Preschool for All

ConVal School District Preschool for All

Phase One: 4-Year-Old Expansion 2020-2021 

Every Day Counts!  There are less than 2,000 days from the time a child is born until they enter Kindergarten.  ConVal School District is committed to ensuring all four-year-old children have access to high-quality early childhood education.  As such, the goal of ConVal School District’s Preschool for All will mean access to high-quality, full-day, free or reduced-cost preschools (based on family income) for all 4-year-olds.  

Phase 1 of this process will extend our current half-day First Friends programs for 3 and 4-year-olds to provide the 4 year-olds, presently in the programs, the opportunity to receive full-day programming. 

The ConVal Preschool for All Model 

The ConVal Preschool for All Model will create learning environments and conditions in which all students, regardless of their economic status or whether or not they have a disability, learn and succeed.  The early years are the most extraordinary period of growth in a child’s lifetime and lay the foundation for future learning and development.  Investment in early childhood education has seen estimated returns of $2.00-$6.00 in benefits for every $1.00 invested. This investment is the greatest potential for improving long-term outcomes for at-risk children who have historically had limited access to high-quality early education programming. 

The ConVal School District’s full-day Preschool for All  model will:

  • extend access to our current, innovative early intervention and preschool programming to all 4-year olds.
  • provide increased opportunities for 4-year-olds to be better prepared for kindergarten.
  • provide additional opportunities for children to benefit from a consistent, enriching, play-based, inclusive learning environment to enhance social-emotional skill development.
  • provide full-time teaching and dedicated case management services; integrated student support services (including family support), collaboration and access to community resources,  and opportunities for families to access preschool programming, 

Preschool for All Phase 1:  (2020-2021) School Year

To provide access to preschool for all 4-year-olds, Phase 1 will begin by extending our existing First Friends preschool programming at GES, PES, and AES to a full-day model for the 4-year-olds.  This model will provide programming for 3 and 4-year-old students in the morning, with 4-year-old students receiving continuing programming in the afternoon. 

Resources for Phase 1 requires:

  • Adding a Full-time (i.e., FTE, Full-time Equivalent) Social Worker to support students and families, and student access to programs
  • Increasing 4 Preschool Teachers positions from .8 FTE to 1.0 FTE, and shifting this role from a combined teaching/case management role to a dedicated instructional role
  • Adding 1 Full-time District/Community Case Manager and increasing the current District/Community Case Manager position from .8 FTE to 1.0 FTE.  These positions will provide collaborative case management for ConVal preschool programs and provide case management and special education services for special education students in community preschool placements.
  • Increasing 4 program paraprofessional positions from .6 FTE to 1.0 FTE
  • Providing continued professional learning and collaboration opportunities for program staff
  • Increase preschool program resources and supplies to support curricular and material needs.

Phase 2: (2021-2022)

The current plan for the second phase of Preschool for All will expand access to all 4-year-olds living within the school district. This will move beyond extending current First Friends programs and involve replicating programs, services and supports, and further evaluating equity, tuition and transportation implications to provide access for all 4-year-olds.

                                          Research, Information, and  Early Intervention Implications

https://www.ffyf.org/the-brain-architects-a-new-early-childhood-development-podcast/

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2955.html

http://nieer.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/New-Hampshire_YB2018.pdf

https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/01252016_Prek-K_Funding_report-4.pdf

https://www.impact.upenn.edu/our-analysis/opportunities-to-achieve-impact/early-childhood-toolkit/why-invest/what-is-the-return-on-investment/

https://heckmanequation.org/resource/4-big-benefits-of-investing-in-early-childhood-development/

http://www.nea.org/home/18226.htm