PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
 

2015 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT
 

Rhode Island 

Preschool Development Grants SEPTEMBER 2016 
U.S. Department of Education 

PDG Grant Performance Report Cover Sheet 

Based on ED 524B OMB No. 1894-0003 Exp. 06/30/2017 

Check only one box per Program Office instructions. ✔ Annual Performance Report Final Performance Report 

General Information 

1. PR/Award #: S419B150033 2. Grantee Federal Information Processing Code: 

3. Project Title: Preschool Development Grants - Expansion 

4. Grantee Name: RI Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 

5. Grantee Address:255 Westminster St., 

City: Providence State: Rhode Island Zip: 02903

6. Project Director Name: Mary Ann Snider 

Title: Chief, Educator Excellence and Instructional Effectiveness 

Phone #: (401) 222-8942 Ext.: Fax #:(401) 222-3605 

Email Address: maryann.snider@ride.ri.gov 

Reporting Period Information 

7. Reporting Period: From: 01/01/2015 To: 12/31/2015 

8. Budget Expenditures (To be completed by your Business Office. See instructions.) 

Budget Period Federal Grant Funds Non-Federal Funds (Match/Cost Share) 

a. Previous Budget Period 

b. Current Budget Period $79,131.23 $1,409,678.12 

c. Entire Project Period 

(For Final Performance Reports only) 

9. Indirect Cost Information (To be completed by your Business Office. See Instructions.) 

a. Are you claiming indirect costs under this grant? Yes No 

b. If yes, do you have an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement approved by the Federal Government? Yes No 

c. If yes, provide the following information: 

Period Covered by the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: From: 07/01/2015 To: 06/30/2016 

Approving Federal agency: ED Other Specify other: 

Type of Rate: (Final Performance Reports only) Provisional Final Other Specify other: 

d. For Restricted Rate Programs (check one) -- Are you using a restricted indirect cost rate that: 

Is included in your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement 

Complies with 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2)? 

10. Performance Measures Status 

a. Are complete data on performance measures for the current budget period included in the 

Project Status Chart? 

b. If no, when will the data be available and submitted to the Department? 

Yes No 

✔

✔

ED 524B Page 1 of 29 
 

U.S. Department of Education 

PDG Annual Performance Report 

Executive Summary 

Based on ED 524B OMB No. 1894-0003 Exp. 06/30/2017 

Grantee State: RI PR/Award #: S419B150033 

You are required to submit an Executive Summary of up to 3000 words with your Annual Performance 

Report. This summary should relate to your approved application and summarize the goals and 

objectives that have been achieved under your grant, what you learned, and any evaluation results. 

Describe any unanticipated outcomes or benefits from your project and any barriers that you may have 

encountered. If there have been any changes to the project from the approved application, those 

should be explained as well. 

The first year of Rhode Island's Preschool Development Grant (PDG) focused on three main areas: 

expanding access, implementing a system of continuous quality improvement, and ensuring 

consistent access to comprehensive services. The year began with an unprecedented expansion 

during which 16 new classrooms were selected, bringing the total number of children served to 594 in 

33 classrooms. Eighteen (18) of the 33 new classrooms received PDG funding to serve 260 of the 324 

children enrolled. In the previous school year, 2014-2015, prior to the start of Rhode Island's PDG, the 

state-funded pre-kindergarten served a total of 306 children in 17 classrooms in the following 

communities: Central Falls, Cranston, Pawtucket, Providence, Woonsocket, Warwick, West Warwick, 

and Newport. The addition of the federal Expansion Grant funds, along with additional state funds, 

allowed the state to accelerate its planned expansion and almost double the number of classrooms 

available. In addition to expanding access to Pre-K, a system of continuous quality improvement was 

formalized. As part of this system, the RI Department of Education (RIDE) team updated and finalized 

state Pre-K policies and developed a coordinated monitoring system. Using data from monitoring and 

past professional development initiatives, quality improvement goals for the state Pre-K system were 

established and a professional development vendor was selected to provide ongoing support to state 

Pre-K programs. The RIDE team also began to design a system to improve access to comprehensive 

services for children and families enrolled in state Pre-K programs. When complete, this system will 

replace the individual practices of sub-grantees and ensure more consistent access to these services 

across all sub-grantees. Overall, the activities planned under the Expansion grant have proceeded as 

planned with few, if any, unanticipated outcomes or benefits. The only barrier encountered was 

related to recruitment. As will be discussed in further detail, while the Pre-K recruitment resulted in 

hundreds of applications for enrollment, after all children were selected, there were some waiting 

lists in communities with multiple classrooms which ended up being completely exhausted. During 

the normal course of Pre-K enrollment there are often children who move or whose families decline 

enrollment and so additional recruitment strategies were required in order to fill the remaining 

available Pre-K seats in communities with exhausted waiting lists. In 2016, the state plans to formalize 

and closely monitor a system of recruitment for the 2016-2017 school year. 

Expanding Access to Pre-K 

The 2015 grant year began with the selection of additional Pre-K sub-grantees. In January, a Request 

for Proposals to operate a state-funded Pre-K program was posted. Applications were due February 

27th. Application reviews were conducted by the RIDE team and selected sub-grantees were notified 

in mid -March. The expansion increased the number of classrooms available in each community 

identified in the state's Pre-K application, as well as two additional communities, Cranston and 

Warwick. Pre-K classrooms in those communities were funded with additional state funds. The chart 

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below outlines the 2015-2016 school year (SY) expansion: 

Community # of classrooms SY '14-15 # of classrooms SY `15-16 

Central Falls 1 3 

Cranston 1 2 

East Providence 0 1 

Newport 2 3 

Pawtucket 1 2 

Providence 5 11 

Warwick 3 3 

West Warwick 2 3 

Woonsocket 2 5 

Existing Pre-K programs and new sub-grantees then began the process of recruiting families for 

application to the state Pre-K lottery. State Pre-K sub-grantees are required to actively participate in 

Pre-K recruitment. Pre-K applications are entered into an electronic application either directly by the 

parent or by the sub-grantee on behalf of the parent. RIDE staff track the numbers of applications 

entered by community on an ongoing basis. The 2015 lottery was conducted on June 3rd. At that 

time, there were 1247 applications for the 594 seats. At the same time, Pre-K grant agreements were 

being finalized for the July 1 start date which coincides with the state fiscal year. This process 

included reviewing and approving proposed budgets to ensure compliance with state Pre-K budget 

guidelines which ensure adequate expenditures in key areas, notably teacher salaries and educational 

materials and supplies. By July 1, 2015, all thirty-three (33) sub-grantee contracts for the 2015-2016 

school year were completed. Following the Pre-K lottery, sub-grantees began contacting selected 

families and verifying income information. Upon verification, children were then enrolled in the Pre-K 

classrooms to which they were selected. Sub-grantees are allowed to determine their own school 

start dates and all 2015-2016 classrooms were fully operational by September 7, 2015. 

Implementing a System of Continuous Quality Improvement 

A significant focus under the state's Expansion Grant is ensuring that all RI Pre-Kindergarten 

classrooms operate at the highest level of quality. To this end, the following strategies are used to 

support this goal: comprehensive, high-quality program regulations; ongoing program monitoring; 

clearly defined performance goals at the program and teacher level, including defined learning 

outcomes for children; an aligned system of professional development supports, and an external 

evaluation of Pre-K impact on child outcomes. During their first year of funding, Pre-K sub-grantees 

apply for and receive approval under the Comprehensive Early Childhood Education (CECE) Program 

regulations. These regulations meet or exceed accreditation standards and national benchmarks for 

Pre-K quality. The CECE approval process involves a detailed look at Pre-K program operations 

including a facilities visit, reviews of written narratives describing program systems and policies, 

classroom observations using ECERS and CLASS, and on-site visits to review additional teaching 

practices and documents. Currently, of the 33 state Pre-K classrooms, 1 is fully approved, 13 have 

received provisional approval, 2 have probationary approval, and 17 are first year applicants and will 

complete the approval process in the spring of 2016. In addition, RIDE staff conducts monitoring visits 

to review compliance with state Pre-K policies which expand upon CECE regulations. During 2015, 

RIDE staff worked to align the monitoring processes under CECE Approval to incorporate state Pre-K 

policies to create a comprehensive monitoring system. Additionally, CECE Approval and state Pre-K 

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monitoring are significant sources of data which are then analyzed and used to identify system level 

Pre-K quality improvement goals. The continuous quality improvement cycle used with the state PreK system includes the following components: ongoing data collection; data analysis and goal 

development; development of a quality improvement plan; and implementation of the quality 

improvement plan. 

In January of 2015, RIDE began the process to select a professional development and technical 

assistance vendor to provide ongoing support to the state Pre-K system. In July, the Education 

Development Corporation, Inc. (EDC) was selected. EDC staff work closely with RIDE and with the 

Center for Early Learning Professionals, another EDC program in RI, to provide an array of professional 

development supports aligned to state Pre-K system goals and the additional program improvement 

goals of individual Pre-K programs. These supports are critical to ensuring the implementation of RI's 

high-quality state Pre-K programs. Finally, a request for proposals to identify a research partner to 

evaluate the state Pre-K program was developed in the fall of 2015 and is anticipated to be awarded 

in the spring of 2016. The formal evaluation planned for the state Pre-K program will also inform the 

state's efforts to implement its high quality vision for state Pre-K. 

