Colorado Preschool Program
Request for Proposal
Early Childhood At-Risk Enhancement Initiative
For Districts Currently Participating in CPP
(Districts new to CPP should contact a CPP staff member for their application materials.)
Deadline for Submission
Applications must be received by
5:00 pm - Thursday, June 5, 2014
Submit electronically to: greenfield_l@cde.state.co.us
Note: Electronic submissions must include scanned signature and assurances page.
If hand carrying or using overnight delivery service, use this address:
Laura Greenfield
Colorado Preschool Program
Colorado Department of Education
201 East Colfax Avenue, #105
Denver, Colorado 80203
303.866.6783
Note: Due to short turnaround time, using regular U.S. mail delivery is not recommended.
School districts will be notified of awards by Monday, June 23, 2014.
Issued by the:
For More Information Contact:
Colorado Department of Education
Teaching and Learning Unit
Office of Early Learning and School Readiness
Colorado Preschool Program
Nan Vendegna
Office: 303.866.6602
Mobile: 303.854.8245
vendegna_n@cde.state.co.us
Purpose:
The Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) is currently authorized to serve 23,360 children who
have certain factors in their lives that place them at-risk for academic delay or failure. This
year, House Bill 1298 funds a CPP expansion to enable school districts to serve an additional
5000 CPP eligible preschoolers and kindergarteners through the Early Childhood At-Risk
Enhancement (ECARE) initiative. These ECARE slots can be used to provide half-day
preschool, full-day preschool or full-day kindergarten opportunities for eligible children. The
purpose of this application is to determine which districts will receive additional ECARE
positions and how those positions will be used in the 2014/2015 school year.
This application is issued by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), Office of Early
Learning and School Readiness and is intended to be used by school districts that are
already participating in CPP. School districts new to CPP should contact CDE staff for
new district application requirements.
General Guidelines for the ECARE Program:
1. Beginning with school year 2014/2015, CPP is authorized to provide 5000 new .5 FTE
ECARE positions that districts could use to serve children with eligible risk factors as
follows:
a. additional half-day preschoolers (.5 ECARE FTE) and/or
b. full-day preschoolers (2 ECARE positions for 1.0 ECARE FTE) and/or
c. full-day kindergarteners to be served in existing district full-day kindergarten
programs (.58 kinder FTE + .5 preschool ECARE FTE = 1.08 FTE).
ECARE is not a grant program. This application is for an initial award of slots
that will become part of the receiving district’s annual CPP allocation for as
long as the Colorado General Assembly authorizes program funding and the
district’s CPP program remains in good standing. Funding will come to the
district as total program funding based on the October 1 pupil count date or the
November 1 early childhood alternate count date.
2. ECARE positions carry the same eligibility requirements as CPP C.R.S. 22-28-106
and these eligibility factors must be documented. Four-year old preschoolers and
kindergarteners must have at least one documented eligibility factor present. Threeyear-olds must have at least three documented eligibility factors present.
3. An ECARE position may not be combined with a CPP position to serve a single
child. However, two ECARE positions may be combined to create a full day opportunity
for an eligible child.
4. ECARE positions may not be used to create full-day opportunities for preschool or
kindergarten children with IEPs.
5. ECARE positions may be used to fund a second year of preschool for children served with
CPP funds as three-year-olds in the prior school year. ECARE positions may not be used
to fund a second year of preschool for children served with CPP funds as four-year-olds.
6. ECARE positions may not be used to serve kindergarten age eligible children in
preschool.
7. There is no statewide cap on the percentage of the 8200 total ECARE positions that
could be used for full-day preschool opportunities for eligible children. NOTE: The 5%
statewide cap still applies to the existing 20,160 CPP positions. In the fall of 2014,
districts with existing CPP allocations will still be provided an opportunity to apply to use
two .5 CPP FTE positions in order to create a full day opportunity for eligible
preschoolers.
8. Only school districts with existing full-day kindergarten programs are eligible to apply to
use ECARE positions to provide full-day kindergarten opportunities for eligible
children. There is no statewide cap on the percentage of the 8200 total ECARE positions
that
could
be
used
for
full-day
kindergarten
opportunities
for
eligible
children. NOTE: None of the original 20,160 CPP positions may be used to fund full-day
kindergarten.
9. Currently, kindergarten children counted as half-day or full-day pupils in school district
kindergarten programs generate .58 Per Pupil Revenue. This reflects .08 in
supplemental funding that was put into place to offset some of the costs of providing
full-day kindergarten programming. The supplemental .08 funding will continue for a
full-day kindergarten child funded through the ECARE initiative so that the total PPR
generated would be 1.08. However, for ECARE funded kindergarteners only, the
supplemental .08 funding can be used to further either the district’s kindergarten
program OR its preschool program.
10.While kindergarten class size and staffing requirements of the previously authorized
