GRANTEE ABSTRACT 

Vermont
 

Overview 

The state of Vermont requests $7,231,681 in 

Preschool Development Grants Expansion 

Grant (PDG-Expansion) first year funds for the 

Vermont PDG-Expansion Initiative (the 

Program or Project), an ambitious but 

achievable plan including 498 new prekindergarten slots and improving 795 existing 

slots for low-income four-year-olds in the first 

year of funding. These 1,293 pre-kindergarten 

slots represents an expansion of access to a 

total of 49.90% of Vermont’s eligible four-yearolds. By the end of the fourth year of funding, 

this number will rise to 1,818 or 70.17% of 

eligible four year-olds state wide. 

Project Objectives and Activities 

The portion of funds for administrative purposes 

(5%) will be used to hire Program and Fiscal 

Managers who will manage the PDG-Expansion 

implementation statewide; to fund a contract for 

external program evaluation; and limited 

expenses relating to travel and equipment. 

The Grant Coordinator (who will serve as the 

program manager) will also provide technical 

assistance to subgrantees and facilitate and 

support a Professional Learning Community to 

enable subgrantees to share best practices, 

collaborate on training and professional 

development and support each other in 

developing high-quality preschool programs. 

This specific assistance was requested by the 

Lead Agency 

Vermont Agency of Education 

Year 1 Federal Award Amount 

$7,231,681 

Plan Period 

January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2018 

Preschool Development Grants will support 

states to build, develop, and expand voluntary, 

high-quality preschool programs for children from 

low- and moderate-income families. 

There are two types of grants. 

Development Grants are for states that 

currently serve less than 10 percent of fouryear-olds and have not received a Race to the 

Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) 

grant. 

Expansion Grants are for states that currently 

serve 10 percent or more of four-year-olds or 

have received an RTT-ELC grant. 

subgrantees during the proposal development 

process. The Fiscal Manager will provide 

technical assistance to subgrantees to properly 

braid various funding streams to enhance the 

sustainability of their pre-kindergarten programs. 

Private philanthropic dollars - part of Vermont’s 

58% match of requested funds – will support 

mentoring to increase the number of licensed 

early education teachers in Vermont. 

Vermont has defined “high-needs communities” 

as Supervisory Unions (SUs) and Supervisory 

Districts (SDs) (LEAs) that have 25% or more of 

This abstract was submitted as part of Vermont’s Preschool Development Grant Application. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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EXPANSION GRANTEE: VERMONT 

their children at or below 200% of the Federal 

Poverty Level (FPL). A total of 33 subgrantees 

(all seven of Vermont’s Head Start programs 

and 26 of Vermont’s Supervisory Unions and 

Districts) in approximately 150 high needs 

communities statewide have formally agreed to 

participate. Thus, Vermont’s PDG Expansion 

project will have statewide reach. 

Project Outcomes 

Proposed Program outcomes will target 

children, families, and high-quality preschool 

programs. 

Vermont has demonstrated a strong and 

enduring commitment to the early learning and 

development of young children and a record of 

accomplishment in providing high-quality early 

learning programs, and other programs and 

services, for children from birth to age five. Yet, 

work remains to be done. Vermont ranks high in 

access but does fully achieve the quality 

defined as high quality preschool programs 

(HQPP), and that quality varies across 

individual programs in a mixed delivery model. 

Act 166, Vermont’s universal pre-kindergarten 

legislation, has been enacted but is primarily 

focused on access and equity. With universal 

voluntary access achieved, increasing quality 

and dosage in the state preschool program for 

four-year-olds under 200% FPL will be 

significantly accelerated with the resources 

requested in this proposal. This will help to 

close the achievement gap for poor children. 

High Need Communities to be served 

under Vermont’s Plan 

Bennington County Head Start 

Capstone Head Start 

Champlain Valley Head Start 

Early Education Services 

NEKCA Head Start 

Rutland County Head Start 

SEVCA/Windsor County 

Addison Central SU 

Addison Northeast SU 

Addison Northwest SU 

Bennington-Rutland SU 

Burlington SD 

Chittenden East SU 

Essex North SU 

Franklin Central SU 

Franklin Northwest SU 

Lamoille South SU 

Milton Town SD 

Orange North SU 

Orange Southwest SU 

Orange Windsor SU 

Pivendell SD 

Rutland Central SU 

Rutland Northeast SU 

Southwest Vermont SU 

Springfield SD 

St. Johnsbury SD 

Two Rivers SU 

Windham Central SU 

Windham Southeast SU 

Windsor Northwest SU 

Windsor Southeast SU 

Winooski SD 

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