Consistent Access to Comprehensive Services 

All state Pre-K programs are expected to ensure that families and Pre-K children have access to 

additional services they may need beyond the Pre-K educational program. This expectation is 

outlined within state Pre-K policies and in contract language. However, there are not uniform policies 

and procedures across Pre-K programs, resulting in inconsistent access in some areas. Additionally, 

some Pre-K providers report difficulty in identifying services which are available within the state since 

eligibility and availability can change. As a result, this area was prioritized for improvement within the 

state's Development Grant application. There are some services for which clear policies and 

procedures have been developed for the state Pre-K system, specifically the access to developmental 

screening through RI's Child Outreach system and connection to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) for 

special education services. In the fall of 2015, RIDE staff began the process to conceptualize a state 

level system for ensuring consistent access to a wider array of comprehensive services regardless of 

Pre-K program location (e.g. community-based, public school, or Head Start program). This process 

involved specifying the overall goals, reviewing resource directories and referral practices that exist in 

RI, and creating a timeline for the development and implementation of a pilot of the new system in 

2016. 

In addition to the activities described above, RIDE staff took advantage of several technical assistance 

opportunities offered in 2015 which served as a catalyst for thinking about future activities. In 

November, staff attended the peer learning exchange focused on curriculum implementation. This 

session was useful in helping to frame state thinking on curriculum selection and implementation 

fidelity. These initial thoughts will be more fully explored during the 2016 grant year. In December, 

staff attended the peer learning exchange focused on Professional Learning Communities to Build 

Local Leadership Capacity. This session was useful in helping to frame thinking around how 

professional learning communities can support the development of Birth through Third Grade systems 

and support improved transition practices between Pre-K and Kindergarten. Both of these topics will 

be areas of focus for development at the state level during the 2016 grant year. 

In summary, 2015 was a productive year. Additional RI children (260) were afforded access to highquality, state Pre-K than would have been possible with the state expansion alone. A system of 

continuous quality improvement was formalized and implemented and will ensure that Pre-K 

programs meet or exceed all required quality expectations. Thoughtful planning was conducted to 

ensure that Pre-K programs will be better able to ensure that Pre-K children and their families will 

have more consistent access to comprehensive services and supports in addition to a high-quality, 

educational program. 

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I I 

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U.S. Department of Education 

PDG Annual Performance Report 

Grant Status Form 

Explanation of Progress (524B Section A) 

Based on ED 524B OMB No. 1894-0003 Exp. 06/30/2017 

Grantee State: RI PR/Award #: S419B150033 

Section A: Performance Objectives Information and Related Performance Measures Data 

(narrative) 

1. Project Objective 

1(a) GPRA Performance Measure: The number and percentage of Eligible Children served in 

High-Quality Preschool Programs funded by the grant. Describe the State's progress in meeting 

this Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measure based on enrollment of Eligible 

Children in High-Quality Preschool Programs funded by the grant as of December 1, 2015. 

Rhode Island's Preschool Development Grant (PDG) goal for the 2015-2016 school year as reported in 

the state's application was to enroll an additional 202 (7%) children in its high-quality state Pre-K 

program. The actual number of children enrolled is 260 which represents a percentage of 7.1%. This 

total exceeds the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measure proposed by the state in 

its application. Rhode Island's Pre-K program is a mixed income model where some enrolled children 

are in families with incomes above 200% of poverty. The state's PDG application targets were set 

using estimates that 20% of children selected via lottery would be above 200% of poverty and 

therefore ineligible for federal PDG funding. The plan was to fund those children with state funds. In 

addition, per classroom funding was estimated using the maximum per classroom cost of $200,000. In 

actuality, sub-grantee budgets for the 2015-2016 school year averaged closer to $173,000. Both of 

these factors, allowed the state to enroll and fund more children using PDG funds. 

Please describe, as required in Program Requirement (k)(2) in the Notice Inviting Applicants (NIA), 

how the State established policies and procedures that ensure that the percentage of Eligible Children 

with disabilities served by the High-Quality Preschool Programs is not less than either the percentage 

of four-year-old children served statewide through part B, section 619 of IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1400 et 

seq.), or the current national average, whichever is greater. 

Note: The current national percentage of four year-old-children receiving services through part B, section 619 of 

IDEA is 6.4%. Source: 2012 IDEA Part B Child Count (www.ideadata.org). States should include detailed 

information on ALL structural elements. 

The Rhode Island State Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) Program has two eligibility requirements. Children 

must be 4 years of age by September 1 of the relevant school year (making them eligible to attend 

Kindergarten in the following school year) and must reside in a community where State Pre-K is 

offered. Since the RI State Pre-K Program is not yet funded to support universal access for all eligible 

four-year-old children, the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) developed a recruitment 

plan and a child application lottery system to randomly select children from eligible communities to 

fill State Pre-K seats. The recruitment processes used seek to engage all families, including families of 

children with disabilities, in entering child lottery applications. To ensure families of children with 

disabilities are recruited, RIDE coordinates recruitment efforts with eligible community school 

districts, the RI Section 619 State Coordinator, the RI Special Education Advisory Committee, and 

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community organizations that support families of children with disabilities, (i.e. the Rhode Island 

Parent Information Network). As a result, as of December 1 2015, the State Pre-K enrollment 

percentage of eligible children with disabilities is 27% (71/260); significantly higher than the RI 

statewide average for four-year-olds of 8.11%, which is higher than the last available national average 

(FY12) of children with disabilities which is 6.4%. When the percentage is calculated based the total 

Pre-K enrollment, the state is serving 12% (71/594) of children with disabilities. This is still higher 

than both the state and national averages. 

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Describe the State's progress in increasing the number and percentage of Eligible Children served in 

High-Quality Preschool Programs funded by the grant. 

In February of 2015, the state posted its Request for Proposals to operate additional state Pre-K 

classrooms. A total of 12 agencies submitted applications. A total of 16 new Pre-K Sub-grantees were 

selected. Sub-grantees then began the process to recruit applications for enrollment. Beginning in 

April and extending through May 2015, RIDE led, managed and monitored the initial implementation 

of an online child lottery application system. This oversight included monitoring the efforts of subgrantees to recruit and enroll hard-to-reach families within eligible communities. Families were 

recruited to enter applications for eligible children online or by submitting hard copy applications at 

any of the Pre-K sub-grantees in their community. On June 1, 2015, the child lottery was held, 

producing lists of selected children and waitlists for each sub-grantee. Sub-grantees then took their 

enrollment information and implemented required Pre-K lottery enrollment procedures; including 

age, residency, and income verification, to finalize their enrollment lists. As sub-grantees moved 

through this process, if families declined the opportunity to enroll their children, sub-grantees 

contacted RIDE to share this information and to confirm the next name on the waiting list. As of 

September 7th, a total of 33 state Pre-K sub-grantees, including the 18 new classrooms funded with 

PDG, serving 260 children, began providing Pre-K programming. 

Rhode Island's recruitment and enrollment strategies have proven broadly effective in past years, but 

in 2015 some areas for improvement were identified. Specifically, the on-line lottery application used 

by the state did not operate as designed. Instead of removing children selected for Pre-K enrollment 

from waiting lists, the system left them listed which led the state to assume inflated numbers of 

children on Pre-K waiting lists. During initial enrollment and at times during the school year, there can 

be turnover resulting from families declining the program, moving or leaving the program due to 

other family circumstances. Because the waiting lists were actually under enrolled, waiting lists in 

several communities were exhausted, leaving open seats in Pre-K classrooms during the first months 

of school. The two communities most impacted by were Newport and Providence. In an effort to 

address this issue, RIDE staff facilitated the use of non-Pre-K waiting lists by impacted sub-grantees. 

These waiting lists included general waiting lists of community-based programs, Head Start, and 

public schools. RIDE requested permission to access each organization's existing waiting lists in order 

to contact families of any eligible children (or to confirm that the organization would reach out to 

families with the opportunity) and offer the opportunity to enroll their child in the State Pre-K 

program. The response to this request was very positive, yet in some instances, challenging to move 

to action. As a result of RIDE's coordination and the quick action, the current enrollment status is 

improved. For the rest of the 2015 - 2016 school year, RIDE will actively coordinate waiting lists 

within these communities and will facilitate the enrollment of children for any open seats. The other 

eligible communities continue to follow established enrollment policies in coordination with RIDE and 

enrollment is at full capacity. Concurrently, an internal team at RIDE is working to fix the online 

lottery application system. This work is currently in its final stages. RIDE is testing the repaired system 

in preparation for the FY17 child lottery in June 2016. 

In addition, in 2016, RIDE will work on a more formalized plan to increase coordination of FY16 

recruitment and enrollment procedures across early childhood education programs in the state. To 

begin this work, RIDE was supported by Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Technical Assistance to 

conduct a technical assistance call with Connecticut's PDG Family Engagement Specialist. The content 

of the call was very helpful. Connecticut recommended implementing very specific recruitment 

planning with sub-grantees and more intense state monitoring of recruitment activities, particularly in 

relation to categories of Eligible Children that appear to be underrepresented in recruitment data. An 

anecdotal review of RI child lottery selected and waiting lists indicate that our current recruitment 

efforts are not effectively engaging certain categories of hard-to-reach families. While our recruitment 

strategies appear to be effective when seeking to enroll Eligible Children with disabilities in the State 

Pre-K program, other categories of Eligible Children could benefit from further attention and more 

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specific recruitment planning. These categories are: children who are homeless, children who are in 

the child welfare system and children who are English Language Learners. RIDE is acting on these 

recommendations and plans to develop new recruitment and monitoring procedures and to train subgrantees in these procedures by April 2016. RIDE has also discussed recruitment data with the RI 

Department of Children, Youth and Families (RI's child welfare agency) and has developed a 

coordinated plan to include recruitment specifically focused on Eligible Children in foster care. 