CPKP program are not required in ECARE, applicants intending to use ECARE positions to
serve eligible children in full-day kindergarten programs are strongly encouraged to
consider how class size and adult-child ratios impact the ability to provide the
specialized supports necessary to assure positive academic and developmental outcomes
for children with significant risk factors present in their lives.
11.Responsibility for the development of the school district’s application for the ECARE
program and the subsequent management of any ECARE positions allocated to the
school district falls under the CPP School District Program Advisory Council.
12.School districts awarded ECARE positions will report on their outcomes and plans for
these positions in subsequent years as part of their annual CPP Reapplication and Annual
Report (RAAR).
Considerations for Applicants
1. Districts that currently participate in CPP, as well as districts that would like to
participate in CPP, are encouraged to apply.
2. Priority will be given to school districts not currently participating in CPP. Note: There is
slightly different application for school districts new to CPP. Please contact a CDE staff
member for more information.
3. This application process is competitive. The number of ECARE positions available for
funding is limited and we anticipate total requests that far exceed this cap. It may not
be possible to fund all applications and successful applications may be only partially
funded.
4. Successful proposals will demonstrate: engagement of both preschool and kindergarten
stakeholders in the proposal development, plans for collaboration with key child and
family service partners in the community, established need for services, assurances that
the providers selected offer the highest quality program available and will comply with
requirements as defined in statute.
For preschool programs, quality programs are defined in the “Colorado’s Quality
Standards for Early Childhood Care and Education Services.” The Colorado Preschool
Program Act specifies that priority will be given to:
School districts with proposals that include exemplary plans for the
coordination of the district preschool program with family support services, to
school districts with proposals that indicate efforts to collaborate with public
and private child care agencies located in the school district and to school
districts with proposals that demonstrate the greatest degree of community
involvement.” (22-28-107 C.R.S.)
Submission Process and Deadline:
The RFP includes descriptions of what proposal evaluators will be looking for and the
possible number of points a reviewer can award. Proposals must follow the format below in
order to assure a consistent application for evaluation purposes.
Incomplete or unsigned proposals will not be considered.
Part I:
Contact information
Signature and Assurances Page
District Council Membership
Part II:
Narrative – Sections A through D
Part III:
Appendices
 Letters of intent to collaborate from Council Members
 Letters of support from community
 Sample contracts with community providers
Applications must be received by 5:00 pm, Thursday, June 5, 2014.
Submit electronically to: greenfield_l@cde.state.co.us
scanned signature and assurances page.
Note: This must include your
If using overnight delivery service, use this address:
Laura Greenfield
Colorado Department of Education
201 East Colfax Avenue, #105
Denver, Colorado 80203
303.866.6783
Note: Due to short turnaround time, using regular U.S. mail delivery is not recommended.
School districts will be notified of awards by Monday, June 23, 2014.
If you have any questions about this application process, contact Nan Vendegna at
303.866.6602, 303.854.8245 or Vendegna_n@cde.state.co.us.
Proposal for ECARE Positions
(for Current CPP Participating School Districts)
County:
School District:
Contact for the Proposal:
Address:
City:
Fax (
Zip:
)
Telephone (
)
E-Mail:
_____Number of ECARE .5 FTE child positions to serve half-day preschoolers in 2014/2015.
_____Number of ECARE .5 FTE child positions to serve full-day preschoolers in 2014/2015
(Note: 1 full-day preschool position = 2 ECARE .5 FTE positions)
_____Number of .5 ECARE FTE positions to serve full day kindergarteners in 2014/2015.
____TOTAL number of ECARE .5 FTE positions requested.
Assurances
All preschool sites shall be in compliance with the Rules and Regulations for Child Care
Centers (26-6-106 CRS) as set forth by the Colorado Department of Human Services.
Programs serving children funded through ECARE agree to be monitored by the Colorado
Department of Education and the local CPP District Program Advisory Council.
The District Program Advisory Council membership will at all times be representative of the
local community and reflect the various roles specified (22-28-105 CRS).
Participating districts shall respond in a timely manner to requests from the Colorado
Department of Education for information required for its reports to the Colorado Legislature.
We agree to the requirements outlined in the RFP and in Colorado statute and we
certify that this proposal was developed through a collaborative community
process led by our CPP District Program Advisory Council.
Superintendent Signature
Date
CPP Contact Signature
Date
District Program Advisory Council Chair Signature
Date
IMPORTANT!
CDE staff will compile all the data outlined in the text boxes below.
School District staff need only respond to requests outlined outside of the text boxes.
I. ADMINISTRATION
(10 points)
Page Limit: 2 pages in addition to letters of support

