Name of Grant Program: Quality Full-Day Kindergarten
Fund Code: 701
PART III – REQUIRED PROGRAM INFORMATION
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FY2012 AND IMPLEMENTATION PLANS FOR FY2013
Answer the questions below related to the grant priorities, providing detailed information about the full-day kindergarten
(FDK) program that was supported in FY2012 by the Transition to FDK and/or Quality FDK Grants (Fund Codes 701 and
702). All districts should include information on activities conducted in FY2012 as well as plans for FY2013.
Districts that receive the supplementary funds for kindergarten that originated with Community Partnerships for Children
(Ch. 188) should report on the FY2012 activities related to those funds with other Fund Code 701 activities, unless
otherwise instructed.
PLEASE NOTE: Some of the following questions need to be answered by applicants that were FY2012 Fund
Code 702 Transition to FDK grantees (coded as FY12-702-T). Some other questions need to be answered by
applicants that were FY2012 Fund Code 701 Quality FDK grantees (coded as FY12-701-Q). Some other
questions need to be answered by all FY2013 Fund Code 701 grant applicants (coded as ALL) - irrespective of
whether the applicant received the Fund Code 701 and/or 702 grant in FY2012. Each section below has three
groups of questions, the first group of questions is for FY12-702-T; the second is for FY12-701-Q; and the
third is for ALL.
I. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
(FY12-702-T)
1. Transition to FDK Progress in FY2012
a. Describe efforts to recruit all required members of the Early Childhood/Early Elementary Curriculum Committee and
its activities thus far.
b. Describe activities to develop a FDK curriculum and a full-day schedule. If a tentative schedule has been
developed, please attach a copy.
c.
Please list and briefly describe any specific curriculum and/or curriculum materials that have been purchased or are
to be ordered this summer (2012).
(FY12-701-Q)
2. Quality FDK Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. Describe the use of integrated curriculum (e.g., interdisciplinary approach to English language arts, mathematics,
and science, etc.) to support children in all domains of development and how it is reflected in the FDK schedule.
Please provide examples.
b. What issues did the Early Childhood/Early Elementary Curriculum (EC/EEC) Committee address this year and how
was this work coordinated with other curriculum committees in the district? What activities took place to prepare
kindergarten teachers for implementation of the revised 2011 Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for English
Language Arts and Literacy and for Mathematics?
(ALL)
3. Quality FDK Plans for FY2013
a. How will the district continue to work with public school preschools, community-based preschools, Head Start, and
family child care providers to support children in all domains of development, and to introduce and implement the
revised 2011 Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for English Language Arts and Literacy and for Mathematics?
Describe opportunities for joint professional development related to curriculum and assessments based on these
new Frameworks.
b. What are the projected tasks and initiatives of the EC/EEC Committee and/or the district to address curriculum
integration across all content areas and continuity of curriculum from preschool through third grade?
c.
List EC/EEC Committee member names, positions, and school/programs. Indicate if it is a joint committee with
School Readiness.
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Name of Grant Program: Quality Full-Day Kindergarten
Fund Code: 701
II. QUALITY AND NAEYC ACCREDITATION
(FY12-702-T)
1. Transition to FDK Progress in FY2012
a. Describe activities and/or progress made familiarizing staff with accreditation criteria and processes, and describe
barriers to accreditation that have been discussed or are anticipated.
b. Describe plans or activities to support other quality enhancements.
(FY12-701-Q)
2. Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. For districts pursuing NAEYC accreditation, describe progress made this year and list best practices that have been
identified through this process.
b. For the districts approved to use an Alternatives to Accreditation, complete and submit Attachment D: Report of Use
of an Alternative to NAEYC Accreditation in FY2012 form with this grant application.
(ALL)
3. Plans for FY2013
a. Describe the district’s goals related to accreditation. If the district plans to apply to pursue an Alternative to
Accreditation, complete Attachment C: Application for Fiscal Year 2013 Approved Alternatives to NAEYC
Accreditation.
b. If the district has developed a staggered implementation plan for accreditation, please describe the plan. Include
details on how many buildings will be involved each year.
c.