1(b) GPRA Performance Measure: The number and percentage of children served overall in the 

State Preschool Program. Please describe any increases or decreases in this GPRA measure 

based on fall enrollment in the State Preschool Program for the 2015-16 school year. 

Using a combination of state and federal PDG funds, Rhode Island's state Pre-K program expanded, as 

planned, from 17 classrooms to a total of 33 classrooms serving 594 children. The total number of 

sub-grantees by community is outlined in the chart below: 

Community Number of Classrooms Number of children Percentage of Total Children 

Central Falls 3 54 9% 

Cranston 2 36 6% 

East Providence 1 18 3% 

Newport 3 54 9% 

Pawtucket 2 36 6% 

Providence 11 198 33% 

Warwick 3 54 9% 

West Warwick 3 54 9% 

Woonsocket 5 90 15% 

In the state's PDG application, it was anticipated that the PDG funds in combination with additional 

state funds would result in a total enrollment of 558 children. In the application, per classroom 

funding was estimated using the maximum per classroom cost of $200,000. In actuality, sub-grantee 

budgets for the 2015-2016 school year averaged closer to $173,000. This allowed the state to fund 

additional classrooms and enroll more children. 

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1(c) GPRA Performance Measure: The number and percentage of children in the High-Need 

Communities served by the grant that are ready for kindergarten as determined by the State's 

Kindergarten Entry Assessment or, if the State does not yet have a Kindergarten Entry Assessment, 

other valid and reliable means of determining school readiness. 

In the Year 2 APR, grantees will provide disaggregated data on the school readiness of the children served 

by the grant. This may include information collected about the children served by the grant at the end of their 

2015-16 preschool year or in their 2016-17 kindergarten year. States may provide data from a sample of 

children (e.g., a sample being used for any evaluation). 

In the Year 1 APR, grantees must describe their progress towards identifying the measures, methods, 

and data on the school readiness of children served by the Preschool Development Grant. In the 

narrative below provide the following information: 

• 	 The name of the assessment tool(s) and the Essential Domains of School Readiness 

measured; 

• 	 When the assessment tool(s) is/are given (e.g., in preschool and/or kindergarten); 

• 	 Whether the assessment is mandated by the State, and for which children; 

• 	 How long the State has been using the assessment tool(s); 

• 	 Whether the assessment tool(s) is/are implemented throughout the High-Need Community 

and/or Statewide; 

• 	 Whether the State provides or will provide training for local staff administering the assessment. 

If so, describe the requirements including processes to ensure continued reliability in the 

administration of the measure; 

• 	 If school readiness data is reported to the State, describe when and how data are reported. 

Also, please describe, if applicable: 

• 	 The State's definition of "school readiness;" 

• 	 Disaggregated information about children's school readiness on individual domains or 

subsets of the measure; 

• 	 School readiness data for children disaggregated by subgroup (e.g., students who are 

American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian, not Pacific Islander; Native Hawaiian/other 

Pacific Islander; Black or African American; Hispanic/Latino; White, not Hispanic; two or 

more races; with disabilities; English learners; and from any other subgroups the state 

determines appropriate; and 

• 	 How the State will continue to make progress in meeting this GPRA measure. 

Rhode Island does not have an official definition of school readiness. It has identified “school 

readiness” within in its RI Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS) by outlining 

expectations for children's knowledge and development at the end of preschool, or at age 60 months. 

Within the state Pre-K program, formative assessment is used to assess and monitor children's 

progress in reaching these expectations/learning goals outlined in the RI Early Learning Standards. 

Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG) is the formative assessment tool used to collect this data. This tool 

has been used since the start of the state Pre-K program in 2009. Both the RIELDS and TSG address all 

the Essential Domains of Learning. Specifically, RIELDS outlines learning goals in the following 

domains: Physical Health and Motor Development, Social and Emotional Development, Language 

Development (including Language Development of Dual Language Learners), Literacy, Cognitive 

Development, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Creative Arts. TSG outlines learning 

expectations within the following areas: Social-Emotional, Physical, Language, Cognitive, Literacy, 

Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Studies, The Arts, and English Language Acquisition. In 

2015, the state completed an alignment document for state Pre-K which identifies a specific score on 

each dimension of Teaching Strategies GOLD with the corresponding learning expectation at the 60 

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month level. This document outlines the benchmarks which indicate a child has met the end of Pre-K 

“school readiness” expectations. 

Teaching Strategies GOLD is used by all Pre-K teachers on an ongoing basis to collect child assessment 

information and to make preliminary decisions about child performance along the TSG continuum. 

Twice a year, in November and June, final checkpoints are completed. These checkpoints summarize 

a children's performance in each of the Essential Domains. The June checkpoint data will be used to 

understand the “school readiness” of Pre-K children, including disaggregated data on specific 

subgroups. This assessment is conducted on all children enrolled in state Pre-K. In order to support 

the quality of this assessment data, Rhode Island has developed several components to support its 

efforts. First, a set of workforce knowledge and competencies were created specific to the use of the 

TSG system by teachers and program administrators. Second, a state level monitoring system was 

designed to provide ongoing assurance that the formative system is being used to fidelity. The 

monitoring system addresses: Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG) child assessment baseline data entry, 

TSG final checkpoints, and State Pre-K sub-grantee engagement in professional development activities 

which focus on effective implementation of TSG administrator- and teacher-level defined procedures. 

Third, monitoring data from the previous year identified formative assessment as an area requiring 

additional focus and so specific goals were identified as part of the Pre-K continuous quality 

improvement process. Those goals are: 1) achieve reliability on Teaching Strategies GOLD and 2) use 

Teaching Strategies GOLD with fidelity. In order to support the achievement of those goals, intensive 

supports for the staff administering the assessment are provided by the state's professional 

development provider, EDC. In 2015, 75 staff were trained in an all-day workshop which focused on 

planning for and using TSG and its reports to understand children's knowledge and skills at Pre-K 

entry, to plan for and implement high-quality curriculum and individualized instructional supports, 

and to prepare to collect and analyze end-of-year data to determine if children meet the expectations 

outlined in the RI Early Learning and Development Standards. In addition, 8 on-site technical 

assistance visits were conducted to provide additional supports to sub-grantees in using the system 

and analyzing data, and 13 Educational Coordinators participated in a 3-hour community of practice 

session focused on understanding and using data at the program level. In 2016, Rhode Island will 

continue to support programs in collecting data that are accurate and reliable, in ensuring all teachers 

and education coordinators establish reliability on the Teaching Strategies GOLD system, and by 

monitoring use of the system to identify areas that need additional support. At the end of the 2015-

2016 school year, programs will provide data identifying children's growth on the TSG learning 

trajectories, using specific scores rather than “widely held expectations.” This will provide the State 

with a clear picture of the progress made by children in each classroom. 

In addition, Rhode Island is participating in the K-3 Formative Assessment Consortium, led by North 

Carolina, in order to achieve goals outlined in the state's Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge 

grant related to piloting a Kindergarten Entry Assessment. The Consortium is developing a formative 

assessment system which includes an embedded Kindergarten Entry Assessment, which Rhode Island 

is calling a Kindergarten Entry Profile (KEP). A full pilot of the assessment is scheduled for the spring 

of 2016, followed by a multi-state field test in the fall of 2016. Thus, a completed KEP will not be 

ready for implementation in Rhode Island until the fall of 2017. Currently, the plan is for the KEP to 

be implemented voluntarily. Once implemented, KEP data will be included in Rhode Island's 

statewide longitudinal data system. While it will one day be possible to link a child's enrollment in 

Pre-K to their Kindergarten Entry Profile, this is not the sole source of data RI will use to determine the 

number and percentage of Pre-K children who are ready for kindergarten. Instead, RI will use the 

Early Childhood Education Data System being constructed under its Race to the Top Early Learning 

Challenge grant to best understand all of the variables which support kindergarten readiness. Rhode 

Island will continue to use formative assessment data at the end of the Pre-K year to describe 

children's progress within the Pre-K year as it relates to meeting “school readiness” expectations 

outlined at the 60 month benchmark in the RIELDS. 

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For Preschool Development Grants - Development Grants States ONLY: 

1(d) GPRA Performance Measure: The number of States that collect and analyze data on State 

Preschool Program quality, including the structural elements of quality specified in the 

definition of High-Quality Preschool Programs. 

N/A
 

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Section A: Part B - Selection Criteria 

In this section of the APR, States will report on their progress addressing the Preschool Development Grant's 

selection criteria. The State should read the questions carefully and report in the narrative fields directly below the 

questions. Please include any data, data notes or formulas to help the readers understand the State's narrative 

responses. 

1. Ensuring Quality in Preschool Programs (Selection Criteria “C” of the application) 

Describe the State's use of funds received over the grant period for State Preschool Program 

infrastructure and quality improvements, including the State's efforts to implement a system of 

monitoring and support at the State level toward activities such as those described in Section (C)(1)(ak) of the NIA. 

Note: States will report amounts and percentage of funds for State Preschool Program infrastructure 

and High-Quality Preschool Programs in the Competitive Preference Priority 3 Chart. 