Districts should include letters of intent to collaborate from District Council members
and other participating agencies in the community in Section III: Appendices.

Any additional information about the District Program Advisory Council
CDE reviewers will also compile and consider information from the 2014
Annual Report and Intent to Continue already submitted to CDE including
sections describing:


Council Membership
Council Activities
II. PROPOSAL NARRATIVE (please complete in narrative form)
Section A: Evidence of Unmet Need
Page Limit: 2 pages
(20 points)

Describe current issues or barriers impacting needs within the community. Will
specific sites or neighborhoods be targeted?

Provide information about children not previously served by CPP who are now in
district primary grades and are at risk of not meeting grade level expectations.

Provide data from waiting lists for existing early childhood programs in the
community. Describe gaps between services available to families and their needs.
Include numbers of children served by Head Start in full- and part-day programs.

Describe how the district plans to collaborate with Head Start in the implementation
of ECARE to ensure that the maximum number of eligible children in the community
have access to preschool.

Provide available data regarding families living in poverty and unable to afford a high
quality early childhood program.

Provide information about the process used for determining how to use ECARE
positions in 2014/2015. (Half-Day Preschool and/or Full-Day Preschool and/or FullDay Kindergarten)
CDE reviewers will also compile and consider the following information from
data already available at CDE:

Number of half- and full-day kindergarten children enrolled in public school settings in
the 2012-13 school year (source:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/download/spreadsheet/2012PM/PupilMembershipbyDistrict
andGradeLevel.xls)

District percentage of at-risk pupils as derived from the 2012-13 School Finance
Formula (source: Row AR7 in the 2012-13 Funding Calculation Worksheet,
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/download/spreadsheet/All13AprilWeb.xlsx)

2012 Third Grade TCAP Reading, Writing, and Math Results (source:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/CoAssess-DataAndResults.asp)
Class of 2012 Graduation Data (source:

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/download/spreadsheet/2012Grads/20112012_Cohort4_Gr
aduates_and_Completers_by_District_Gender_And_RaceEthnicityVer4.xls)

2012 Accreditation Category on District Performance Framework (source:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/Accountability/PerformanceFrameworks.asp)

2012 Dropout Rate (source: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/dropoutcurrent.htm)

History of CPP carryover >10% of allocation (source: CDE Public School Finance Unit)
Section B: Process for Determining Children Eligible for ECARE (15 points)
Page Limit: 2 pages

How will the district’s placement process prioritize children for ECARE positions?

If using ECARE positions to create full-day preschool or full-day kindergarten
opportunities, how will the district assure that the highest need children are
identified for full-day services?
CDE reviewers will also compile and consider information from the 2014 Annual
Report and Intent to Continue already submitted to CDE including sections
describing:

Methods used to determine child eligibility

Number and type of secondary eligibility factors identified and used by the district
council and the verifying research used to justify the factor
Section C: Plan for Implementation of ECARE
Page Limit: For proposals to serve one age group, 5 pages
For proposals to serve both age groups, 10 pages
(25 points)

How will the current CPP coordinator position be changed to support the addition of
ECARE positions? Please discuss any effects on coordinator FTE and compensation
requirements.

