprekindergarten*
Sourcesoffundingforprekindergartenclassrooms*
Classsize*
Instructionalstafftostudentratio*
Typeofcurriculum*
StudentprogressMonitoringtoolandresults
KindergartenReadinessdata
TeacherQualifications
FamilyEngagementPlan

*DatatobereportedbyalldistrictsandchartersprovidingprekindergartenincludingHighQuality
Prekindergartengrantees.

3. Whenwilldatabeavailableinordertodeterminesuccessofthegrant?
Schooldistrictsandcharterschoolswillberequiredtoprovideprekindergartenprogramdatabythe
endofMay2017.

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