Rhode Island's 2015 efforts to ensure quality focused on 1) coordinating and improving the systematic 

implementation of state monitoring, 2) supplementing existing technical assistance supports for 

continuous quality improvement, and 3) implementing a rigorous evaluation of the state Pre-K. 

Coordinate and improve the systematic implementation of state monitoring The CECE regulations 

are the program expectations which state Pre-K programs are required to meet within their first year 

of Pre-K operation. These regulations meet or exceed national accreditation standards and 

benchmarks for high-quality Pre-K. The CECE Approval process is a progressive approval process and 

contains the following components: written application, facilities visit, objective classroom 

observations using ECERS and CLASS, and an on-site verification visit. The process includes 

comprehensive review of current policies and procedures that address: Physical facilities; Health, 

safety, and nutrition; Enrollment and staffing; Staff qualifications and ongoing professional 

development; Administration; Curriculum; Child assessment; and Family engagement. In addition, 

CECE Approved classrooms must achieve a minimum of an average score of 5 on the ECERS-R in order 

to receive approval, a State Pre-K contractual deliverable . CLASS assessments are also conducted, and 

although the state does not currently require a benchmark score for CECE approval or as part of the 

State Pre-K contract. The CECE Approval process results in a comprehensive monitoring of Pre-K 

program operations at both a program/school and classroom level. In 2015, new sub-grantees worked 

over the summer months and through early fall 2015 to develop their initial CECE Approval 

applications. In addition, facilities and objective observational assessments (ECERS and CLASS) were 

conducted in each new classroom. Sub-grantees then developed and submitted technical assistance 

action plans which delineated their plans to address ECERS and CLASS findings. Throughout the CECE 

Approval process, program information was shared with the State Pre-K staff specialist to ensure all 

Pre-K quality benchmarks were being met. The CECE Approval process continues for these programs 

with onsite verification visits, and if needed, repeated quality observational measures occurring in the 

March and April 2016. In order to ensure state capacity to monitor during the PDG expansion, RIDE 

will contract with independent consultants to assist with CECE Approval. An RFP to secure consultant 

assistance was posted in November of 2015. East Bay Collaborative was selected as the state fiscal 

agent to support Pre-K monitoring in January of 2016. Following issuance of a state purchase order, 

consultants will be hired and trained to follow all monitoring protocols and procedures, including 

conducting on-site monitoring visits and desk reviews of key documents related to compliance with 

program standards and providing extensive, written feedback to programs. It is anticipated that 

consultants will be hired and trained in March 2016 and begin monitoring in April 2016. In addition to 

CECE program regulations, state Pre-K sub-grantees are required to comply with additional 

expectations which are specific to the implementation of a state Pre-K classroom. State Pre-K policies 

ED 524B Page 13 of 29 
 

delineate those additional expectations and cover the following areas: child enrollment, staffing, 

attendance, child assessment, comprehensive services and interventions, grants and contracting, 

budget development and fiscal monitoring, state Pre-K Continuous Program Quality Improvement 

System, technical assistance and professional development supports, monitoring Pre-K program 

performance, and program evaluation. In 2015, RIDE State Pre-K and CECE specialists met to design 

one streamlined monitoring process that addresses both CECE Program Regulations and state Pre-K 

policies. A revised State Pre-K/CECE application, approval and monitoring timeline and process which 

streamlines CECE Approval and Pre-K policy monitoring, is currently under review by the RIDE 

Associate Director of Early Childhood. Once the process is in final draft form, RIDE will conduct a focus 

group with sub-grantees to gather feedback and inform final revisions. The new coordinated State 

Pre-K/CECE application, approval and monitoring process will be rolled out by webinar to all subgrantees with implementation anticipated to begin in March 2016. 

Supplement existing technical assistance supports for continuous quality improvement Once 

selected as a state Pre-K sub-grantee, all Pre-K Programs engage in a program-level continuous quality 

improvement process. As outlined in CECE regulations, every state Pre-K Program must engage in a 

comprehensive self-assessment process “to determine its compliance with the structural and 

educational program standards contained within the RIDE CECE Standards for Preschool Program 

approval, as well as any other standards and regulations governing the program and the program's 

effectiveness in meeting the needs of children and families. This assessment shall include a review and 

analysis of program-wide child assessment information that reveals patterns and trends. The process 

shall involve families and staff” (RIDE CECE Standard 5.14). RIDE has historically provided intensive 

technical assistance (TA) to all programs during their first year in the state Pre-K Program. The primary 

purpose of the technical assistance was to focus on supporting programs in successfully implementing 

the State Pre-K policies and CECE Program Regulations, and supporting improvement in areas 

identified through program evaluation. In the past, RIDE used a pool of approved independent 

consultants to provide this individualized technical assistance. In 2015, the PDG grant afforded the 

state the opportunity to conceptualize and formalize a state-level continuous quality improvement 

plan supported by a variety of effective supports and interventions provided by a professional 

development partner agency. In July 2015, RIDE awarded a contract to the Education Development 

Center, Inc. (EDC) to provide professional development and technical assistance (PDTA) services to the 

State Pre-K sub-grantees. At the same time, RIDE compiled available State Pre-K program data (child 

developmental screening data, formative assessment data, classroom quality observational measures 

data and program monitoring data) to inform its newly conceptualized continuous quality 

improvement (QI) process. This analysis led to the development of FY16 State Pre-K program Quality 

Improvement (QI) goals and associated measures. Program- and teacher-level QI goals target the 

following areas: child assessment systems and formative assessment practices, coordination of 

comprehensive services for State Pre-K children and families in need, provision of data-informed RI 

Early Learning and Development Standards-based curriculum which emphasizes early teaching of 

social emotional competencies, and measurable child outcomes. Once the goals and measures were 

identified, EDC drafted an aligned program quality improvement plan and an FY16 PDTA Work Plan. 

With the Program QI Plan information in hand, EDC's TA consultants began site visits to conduct 

individual needs assessments with Pre-K Program sub-grantees. During these initial visits, programand classroom-level improvement plans were aligned with the State Pre-K Program QI plan and action 

steps were identified to address all goals. With all improvement plans in place, TA consultation 

continued with monthly technical assistance visits. The monthly visits included review and planning 

related to the required State Pre-K/CECE application, approval and monitoring process. EDC presented 

its first quarterly PDTA report to RIDE detailing sub-grantees' progress toward Quality Improvement 

Plan goals in December of 2015. The State Pre-K Specialist meets monthly with EDC to monitor each 

State Pre-K Program sub-grantee's ongoing activities, as well as to formulate responsive PDTA 

activities. Thus far, responsive PDTA activities have included: the development of monthly 

communities of practice meetings for State Pre-K program administrators, a peer mentoring program 

for first year teachers, education coordinators and administrators, and onsite program- and 

classroom-level technical assistance focused on addressing system's coordination and classroom 

ED 524B Page 14 of 29 
 

 

 

strategies to support children exhibiting challenging behaviors. 

Implement a rigorous external evaluation of the state pre-k program 

Rhode Island is committed to evaluating its state Pre-K Program to determine the impact on child 

outcomes. In 2014, the state worked with NIEER to develop a plan for external evaluation using a 

randomized control trial (RCT) design. This design uses the “gold standard” in research to garner the 

true effects of the state Pre-K. This evaluation will provide Rhode Island with robust program quality 

and child outcome data to inform revisions to Pre-K Program policies or practices and quality 

improvement areas and supports needed. 

RIDE has developed, and is currently awaiting the RI Division of Purchasing's posting of a Request for 

Proposals (RFP) that will support contracting with a qualified researcher to conduct the evaluation 

using the proposed randomized control trial study design with a longitudinal component. The 

evaluation plan's potential components are: 1) investigation and documentation of program quality, 

2) determination of the short- and long-term effects of participation in these programs on children's 

early learning outcomes and 3) comparison of the costs of the program to the savings that are 

attributable to the outcomes of the state Pre-K program. RIDE anticipates 1) reviewing vendor 

proposals in March 2) completing contracting in May and in collaboration with the vendor 3) 

developing a finalized program evaluation implementation timeline and work plan by July 2016. 

2. Expanding High-Quality Preschool Programs in Each High-Need Community (Selection 

Criteria D of application) 

Describe the progress the State has made during the reporting year to implement and sustain 

voluntary high quality preschool programs for eligible children in two or more High-Need Communities 

(Selection Criteria D(4) of the application) that include ALL structural elements listed below that are 

included in the definition of High-Quality Preschool Programs. States should include detailed 

information on ALL structural elements. 

High staff qualifications, including a teacher with a bachelor's degree in early childhood 

education or a bachelor's degree in any field with a State-approved alternative pathway, 

which may include coursework, clinical practice, and evidence of knowledge of content and 

pedagogy relating to early childhood, and teaching assistants with appropriate credentials; 

✔

✔	 High-quality professional development for all staff; 

✔	 A child-to-instructional staff ratio of no more than 10 to 1; 

✔	 A class size of no more than 20 with, at a minimum, one teacher with high staff qualifications; 

✔	 A Full-Day program; 

ED 524B Page 15 of 29 
✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔

Inclusion of children with disabilities to ensure access to and full participation in all 

opportunities; 

Developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically responsive instruction and evidencebased curricula, and learning environments that are aligned with the State Early Learning and 

Development Standards, for at least the year prior to kindergarten entry; 

Individualized accommodations and supports so that all children can access and participate 

fully in learning activities; 

Instructional staff salaries that are comparable to the salaries of local K-12 instructional staff; 

Program evaluation to ensure continuous improvement; 

On-site or accessible Comprehensive Services for children and community partnerships that 

promote families access to services that support their children's learning and development; 

and 

Evidence-based health and safety standards. 