Discuss other plans that the district has to address the quality of its FDK programs, such as class size, ratios, and
professional development.
d. For districts pursuing accreditation but could benefit from a one-year postponement of self-study activities due to
fiscal or programmatic limitations, discuss in detail the challenges and state the need for a one-year postponement.
Please explore the implications of this postponement on the accreditation/re-accreditation process, for example,
increased fees for lapsed accreditation, and consider applying for a timeline extension from the NAEYC Academy.
e. For districts that were granted a postponement from NAEYC Accreditation in FY2012, please describe the district’s
plans for pursuing NAEYC accreditation in FY2013.
III. SUPPORTING/IMPROVING INCLUSION AND EDUCATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
(FY12-702-T)
1. Transition to FDK Progress in FY2012
a. Describe actions taken to ensure supports are provided and accommodations are made to successfully include
children with disabilities in the general education FDK classrooms.
b. Discuss anticipated needs and challenges encountered or that may occur in the next school year in serving English
language learners in the FDK classrooms.
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Name of Grant Program: Quality Full-Day Kindergarten
Fund Code: 701
(FY12-701-Q)
2. Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. Discuss progress made or challenges encountered in providing supports and accommodations to include children
with disabilities in the general education FDK classrooms.
b. Describe progress made or challenges encountered in providing supports to English language learners (if
applicable).
(ALL)
3. Plans for FY2013
a. Describe the district’s projected plans to address challenges and improve inclusion of students with disabilities in
FDK classrooms.
b. Describe projected plans to address challenges and to improve instruction for English language learners (if
applicable).
IV. ASSESSMENT
(FY12-702-T)
1. Transition to FDK Progress in FY2012
a. Describe efforts to identify the needs for and progress on selecting/preparing for authentic, research-based
assessment in the FDK classrooms.
(FY12-701-Q)
2. Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. Describe challenges and progress in implementing ongoing, research-based assessment.
(ALL)
3. Plans for FY2013
a. Describe any new district plans related to assessment in kindergarten, including how assessment activities are or
will be aligned, preschool through third grade.
b. Describe plans for professional development related to assessment practices in kindergarten, including but not
limited to topics such as implementing developmentally appropriate early childhood assessment practices,
analyzing assessment data, using data to inform instruction and/or using data to guide program quality
improvement.
c.
For districts that are part of the year 1 cohort for implementation of the MKEA, please describe your plans for
implementation and how the selected assessment fits and aligns with other assessment activities in the FDK
program.
V. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(FY12-702-T)
1. Transition to FDK Progress in FY2012
a. Describe content areas/topics and attendance at professional development activities (workshops, college courses,
mentoring programs) offered to kindergarten staff, paraprofessionals, and others related to the transition to FDK.
b. Indicate the number of teachers, instructional aides, and other staff who participated.
c.
Did staff attend the Spring FDK Networking Session on May 21 or 23, 2012? Yes___ or No___
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Name of Grant Program: Quality Full-Day Kindergarten
Fund Code: 701
(FY12-701-Q)
2. Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. Please check the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) Regional network meetings and/or
webinar
that the district participated in during the 2011-2012 school year:
_____ ELA Curriculum Framework and language and literacy development in kindergarten (winter network meeting)
_____ Supporting and Using Play in Kindergarten (April)
_____ Spring FDK Networking Session (May 21st or May 23rd)
(ALL)
3. Plans for FY2013
a. Are there topics that the district would be interested in hearing/learning about on FY2013 webinars and/or at
regional kindergarten networking sessions? Please describe.
b. Describe plans the district has for professional development related to implementation of high quality FDK.
VI. ENHANCING TRANSITIONS INTO AND FROM KINDERGARTEN
(FY12-702-T)
1. Transition Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. Describe activities that the district implemented to support children and families in the transition to FDK.
b. Describe activities the district implemented to include community-based preschool providers, Head Start and public
school and community-based after-school and out-of-school time providers in the transition to FDK.
(FY12-701-Q)
2. Transition Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. Describe the activities to improve transitions of all students into kindergarten and into first grade.
(ALL)
3. Plans for FY2013
a. Describe partners in the transition process for all children and the role they play regarding transitions (e.g., School
Readiness Committee, School Committee, local CFCE council, Early Intervention, or community-based early
education programs).