What number of elementary schools will potentially serve preschoolers and/or
kindergarteners funded through ECARE positions? Are any schools involved
designated as turnaround schools?

What additional personnel will be needed in order to serve children funded through
ECARE?

Describe the plan for parent engagement and family support for children served
within the district program and in contracted community sites.

Describe the plan for coordination with parent education programs.
CDE reviewers will also compile and consider information from the 2014 CPP
Annual Report and Intent to Continue already submitted to CDE including
sections describing:

Date of the last RFP and how the RFP was announced to the community

Distribution of CPP slots within the community (Head Start, Private-for-Profit,
Non-Profit, etc.)

Number of licensed providers in the community.

Description of how program quality is evaluated by the district council.

Identified needs of staff members

District Plan for Comprehensive Services
If applying for preschool ECARE positions, please respond to the following:

Will the district offer a new RFP seeking out high quality community early childhood
programs in order to serve ECARE funded preschoolers?

Will the preschool program serving children funded with ECARE positions be a twelve
month or nine-month program? Will there be any extended day services provided in
connection with the program?

If the program will be provided by a community program under contract with the
school district, how will the quality of the program be determined prior to
contracting? Provide sample contracts in Section III: Appendices.

What are the qualifications of the district preschool staff serving ECARE funded
children? contracted community sites? What are the professional development needs
for district and community site staff and how will these needs be met?

Describe how the plan for implementing the program for children funded through
ECARE meets or exceeds the Colorado Quality Standards for Early Childhood Care
and Education Services. Consider addressing questions such as:

How will the proposed curriculum approach encourage children to be actively
involved in the learning process?

How will the curriculum and daily routine allow children to experience a variety of
appropriate activities and materials including a balance of child-led and teacherled activities?

How will the curriculum, environment and daily routines contribute to
developmental needs of children? academic needs?

How will the instructional approach be responsive to the individual needs of
children?

How will the physical environment provide a primary source of curriculum?

What will the child to adult ratios be?

How much instructional planning time will teachers be provided?

Will teachers and assistants have paid time to clean and sanitize materials and
equipment?

Will teachers and assistants have paid time to meet together for planning and
assessment work?

How will individualized transitions to kindergarten be planned and implemented?
If applying for kindergarten ECARE positions, please respond to the following:

Summarize overall expected impact of the implementation of ECARE on the
kindergarten classroom(s).

Describe the plan for quality monitoring kindergarten classrooms serving children
with ECARE funding. Include the quality criteria to be used.

Describe kindergarten teacher qualifications that speak specifically to preparation in
child development and/or early childhood education.

Will the kindergarten teacher serving ECARE funded children have an additional adult
in the classroom to assist for any period during the day? If so, approximately what
percent of the day?

Describe the anticipated number of children in each classroom serving ECARE funded
children. What is the cap for maximum enrollment?

Describe the instructional planning block available to kindergarten teachers. Describe
time set aside for kindergarten teachers to complete assessment work.

Describe how the full-day kindergarten program will support the developmental
needs as well as the academic needs of eligible children.
Section D: Evaluation and Assessment of the ECARE Implementation (20 points)
Page Limit: 2 pages

How will preschool teachers and administrators new to the CPP program be trained in
the use of the required Results Matter assessment?

If children are being served in full-day kindergarten with ECARE funding, what
assessment information will be used to help evaluate the effectiveness of the
program in 2013/2014?

Describe any program quality rating systems such as the CLASS tool, Qualistar,
NAEYC Accreditation, etc. that are planned for use in programs serving ECARE
funded children?