ED 524B Page 16 of 29 
 

 

Please describe the progress the State has made in establishing High-Quality Preschool Programs 

that include ALL structural elements listed above that are evidence-based and nationally recognized 

as important for ensuring program quality. 

Rhode Island uses a combination of stakeholder-guided Pre-K program design, state regulations, 

competitive selection of sub-grantees, contracting, and monitoring to ensure that all Pre-K programs 

meet the structural elements specified in the Pre-School Expansion Grant requirements. As one of 

the newer states to develop a state Pre-K Program, Rhode Island was able to learn from the 

experiences of states which had implemented Pre-K before Rhode Island launched its Pre-K Program 

in 2009. The resounding message of these Pre-K pioneers was that it was easier to increase access 

than to increase quality. This wisdom and the significant research evidence that only high-quality 

programs produce child outcomes were key factors in the state's decision to implement a Pre-K 

design that prioritized and supported quality structural requirements. Thus, Rhode Island's Pre-K 

Program model meets all of the criteria outlined in the Federal Definition of a High Quality Preschool 

Program. Rhode Island selects all of its Pre-K Program sub-grantees through a competitive Request for 

Proposals process targeted to the highest need communities in the State. This ensures that Pre-K subgrantees are programs/schools which are best positioned to meet and maintain the high-quality 

requirements of RI's Pre-K model. The summary below outlines how the state monitors each required 

element: 

High staff qualifications, including a teacher with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a 

bachelor's degree in any field with a State-approved alternate pathway, which may include 

coursework, clinical practice, and evidence of knowledge of content and pedagogy relating to early 

childhood, and teaching assistants with appropriate credentials: 

Required in contracting and as criteria for CECE Approval, regulations specify: Teacher: BA with RI 

Certification in Early Childhood Education Teacher Assistant: minimum of 12 credits in Early Childhood 

Education. All programs are all also required to have an Education Coordinator who is also a certified 

Early Childhood Educator (CECE 4.1, 4.2, 4.3) 

High-quality professional development for all staff: Required as criteria for CECE Approval, regulations 

specify: The program shall assure that each teacher/teacher assistant/Education Coordinator shall 

have an individual professional development plan to complete at least 20 hours of professional 

development related to the Workforce Knowledge and Competencies appropriate to his/her position. 

This plan shall be developed and updated annually as part of each staff person's annual performance 

evaluation. (CECE 4.1, 4.2, 4.3) Additionally, the state has contracted with a professional development 

partner to tailor specific support to Pre-K sub-grantees. 

A child-to-instructional staff ratio of no more than 10 to 1: Required in contracting and as criteria for 

CECE Approval: regulations specify: Staff:child ratio of 1:9 (CECE 3.4) 

A class size of no more than 20 with, at a minimum, one teacher with high staff qualifications as 

outlined in paragraph (a) of this definition: Required in contracting and as criteria for CECE Approval, 

regulations specify: Class size of no more than 18 with at least one qualified teacher in each classroom 

(CECE 3.4 and 3.5) 

A full-day program: Required in contracting: Contracts specify Pre-K programs must be 6 hour each 

day, 180 days each year - with coordinated wraparound child care 

Inclusion of children with disabilities to ensure access to and full participation in all opportunities: 

Required as criteria for CECE Approval, regulations specify: The program shall welcome children and 

families of all abilities, modify the program, make reasonable accommodations, and collaborate with 

key partners to support all children. The program shall have a written plan which describes the 

ED 524B Page 17 of 29 
process for supporting all children including, but not limited to, those with developmental delays and 

disabilities, mental health diagnosis and behavioral challenges. (CECE 5.12, 5.13) For children 

requiring special education services, early childhood educators and special education providers shall 

work collaboratively, and in partnership with families, in supporting successful participation in 

inclusive environments and in ensuring that each partner has access to the necessary information and 

supports. (CECE 7.13) 

Developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically responsive instruction and evidence-based 

curricula, and learning environments that are aligned with the State Early Learning and Development 

Standards, for at least the year prior to kindergarten entry: Required as criteria for CECE 

Approval:Program-level and classroom-level standards for Curriculum (6.1 - 6.23) encompass all 

components of the federal definition (CECE 6.1-6.22) 

Individualized accommodations and supports so that all children can access and participate fully in 

learning activities: Required as criteria for CECE Approval,regulations specify: The program shall 

welcome children and families of all abilities, modify the program, make reasonable accommodations, 

and collaborate with key partners to support all children. The program shall have a written plan 

which describes the process for supporting all children including, but not limited to, those with 

developmental delays and disabilities, mental health diagnosis and behavioral challenges. (CECE 5.12, 

5.13). Teachers shall use child assessment information to: Identify children's strengths, learning styles 

and developmental levels; Inform classroom instruction, make sound decisions about individual and 

group curriculum content, inform teaching approaches, guide personal interactions, and inform the 

design of the children's learning environment; Identify children who might benefit from additional or 

increased supports and/or special services; Document and implement a plan for each child that 

supports his or her inclusion and success; and, Share information on each child's progress with 

families and other authorized parties. (CECE 7.12) 

Instructional staff salaries that are comparable to the salaries of local K-12 instructional staff: Scored 

as a competitive component in State Pre--K selection, also monitored during state budget approval 

during contracting, as outlined in state Pre-K policies 

Program evaluation to ensure continuous improvement: Required in State Pre-K policies; RFP to select 

research partner to be posted in early 2016 

On-site or accessible Comprehensive Services for children and community partnerships that promote 

families' access to services that support their children's learning and development: Required in State 

Pre-K policies, which specify, at a minimum: Must participate in food program, provide wrap around 

child care, ensure screening, work with LEAs 

Evidence-based health and safety standards: Required as criteria for CECE Approval: regulations 

specify: All CECE approved programs are required to comply with either DCYF child care licensing 

regulations or, if located in a public or private PK-12 school, with RIDE Basic Education Program (BEP) 

Regulations, G--14-4 “Ensuring a Safe and Healthy Physical Environment,” in addition to CECE Program 

standards which build upon the core approvals - DCYF or BEP to ensure consistency across settings. 

A comprehensive system of programmatic monitoring is used to ensure compliance with the 

contracted deliverables, state Pre-K policies and CECE Approval regulations. This system of 

monitoring begins with the sub-grantee contract which includes required assurances and specified 

deliverables. Sub-grantees are awarded contracts for a period of three years; however, the state 

reserves the right to defund a sub-grantee for non-performance with regard to either programmatic 

or fiscal requirements. Any defunded programs will be re-competed in the annual RFP process used to 

select additional classrooms. Additionally, at the end of each three year grant cycle, sub-grantees are 

required to re-compete, regardless of past performance, so as to ensure the state's ongoing ability to 

select the highest quality classrooms for participation in the state Pre-K program. Once selected, as 

specified in sub-grantees contract, the sub-grantee is required to: “Implement a RIDE comprehensive 

ED 524B Page 18 of 29 
early childhood education (CECE) standards provisionally or fully approved program for a minimum of 

180 days for at least 6 hours per day. This includes: submitting an application by the start of the 

school year, completing the approval process and maintaining all program-level and classroom-level 

standards as specified in the 2013 RIDE Comprehensive Early Childhood Education (CECE) Programs 

Standards for Approval, including the specific staffing qualifications as identified in this RFP.” RIDE 

CECE program standards detail comprehensive expectations for high-quality educational 

programming and align with Development Grant requirements. The approval process includes analysis 

of program level documents; onsite visits to assess facilities, classroom environment, teacher-child 

interactions, and classroom level compliance with CECE standards. In the initial approval year, it is 

possible for a program to receive three to four onsite visits. Approvals are granted for a maximum of 

three years, but annual renewal requires the submission of updated documents and assurances that 

classroom quality and compliance with CECE standards are maintained. In approval years two and 

three, an on-site monitoring visit will be conducted to verify that compliance with CECE standards 

continues. Additionally, as state Pre-K program sub-grantees, document review and on-site 

monitoring will be conducted to ensure compliance with state Pre-K policies which extend beyond 

CECE standards. Examples of this include policies regarding the use of Teaching Strategies GOLD for 

formative child assessment, child enrollment and attendance, participation in state pre-k program 

evaluation and on-going technical assistance. During the 2015 grant year, these two systems of 

programmatic monitoring, CECE and state Pre-K, were aligned and coordinated to reduce any burden 

for sub-grantees while ensuring that compliance with programmatic expectations is maintained. In 

addition, the state has contracted with the Educational Development Corporation, Inc. to provide 

targeted professional development and technical assistance support to pre-K sub-grantees. The data 

from monitoring and approval reviews was used to inform the targeted supports provided to subgrantees via EDC to ensure high-quality performance. At this time, of the 33 state Pre-K classrooms, 1 

is fully approved, 13 have received provisional approval, 2 have probationary approval, and 17 are 

first year applicants and will complete the approval process in the spring of 2016. 

Table 6 - Selection Criteria (D)(4) from NIA 

Describe the number and percent of Eligible Children served and the cost per slot. Please explain if 

Year 1 Target from the application and Year 1 Actual in Table 6 differ, and any approved changes in 

targets for Years 2-4. 