VII. SCHOOL READINESS COMMITTEE
(FY12-702-T)
1. Transition to FDK Progress in FY2012
a. Describe progress in recruiting required and other members of the School Readiness Committee and its activities
so far, including its role in developing and/or overseeing this grant. Also describe collaboration thus far between the
School Readiness Committee, the EC/EE Curriculum Committee, and the Coordinated Family and Community
Engagement Council.
b. If school readiness issues have been identified in the community (preschool through first grade), please describe
them and how the information was gathered.
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Name of Grant Program: Quality Full-Day Kindergarten
Fund Code: 701
(FY12-701-Q)
2. Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. Describe any new school readiness issues that were identified this year.
b. The Head Start Reauthorization of 2007 required Head Start programs to enter into a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with their local educational agencies (LEA) to coordinate and to promote continuity of
services and effective transition of children into the school system. There are many areas of collaboration that are
required to be addressed in the MOU. The Department has identified three of those areas to gather information on
the extent to which LEAs and Head Start programs are working together to align and coordinate practices.
Please discuss activities that the district engaged in with Head Start programs during the 2011-2012 school year in
the following areas:
1. curriculum, instruction, and assessment
2. opportunities for joint professional development
3. communication and parent outreach to support smooth transitions into kindergarten
(ALL)
3. Plans for FY2013
a. What ongoing or new initiatives will occur to address school readiness in the community?
b. Describe any plans the district has to work with its local Head Start program during the 2012-2013 school year in
the following areas:
1. curriculum, instruction, and assessment
2. opportunities for joint professional development
3. communication and parent outreach to support smooth transitions into kindergarten
c.
List School Readiness Committee member names and positions.
VIII. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
(FY12-702-T)
1. Transition to FDK Progress in FY2012
a. Describe communication with families about the FDK program. Attach a copy of information that may have been
provided to families about FDK registration and tuition policies.
b. Describe efforts to meet the needs of families from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
c.
Describe barriers that families may experience in accessing placements in the FDK classrooms and plans to
address these barriers.
(FY12-701-Q)
2. Accomplishments/Activities in FY2012
a. Describe activities/initiatives that the district implemented to engage with families.
b. What barriers did families face in their engagement in the kindergarten program?
(ALL)
3. Plans for FY2013
a. Discuss proposed new activities, policies, etc. for engaging families in the kindergarten program.
b. If the community receives a Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grant from the Department of
Early Education and Care, please describe how the district coordinates Quality FDK grant’s family engagement
initiatives with the CFCE initiatives.
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Name of Grant Program: Quality Full-Day Kindergarten
Fund Code: 701
IX. Support for Local Implementation of the Department’s District Standards and Indicators and Department
Priorities:
(ALL)
1. Plans for FY2013
Please indicate (with an X or check mark) which of the following District Standards and Indicators and Department
Priorities will be deliberately and intentionally supported through the activities proposed in this grant application:
a. District Standards and Indicators:
Leadership and governance
Focused school committee governance
Effective district and school leadership
District and school improvement planning
Educationally sound budget development
Effective district systems of support for school support and intervention
Curriculum and instruction
Aligned, consistently delivered, and continuously improving curriculum
Strong instructional leadership and effective instruction
Sufficient instructional time
Assessment
Data collection and dissemination
Data-based decision making
Student assessment
Human resources and professional development
Staff recruitment, selection, and assignment
Supervision and evaluation
Professional development
Student support
Academic support
Access and equity
Educational continuity and student participation
Services and partnerships to support learning
Safety
Financial and asset management
Comprehensive and transparent budget process
Adequate budget
Financial tracking, forecasting, controls, and audits
Cost-effective resource management
Capital planning and facility maintenance
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Name of Grant Program: Quality Full-Day Kindergarten
Fund Code: 701
b. Department Priorities:
Prepare students for college and careers
Strengthen curriculum and instruction
Strengthen educator effectiveness
Support data use to improve policy decisions and student
Turn around our lowest performing schools
OPTIONAL: Please comment on the above if there is more detail you want to add beyond what is already
described in other responses in the application.
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