Any additional information the school district wishes to provide with respect to the
effectiveness of the program.
CDE reviewers will also compile and consider information from the 2014 CPP
Annual Report and Intent to Continue already submitted to CDE including
sections describing:

3rd grade reading CSAP scores of CPP graduates

Parent responses to satisfaction survey

Degree of participation in Results Matter

Other data illustrating program effectiveness
III. APPENDICES – SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
ECARE Initiative Application Checklist
At a minimum, each application should include:
____
Part I:



____
Part II: Narrative
 Section A:
 Section B:
 Section C:
 Section D:
____
Administration
Completed Contact Information on the Assurances Page
All Signatures on the Assurances Page
Supplemental District Council Information as Desired
Evidence of Unmet Need
Process for Determining Children Eligible for ECARE
Plan for Implementation of ECARE
Evaluation and Assessment of the ECARE Implementation
Part III: Appendices
 Letters of Intent to Collaborate from Council Members
 Letters of Support from the Community
 Sample Contracts with Community Providers
Application Prepared by :
Name: _________________________________________________________________
Position: _______________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________________
Phone Number: _________________________________________________________
E-mail: ________________________________________________________________
Signature: __________________________________________ Date: _____________
Scoring Criteria
NOTE: Only proposals meeting level 2 or above will be funded.
I. Administration
10 Points
In scoring this section, reviewers will consider:


The District Council Membership submitted in Part I
The letters of intent to collaborate from District council members and other
participating agencies in the community
Level 1
0-3 points
Level 2
4-6 points
Level 3
7-10 points

District Council
membership does not
meet statutory
requirements

District Council
Membership meets
statutory requirements

District Council
Membership exceeds
statutory requirements

Evidence of intent to
support and collaborate
from the district council
or from a single
community partner
agency

Evidence of support and
intent to collaborate from
council members and
several community
partner agencies

Evidence of broad
community stakeholder
support and intent to
collaborate including
council members, outside
representatives of the
early childhood system
and other key community
partner agencies
Comments:
Score _____ of 10 Possible
II. A. Evidence of Unmet Need
20 Points
In scoring this section, reviewers will consider:



School district data reported on the CDE website
The narrative provided in Section A that describes the need
Information submitted in the 2014 CPP Annual Report and Intent to Continue
Level 1
0-6 points
Level 2
7-13 points
Level 3
14-20 points

Current CPP slot
allocation and need for
additional slots is not
justified

The percentage of
students that can be
served by CPP is similar
or slightly below the
percentage of at-risk
students in the district.
The need for additional
slots is generally
supported

The district does not
currently participate in
CPP or the current CPP
slot allocation does not
meet the needs of at-risk
students. The need for
additional slots is well
documented.

Dropout rates are below
state averages and test
scores are above state
averages

Dropout rates and test
scores are similar to state
averages

Dropout rates are above
state averages and test
scores are below state
averages.

Demographic data does
not demonstrate need.

Demographic information
is provided; general
needs have been stated.

Factual information
provided demonstrates a
high need for quality
early childhood programs.
Comments:
Score _____ of 20 Possible
II. B. Process for Determining Children Eligible for ECARE
15 Points

The narrative provided in Section B that describes the process for identifying eligible
children
Level 1
0-4 points
Level 2
5-9 points
Level 3
9-15 points

Process described for
determining child
eligibility is not
described or does not
comply with statute

Limited process described
for determining child
eligibility

Process described for
determining child
eligibility ensures that the
children who are most at
risk in a community are
served and that children
are eligible for
participation in CPP
according to statute

If secondary factors are
identified, no verifying
research provided

If secondary factors are
identified, research
evidence provided is
inconclusive or does not
adequately support

If secondary factors are
identified, a valid
evidence base is
described
Comments:
II. C. Plan for Implementation of ECARE
Score _____ of 15 Possible
25 Points
In scoring this section reviewers will consider:


The narrative in Section C
Information submitted in the 2014 CPP Annual Report and Intent to Continue
Level 1
0-7 points
Level 2
8-16 points
Level 3
17-25 points

No CPP Coordinator is
identified.

CPP Coordinator will
assume administrative
responsibilities as part of
other duties.

CPP Coordinator will have
an appropriate amount of
time dedicated to the
administration of the
program.

No description of staff
qualifications and goals
for staff development.

General staff
qualifications and staff
development goals are
described

Clearly defined staff
qualifications and
professional development
goals are provided

No description of how
quality will be monitored.

The process of
increasing program
quality is described in
general terms.

Describes a process for
monitoring preschool
program quality that
includes the Quality
Standards or, for
kindergarten programs,
clearly defined, evidence
based program quality
criteria and clearly
defines the role of the
district council members
in monitoring of
programs.