Rhode Island's Preschool Development Grant (PDG) goal for the 2015-2016 school year was to add 14 

additional preschool classrooms using federal funding from the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) 

resulting in a total of 31 RI Pre-Kindergarten classrooms funded with state and federal funds. As a 

result of per classroom amounts being lower than budgeted, RI was able to fund 16 additional 

preschool classrooms for a total of 33 classrooms. These additional PDG funded classrooms allowed 

260 more eligible children to enroll in the state's high-quality Pre-K program. This total exceeds the 

target set in Year 1 in the state's application. There are no changes for Years 2-4 targets at this time. 

The estimated cost per slot in the state's application was $13,889. Actual cost per child is estimated 

at $10,167. The per-classroom budgeted amount in the state's application reflected a maximum 

classroom budget of $190,000, plus $10,000 for professional development supports, which allowed 

for salaries for teachers with experience. Actual classroom budgets for the 2015-2016 sub-grantees 

were on average around $173,000, reflecting beginning teachers with fewer years of experience. Over 

the course of the grant, the state expects classroom costs to increase as teacher salaries increase. 

ED 524B Page 19 of 29 
 

3. Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong Partnerships (Selection Criteria E 

of the application) 

Describe the extent to which the State has collaborated with each Subgrantee to ensure that each 

Subgrantee is effectively implementing High-Quality Preschool Programs (Selection Criteria E 

(1-9) of the application) and how the State ensures strong partnerships between each Subgrantee 

and LEAs or other Early Learning Providers, as appropriate. 

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) has established processes for selecting and 

contracting, monitoring, and working collaboratively with its Pre-K sub-grantees in order to ensure 

that each sub-grantee is effectively implementing the state Pre-K program. The state's role is welldefined and extends beyond the provision of funds. Specifically, the state's plan for partnering with 

sub-grantees includes 1) ensuring the effective start-up and implementation of state Pre-K 

classrooms, and 2) working collaboratively with sub-grantees to coordinate with other state and local 

systems, and to ensure strong partnerships to provide comprehensive professional-, family- and 

program-level services. 

Effective start-up and implementation of state Pre-K classrooms 

In January 2015, RIDE released a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) that communicated State 

Pre-K Program funding policies within its program selection criteria and competitive process. In 

February, RIDE selected programs in high-need communities based on their ability to demonstrate 

that proposed Pre-K classrooms meet high-quality program standards. Once selection was made, RIDE 

managed sub-grantee contracting and budgeting, child recruitment and enrollment, and supported 

sub-grantees in opening the FY15 Pre-K school year. All activities are briefly described next. 

From April - July 2015, with budgeting completed, and contracting in process, RIDE, in coordination 

with State Pre-K sub-grantees, managed and implemented the state child lottery. State- and programlevel outreach activities included: initial implementation of an online child lottery application system 

which was available in English and Spanish, and coordinated recruitment efforts with eligible 

community school districts, the RI Section 619 State Coordinator, the RI Special Education Advisory 

Committee, as well as community organizations that support families of children with disabilities, 

homeless families, families whose primary language is not English. Sub-grantee outreach also focused 

on community businesses including laundry mats, convenience stores, and churches. 

Early in July, to support sub-grantees' successful and efficient enrollment activities, RIDE staff 

established and provided implementation guidance for child enrollment and as well as income 

verification policies and procedures. In July and August, State Pre-K sub-grantees commenced with 

the required enrollment and income verification procedures. This process proceeded with ongoing 

communication via email and phone calls between the State Pre-K specialist and the State Pre-K subgrantees throughout the summer months. 

In July and August 2015, with the support of the RIDE CECE Specialist, all newly selected and existing 

FY15 State Pre-K program sub-grantees actively began the process of applying for Comprehensive 

Early Childhood Education (CECE) Program Approval for Preschools. Using the self-assessment 

information, sub-grantees reviewed and revised their program quality improvement plans, program 

policy narratives, began purchasing classroom materials and equipment, and, as necessary, hiring 

qualified staff. Throughout the summer months, RIDE CECE and State Pre-K Specialists monitored all 

sub-grantees' progress in completing CECE approval requirements and in completing contractual 

deliverables related to child lottery recruitment, child enrollment, family income verification and 

program preparation for the opening of the school year in September 2015. Work also focused 

specifically on child assessments, data sharing, and targeted professional development. In preparation 

for the FY15 school year, RIDE contracted with and funded all state Pre-K Program child assessment 

ED 524B Page 20 of 29 
portfolios through Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG), additionally providing all contracts and policies 

describing the state and sub-grantee responsibilities for and access to state Pre-K Program- and childlevel assessment data. Professional development and technical assistance was also secured through 

the state's contract with Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC). Among the FY15 State Pre-K subgrantees, all but one had experience using TSG as a formative assessment tool as part of their 

assessment system. To ensure effective use of TSG in all State Pre-K programs, EDC, under the 

direction of and in collaboration with RIDE staff, conducted a Pre-K orientation half-day session with 

all State Pre-K sub-grantees in August 2015. During this session, RIDE staff presented an introduction 

to the use of TSG with guidance on startup activities and immediate technical assistance. All existing 

State Pre-K sub-grantees also received startup support. In October 2015, EDC held a full day 

professional learning day, again in collaboration with RIDE, to support sub-grantee staff in data 

literacy and in effective implementation of TSG in relation to State Pre-K program measurable child 

outcomes. Following this professional development, EDC provided ongoing technical assistance to 

sub-grantees to support effective implementation of program assessment plans. Sub-grantees have 

also integrated specific professional development/technical assistance (PDTA) series into their 

program quality improvement plans. The PDTA series' design links knowledge-building experiences 

with practice implementation in the Pre-K classrooms. In November 2015, RIDE created online 

program- and classroom-level TSG monitoring reports. This data was shared with all sub-grantees and 

EDC to support program quality improvement work. Data was also used to inform analysis of progress 

on goals within the State-level Program quality improvement plan. 

Collaboration with sub-grantees to coordinate with other state and local systems and strong 

partnerships to provide comprehensive professional-, family- and program-level services 

During September - December 2015, the State Pre-K Specialist supported new and existing State PreK sub-grantees in establishing strong partnerships and effective communication related to child 

referrals for special education with their local school districts and in relation to developmental 

screening with local Child Outreach providers. Meetings were held within each Eligible community, 

bringing Pre-K sub-grantees together with school district professionals to ensure communication was 

effective. The State 619 Coordinator and the Pre-K PDTA consultants were also present at each 

meeting and continued to support State Pre-K sub-grantees in maintaining and strengthening these 

coordinated systems of supports and services for families and children in need. The State 619 

Coordinator also provided support and technical assistance to the State Pre-K sub-grantees when 

circumstances arose that required specific consultation. During this same time period, many of the 

established State Pre-K sub-grantees also participated in a pilot project to expand itinerant special 

education service delivery. Sub-grantees and partnering school districts collaboratively participated in 

multiple trainings and onsite technical assistance visits to improve the provision of special education 

services for State Pre-K children within their natural and least restrictive environment - the State PreKindergarten program classroom. Again, RIDE coordinated the attendance of State Pre-K PDTA 

consultants in order to support this important work for children with disabilities in the State Pre-K 

program. Additionally, in another project, RIDE began a new partnership with Bradley Hospital to 

conceptualize and implement a mental health consultation model which is fully integrated into the 

early care and education system of supports to early learning programs. This model is called 

SUCCESS, Supporting Children's Competencies in Emotional and Social Skills, and consists of 

intervention level services provided directly to children and families in early care and education 

settings in coordination with promotion and prevention level services supporting high-quality 

educational practices provided by the Center for Early Learning Professionals. State Pre-K programs 

were among the settings prioritized during the “soft launch” phase of this new system. In all, 17 

children received SUCCESS services prior to December 2015. These services include program and 

classroom -level assessment, including conversations with program staff and children's caregivers. 

The data results in feedback and recommendations to program staff and families regarding 

consultation findings and leads to the development of collaborative action plans. Follow-up supports 

to integrate consultation recommendations, include supporting staff to assess, plan for, and intervene 

with challenging classroom behavior, helping families get connected to community supports and 

ED 524B Page 21 of 29 
services, and classroom- and program- level consultation to enhance the child care center's capacities 

to respond to children's social, emotional, and behavioral health needs. Despite these strong 

collaborations, the state is aware that Pre-K grantee awareness of and access to a comprehensive set 

of supports and interventions is variable and that it can be difficult to reliably connect families to a 

wider variety of services, even when they exist within the same organization. Consequently, the 

state's Expansion Grant application also included a plan to expand a referral system developed under 

its RTT-ELC grant for use by primary care providers engaged in developmental screening and referral 

of children B-3 years old. In 2015, the state contracted with a facilitator to support the development 

of a conceptual design for a comprehensive resource and referral system. This process is described in 

more detail in the state's response to Competitive Priority 2. 

4. Alignment Within a Birth Through Third Grade Continuum (Section F of the application) 

Describe progress the State has made for alignment within a birth through third grade continuum in 

activities for birth through age five programs ((F)(1)(a-b) in the NIA) and kindergarten through third 

grade ((F)(2)(a-d) in the NIA). 

Maintaining Progress within B-5: Under RTTELC, significant amount of progress was made to create 

alignment within the B-5 system. Learning expectations for children ages B-5 (RIELDS) were finalized, 

related professional development support was revised and access was expanded. Expectations for 

workforce knowledge and competencies were developed for multiple roles in the early learning 

system. Regulations and quality standards guiding early learning programs were aligned to create a 

cohesive pathway toward increased program quality. Rhode Island also implemented two initiatives 

designed to impact all children regardless of access to early learning. Resources and supports on 

children's learning and development were created for families. A developmental screening campaign 

targeted to families of children B-5 was implemented. Strategies to increase rates of developmental 

screening were enhanced and expanded. Rhode Island progressed in the development of the Early 

Care and Education Data System (ECEDS) which integrates data from multiple state agencies, 

community early learning programs, and the early learning workforce to assist the state in answering 

critical policy questions about early learning programs, the early learning workforce, and children's 

access to supports, services, and programs. In 2015, support for the use of RIELDS expanded beyond 

the ongoing professional development supports provided to early learning workforce. The University 

of Rhode Island completed the integration of RIELDS professional development concepts into its 

coursework. RI College and the Community College of RI will complete their integration in the spring 

of 2016. The Department of Education partnered with the lead agency for IDEA Part C, to develop a 

training series on the RIELDS for Early Intervention providers. A partnership with the Department of 

Health was also formed in order to integrate use of the RIELDS into two home visiting programs, 

Healthy Families America and Parents as Teachers. A revised version of RIELDS training was piloted 

with teachers holding RI Early Childhood Teacher Certification, including K-3 teachers. Draft 

workforce knowledge and competency (WKC) framework for Administrators/Educational 

Coordinators were completed. These competencies will be finalized in 2016 after a review by national 

and local experts and stakeholders. Once finalized, the Administrator/Education Coordinator WKCs 

will provide a framework for alignment of professional development and technical assistance 

activities available for leaders supervising early childhood programs and schools. Rhode Island also 

made progress on increasing access to high-quality programs by expanding the numbers of early 

learning programs participating in the BrightStars TQRIS and achieving CECE Approval. In 2011, only 

93 programs were participating in the state's QRIS. Currently, close to 700 programs are participating. 

These initiatives ensure that within the B-5 system, there is a common framework and shared 

understanding of the learning and development of children B-5 and how the knowledge and skills of 

ED 524B Page 22 of 29 
the workforce and the quality of early learning programs work collectively to support improved child 

outcomes. State Pre-K programs, regardless of their type (e.g. child care, Head Start, public 

preschool), participate within this B-5 system. Their curriculum and assessment practices are aligned 

to RIELDS. They ensure all enrolled children receive a developmental screening. Their teachers 

complete individual professional development plans and access professional development that is 

aligned to workforce knowledge and competencies. They participate in the state's program quality 

continuum by applying for both Brightstars and CECE Approval. 

Ensuring a Seamless Transition into K-3: The second component of creating an aligned Birth through 

Third Grade continuum involves sustaining the impacts of the B-5 system and encouraging a seamless 

transition into the K-3 system. Rhode Island's plan for making progress includes aligning expectations, 

policies, and practices in key areas, including effective early childhood formative assessment practices 

within the B-5 system that align with expectations for K-3 formative assessment initiatives; the 

development of a Kindergarten Entry Assessment that aligns with early learning and development 

standards and CCSS; and the connection of the Early Care and Education Data system to the Statewide 

Longitudinal Data system to link information about children, teachers, and programs B-5 with K-12 

data. In 2015, Rhode Island made significant progress toward supporting effective early childhood 

formative assessment practices by developing a set of training modules. These modules address the 

following topics: Using Documentation and Assessment to Support Children's Learning; Best Practices 

in Assessment in ECE; Scaffolding to develop problem-solving and self-help skills in young children; 

Supporting early learning and development through formative assessment; Observing children: 

Gathering and analyzing information to inform curriculum decision making; Portfolios: Tell the story of 

assessment and learning; Authentic Assessment in Infant & Toddler Care Settings: Review of Recent 

Research; Beyond Outcomes: How ongoing Assessment Supports Children's Learning and Leads to 

Meaningful Curriculum; Family Engagement and ongoing child assessment. The modules were aligned 

with the state's Workforce Knowledge and Competencies for Educators and with training modules 

developed for use in K-12 classrooms and will be used as a reference for future professional 

development specific to supporting the use of specific to supporting the use of the Kindergarten Entry 

Profile in development as part of the state's involvement with the North Carolina K-3 Formative 

Assessment Consortium. Professional development supports within the K-3 Consortium have not 

been finalized, but the state's plan is to ensure that all formative assessment efforts Birth through 

Grade 3 have a cohesive message. The completed modules were transferred to the Center for Early 

Learning Professionals and will be offered to the early learning community on an ongoing basis. 

Rhode Island continues to participate in the K-3 Assessment Consortium led by North Carolina. In 

2015, Rhode Island kindergarten teachers participated in spring and fall pilots of the Kindergarten 

Entry Profile. In addition, the state began the development of a Kindergarten Entry Profile 

Implementation plan. A consultant was hired to gather information from other states and from the 

kindergarten stakeholder community to inform the implementation plan which will guide the 

introduction and roll-out of the Kindergarten Entry Profile once it is finalized. Information gathered 

during district visits to recruit kindergarten teachers for the KEP pilot and information gathered via 

focus groups with kindergarten teachers to support the implementation plan identified some clear 

areas of where the alignment of expectations, policies, and practices in kindergarten and those in 

place in high-quality B-5 classrooms could be better aligned. Key areas where alignment could be 

improved included developmentally appropriate curriculum, instruction, and assessment. As a result, 

the state began exploring ways to improve alignment between B-5 and K. A first step was to compare 

the expectations within the Workforce Knowledge and Competencies for Early Childhood Teachers 

with the expectations outlined in the RI version of the Danielson Framework used with RI's educator 

evaluation system. This exercise revealed a good degree of alignment. Next, the state tested out the 

use of the Classroom Assessment and Scoring System (CLASS) K-3 with a small group (N=5) of 

kindergarten teachers to gauge whether the tool provided constructive, actionable feedback on 

teacher instructional practices. The state then conceptualized a technical assistance opportunity and 

released an RFP to select a professional development vendor to work with a small group of districts to 

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engage in professional development and technical assistance in one of two areas: transition into 

kindergarten and high-quality instruction and assessment in kindergarten classrooms. The technical 

assistance work will begin in 2016 and will likely include opportunities to address the following topics; 

understanding the RIELDS, developmentally appropriate instruction tied to standards, early childhood 

formative assessment, family engagement, and effective transition practices. The feedback from this 

initial exploration will be used to inform supports in later years focused on alignment between B-5 

and K-3. Finally, in 2015 the development of the ECEDS saw significant progress. The Workforce 

Registry component and the Program Portal were launched. This allows the state to collect basic 

information on the workforce and allows early learning programs to enter program information 

program information to enhance the information provided to families via the state data systems. The 

state data consists of program operation and quality information from three separate state agencies 

which is funneled into one early learning program search so that families have all relevant information 

in one place, regardless the type of early learning program. In order to launch the Program Portal, 

data connections were made between state agency data systems at the Departments of Education, 

Human Services, and Children, Youth, and Families, and with the state's QRIS vendor. Additionally, 

connections for program data were made within the Department of Education between ECEDS and 

the Department's Statewide Longitudinal Data System. In summary, through the support of the 

existing RTT-ELC grant, the state continues to make progress on developing an aligned Birth through 

Grade Three Continuum. 

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Section A: Part C - Competitive Preference Priorities 

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Contributing Matching Funds (if included in the State's 

approved application. 

Describe the progress the State has made on its credible plan for obtaining and using non-Federal 

matching funds to support the implementation of its ambitious and achievable plan during the grant 

period. For progress not made in this area, please describe the State's strategies to ensure that 

measurable progress will be made by the end of the grant period. Please describe any changes made 

to the data reported in Table 7(a); explain if your Year 1 Target differs from the Year 1 Actual. 

In state fiscal year 2016, Rhode Island contributed an additional $1,000,000 in state funds for a total 

Pre-K investment of $3,950,000 to support the implementation of its federal Development Grant plan. 

RI will continue to advocate for additional state funding for the Pre-K program so that all classrooms 

can be sustained when the federal funding ends. 

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Supporting the Continuum of Early Learning and 

Development (if included in the State's approved application). 

Describe progress made in creating a more seamless progression of supports and interventions from 

birth through third grade, such as high-quality infant and toddler care, home visitation, full-day 

kindergarten, and before and after care services for, at a minimum, a defined cohort of eligible children 

and their families within each high need community served by each Subgrantee. For progress not 

made in these areas, please describe the State's strategies to ensure that measurable progress will be 

made by the end of the grant period. 

Rhode Island's plan to address the goals in this section is to ensure that all enrolled Pre-K children and 

their families have access to a more seamless progression of supports and interventions. Expectations 

for Rhode Island Pre-K programs responsibilities in this area are specified in state Pre-K policies and 

within Pre-K contract language. State Pre-K policy states: Since the state Pre-K program exists within 

the state and local social support systems for RI families, Pre-K program staff are responsible for 

supporting and implementing effective transitions for children in and out of the Pre-K, provide access 

to/coordination of before and after care if needed, and engaging in community collaboration with 

social service agencies or other relevant organizations (school districts, community mental health 

providers, health centers). State Pre-K administrators are responsible for building community linkages 

and for actively coordinating Pre-K family supports with other professionals when needed. Pre-K 

contract language includes the following task: Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with 

community partners and seek resources as needed to ensure full support of children and families 

experiencing crisis and/or special health care needs and to fully include children with disabilities and/ 

or special health care needs. Pre-K monitoring is used to ensure that sub-grantees are meeting these 

expectations. Funds for state Pre-K are allocated for the educational program children attend and are 

not sufficient to maintain a high-quality educational program and directly provide access to supports 

and interventions outside the scope of general educational interventions. Instead, it is the expectation 

that programs will develop collaborative partnerships with options available in the community. 