No description of how the
plan for implementing
the preschool program
meets the Quality
Standards or what
kindergarten program
quality criteria will be
used.
General description of
how the plan for
implementing the
program meets the
Quality Standard or, for
the kindergarten
program, the quality
criteria to be used and
how.

The plan for
implementing the
program closely aligns
with the Quality
Standards.


No description of how
families will be involved
in the program.

General description of
how families will be
involved in the program

Includes specific
descriptions of how
families will be involved
in the program.

No description of ways
the program will utilize
community services to
support families.

General description of
the ways the program
will utilize community
services to support
families.

Clearly defines ways the
program will utilize
community services to
support families and lists
specific community
partners and their role.

Programs are/will be
operated solely by the
school district and there
are available private
providers and Head Start
agencies in the
community. The
application does not
address why or how this
decision was made.

ECARE positions are
contracted out to
available private
providers. The
application describes a
limited process used to
involve private providers.

ECARE positions are
contracted out to
available private
providers. Partnerships
are encouraged by a
process that is clear and
accessible to those
interested in providing
CPP programs.

There is no evidence in
the implementation plan
that family support
programs include
community resources.

There is some evidence
in the implementation
plan that family support
services are coordinated
with community
resources.

The implementation plan
clearly describes how
programs will collaborate
with community partners
to serve families.

For kindergarten
programs, no description
of class size, adult-child
ratios or teacher
planning/assessment
blocks included or there
is no evidence that
special consideration is
being given to these
elements for the high risk
population to be served

For kindergarten
programs, information
about class size, adultchild ratios and teacher
planning/assessment
blocks is provided and
includes a justification
that demonstrates
consideration toward
meeting the special
needs of the high risk
population to be served.

For kindergarten
programs, information
about class size, adultchild ratios and teacher
planning/assessment
blocks is provided and
includes plans for limiting
class size and/or
providing an additional
adult in the classroom for
the ECARE funded
portion of the day.
Attempts to meet or
exceed best practice
recommendations from
the National Association
for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC)
are evident.
Comments:
Score _____ of 25 Possible
II. D: Evaluation and Assessment of the ECARE Implementation
20 Points
In scoring this section reviewers will consider:


The narrative in Section D: Evaluation and Assessment of the Program.
Information submitted in the 2014 CPP Annual Report and Intent to Continue
Level 1
0-6 points
Level 2
7-13 points
Level 3
14-20 points

School district has a
preschool CPP allocation
and has not participated
completely in Results
Matter.

All preschool programs
participating in the
program have enrolled
children in one of the
approved Results Matter
assessment systems.

All preschool programs
participating in the
program have accurately
completed one of the
Results Matter approved
assessment systems.

School district has no
data demonstrating the
effectiveness of their CPP
preschool program.

School district has some
data that generally
demonstrates the
effectiveness of their CPP
preschool program.

School district has clear
data that demonstrates
the effectiveness of their
CPP preschool program.
Specific evaluation tools
are identified which may
include CSAP scores,
parent surveys, etc.

No plan for implementing
a Results Matter
assessment system for
preschool or no plan for
using kindergarten
assessment results to
demonstrate program
impact.

Plan for preparing to
implement or expand
Results Matter
assessment for ECARE
funded positions or, for
kindergarten, a plan to
use the kindergarten
assessment results is
provided.

For preschool, a detailed
plan for preparing new
teachers and
administrators in using
the Results Matter
assessment system
reliably and using data
generated to describe
program impact is
included. For
kindergarten, a detailed
plan for using results of
currently required
kindergarten
assessments is provided.

No plan for program
quality assessment.

Plans for informal
observations of program
quality are provided.

Formal measures of
program quality will be
used.
Comments:
Score _____ of 20 Possible
ECARE RFP Scoring Summary
Part I: Administration (10 points)
_____
Part II: Narrative
Section A: Evidence of Unmet Need (20 points)
_____
Section B: Process for Determining Children Eligible for ECARE (15 points)
_____
Section C: Plan for Implementation of ECARE (25 points)
_____
Section D: Evaluation/Assessment of ECARE Implementation (20 points)
_____
Part III: Appendices (0 points)
Total points out of 90
Summary Comments:
_____