During grant year 2015, a good deal of coordination was provided to ensure access to the following 

components: before and after school care, full day kindergarten, developmental screening and early 

childhood special education, and mental health consultation. State Pre-K policies require that all subgrantees either make before and after school care available to children enrolled in Pre-K OR develop 

collaborative partnerships with agencies to provide such care as needed by enrolled families. Each 

Pre-K sub-grantee's compliance with this requirement is reviewed as part of the state monitoring 

system. In 2015-2016 in Rhode Island, full day kindergarten was available in all but two (Cranston and 

ED 524B Page 25 of 29 
Warwick) Pre-K communities. However, a gubernatorial requirement instituted this year requires that 

districts choosing to draw down state education aid provide access to full day kindergarten beginning 

in the 2016-2017 school year. Thus, full day kindergarten will be provided in all districts and children 

currently enrolled in Pre-K will have access to a full day program in their kindergarten year. Another 

well-established collaboration within the state Pre-K program is the connection to Child Outreach 

developmental screening programs administered by the local school districts. This year, state Pre-K 

programs were required to ensure that all enrolled children were screened by October 31st, or within 

45 days of school entry for children who join the program after standard enrollment. The screening 

covers five areas: vision, hearing, speech/language, general development, and social and emotional 

development. Child Outreach screening programs use standardized screening tools and follow state 

protocols regarding re-screening, screening of English Language learners, and referral to early 

childhood special education. As of December 2015, all children enrolled in state Pre-K had completed 

screening with 221 (N=594) requiring rescreening and 66 resulting in referral to early childhood 

special education. Additionally, state staff support collaborations between Pre-K classrooms and 

district special education services to ensure that to the maximum extent possible that identified 

special education services are integrated into the child's Pre-K experience within the Pre-K classroom. 

Finally, the Department of Education began a new partnership with Bradley Hospital to conceptualize 

and implement a mental health consultation model which is fully integrated into the early care and 

education system of supports to early learning programs. This model is called SUCCESS, Supporting 

Children's Competencies in Emotional and Social Skills, and consists of intervention level services 

provided directly to children and families in early care and education settings in coordination with 

promotion and prevention level services supporting high-quality educational practices provided by 

the Center for Early Learning Professionals. State Pre-K programs were among the settings prioritized 

during the “soft launch” phase of this new system. In all, 17 children received SUCCESS services prior 

to December 2015. These services include program and classroom -level assessment, including 

conversations with program staff and children's caregivers. The data results in feedback and 

recommendations to program staff and families regarding consultation findings and leads to the 

development of collaborative action plans. Follow-up supports to integrate consultation 

recommendations, include: supporting staff to assess, plan for, and intervene with challenging 

classroom behavior, helping families get connected to community supports and services, and 

classroom- and program- level consultation to enhance the child care center's capacities to respond to 

children's social, emotional, and behavioral health needs. 

Despite these strong collaborations, the state is aware that Pre-K grantee awareness of and access to 

a comprehensive set of supports and interventions is variable and that it can be difficult to reliably 

connect families to a wider variety of services, even when they exist within the same organization. 

Consequently, the state's Expansion Grant application also included a plan to expand a referral system 

developed under its RTT-ELC grant for use by primary care providers engaged in developmental 

screening and referral of children B-3 years old. In 2015, the state contracted with a facilitator to 

support the development of a conceptual design for a comprehensive resource and referral system. A 

state planning team was identified and included staff from the Department of Education and the 

Department of Health. The planning team began by identifying the over-arching goals for the project 

and then conducting a scan of existing systems to inform the conceptual design of the system which 

will be used by state Pre-K programs. The project goals identified by the planning team were to: 

1. Develop a comprehensive services system in which early childhood educators are able to 

efficiently and effectively access and link Pre-K children and families with community-based 

services (special education, early intervention, home visiting, mental health, health and social 

services); 

2. Maximize use of technology to support access to resource information, and direct electronic 

referrals to select services where possible. 

In order to accomplish these goals the planning team defined the scope of the work to include: 

ED 524B Page 26 of 29 
Developing a needs assessment tool for administrators to use to assess family needs;

Mapping out a process for needs assessment, resource identification, referral (hard and soft) to 

services, and referral documentation and follow-up. 

Enhancing (if funding allows) and utilizing an existing comprehensive online resource directory for 

resource identification. 

If funding allows, enhancing the HEALTH Directory referral tool for use by administrators to make 

hard referrals to home visiting, MH/Project Success, and Child Outreach. 

Piloting the system and supporting technology within state-funded Pre-K programs. 

Evaluating the pilot 

As of December 2015, the existing resource and referral tools reviewed by the planning team included 

United Way 211, the Rhode Island Resource Hub, the HEALTH Directory, and the Economic Progress 

Institute's Online Guide. The planning team identified United Way 211 as the existing online resource 

directory which was the most comprehensive as it pertained to the identification of existing resources 

and supports. However, the United Way 211 system is solely a directory and does not include the 

capacity for direct electronic referrals. In order to enable Pre-K grantees to make direct electronic 

referrals to prioritized interventions such as evidence-based home visiting, mental health 

consultation, and developmental screening, the HEALTH Directory was identified as an option with 

the functionality to achieve the desired outcome. In addition, several needs assessments were 

identified as resources to refer to when developing the Pre-K needs assessment. Work to continue to 

develop and pilot the system will continue in grant year 2016. The next immediate step will be to 

meet with Pre-K program administrators to review the conceptual design and solicit their feedback 

and input before moving forward. 

Competitive Preference Priority 3: Creating New High Quality State Preschool Slots (if included 

in the State's approved application). 

Describe progress made in using at least 50% of the State's federal grant award to create new State 

Preschool Program slots that will increase the overall number of new slots in State Preschool 

Programs that meet the definition of High-Quality Preschool Programs. For progress not made in this 

area, please describe the State's strategies to ensure that measurable progress will be made by the 

end of the grant period. 

Rhode Island's existing state Pre-K program meets the definition of High-Quality Preschool Program. 

Thus, 100% of the federal grant award has been used to increase the overall number of new Pre-K 

slots in the state. The state investment in state fiscal year 2016 was $3,950,000, an increase of 

$1,000,000 from fiscal year 2015. Without federal Expansion grant funds, Rhode Island would have 

had the capacity to enroll up to 334 children. Instead, in school year 2015-2016, there are 33 

classrooms serving 594 children. 

ED 524B Page 27 of 29 
Section B: Budget Information 

Budget and Sustainability (Section G in the application) 

1. Please provide a brief explanation of any discrepancies between the State's approved budget and 

its total expenditures for the reporting year. Explain carry-over funds that have not been expended or 

obligated from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. 

RI's funding of preschool classrooms is aligned with the state fiscal year/school year rather than the 

calendar year. The first grant cycle began July 1, 2015 and will end June 30, 2016. Since state funds 

do not carry over from one fiscal year to the next, RIDE has been using the state funds first to 

reimburse grantees. Therefore, actual expenditures through 12/31/2015 are less than the initial 

budget. The unspent budget from Year 1 has been shifted to Year 2. RIDE anticipates that most Year 

1 funds will be expended by June 30, 2016; though there may be some carryover funds as a result of 

some of the contracted work starting later than initially anticipated. However, all Year One PEG funds 

have been encumbered. 

2. Please describe any substantive changes that you anticipate to the State's Preschool Development 

Grant budget in the upcoming fiscal year (January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016). 

Unspent funds from the 2015 allocation will be reflected in the Year 2 budget. As a result of funding 

being awarded based on the state fiscal year/school year, the six month lag in expenditures will 

continue into year 2. Awards for classrooms being funded with the 2016 allocation will begin July 1, 

2016. There are no substantive changes to the scope of the project. 

ED 524B Page 28 of 29 
 

 

3. Describe the State's progress on its plan for sustainability at the end of the grant period to ensure 

that the number and percentage of Eligible Children with access to High-Quality Preschool Programs 

in the State will be maintained or expanded, including to additional High-Need Communities. 

RI has steadily increased its state investment in Pre-K programs over the last few years, adding 

approximately $1.0 million/year for a total investment of $3,950,000 in state fiscal year 2016. RIDE 

will continue to request and advocate for increases in funding to support the state match for the PDG. 

In the final year of the grant, the state investment is anticipated to be $7,360,000, which would allow 

the state to sustain approximately 40 Pre-K classrooms. However, RIDE intends to request and 

advocate for further funding to be able to sustain all classrooms. The total post-PDG state investment 

is projected to be $12,000,000. 

4. Please provide a brief explanation of any discrepancies, if any, between the Subrecipients' 

approved budgets and their total expenditures for the reporting year. Explain carry-over funds that 

have not been expended or obligated from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. 

RI's funding of preschool classrooms is aligned with the state fiscal year/school year rather than the 

calendar year. The first grant cycle began July 1, 2015 and will end June 30, 2016. Therefore, actual 

expenditures through 12/31/2015 are less than the initial budget. All sub-grantee funds are 

encumbered and RIDE anticipates that all funds will be expended by June 30, 2016. 

ED 524B Page 29 of 29