Preschool Development Grants Competition

Expansion Grants

(84.419B)

State Applicants Technical Assistance Webinar

August 26, 2014

 

U.S. Department of Education

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
Session Outcomes

Applicants will better understand:

• The content of the application including:

▫ selection criteria, priorities, requirements, and definitions

• How to develop the budget section

• The reviewer guidelines for scoring applications

• How to submit an application

Review these types of questions:

• Technical

• Clarifying

• Logistical

2
Presenters

• Libby Doggett, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Early Learning, OESE, ED

• Linda Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison for Early Childhood 

Development, ACF, HHS

• Steven Hicks, Senior Policy Advisor, OESE, ED

• Richard Gonzales, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Assistant Secretary, ACF, HHS

• Chrisanne Gayl, Senior Policy Advisor, OPEPD, ED

Supporting the presenters—

• Jane Hess, Office of the General Counsel, ED

• Shaw Vanze, Office of the General Counsel, ED

• Rebecca Marek, Office of Early Learning, OESE, ED

• Miriam Lund, Office of Early Learning, OESE, ED

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Housekeeping

• You should have downloaded and read the application, Executive 

Summary, Notice Inviting Applications, and FAQs.

• During the presentation all phone lines will be placed on mute to avoid 

feedback during the presentation. 

• Please use the “Chat” feature to submit questions which we will answer 

at the end of today’s presentation. 

• Additional questions may be submitted to 

PreschoolDevelopmentGrants.Competition@ed.gov

• The slides, transcript and recording from today’s presentation will be 

posted at the Preschool Development Grants Web site at: 

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/preschooldevelopmentgrants/resources.h

tml

• REGISTER EARLY at Grants.gov

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Agenda

• Big Picture Overview

• Developing a Quality Application

• Selection Criteria

• Other Considerations

 Competitive Preference Priorities 1, 2, and 3

 Application Requirements

 Program Requirements

• Next Steps

• Contact Information

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Expansion Grants

• $160M

• Award range: $10M-$35M/year ($40M-$140M/ 4 years)

• Eligibility:

▫ Currently serves 10% or more of four-year olds in State Preschool 

Programs or

▫ Have received an RTT-ELC grant

• Number of States eligible: 36

▫ Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of 

Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, 

Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New 

Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, 

Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, 

Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin 

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Application Requirements

• Signatures of Governor/Lead Agency

• Letter of Support from SAC

• Complete Excel spreadsheets

• Provide ambitious and achievable 

plans

Program Requirements:

• Continued participation in early 

childhood programs

• Technical Assistance and Evaluation

• Make work available

• Longitudinal data system linked

• Collaborate with Special Needs Prog.

• Scopes of work

• Letter of Support/binding agreement

Overview of the Notice

Applications will be evaluated based on:

Selection Criteria A-G

Priorities:

• Absolute 1: Increasing Access to HighQuality Preschool Programs in HighNeed Communities

• Absolute 2: RTT-ELC States

• Absolute 3: Non-RTT-ELC States

• Competitive 1: Contributing Matching 

Funds

• Competitive 2: Supporting a 

Continuum of Early Learning and 

Development

• Competitive 3: Creating New HighQuality State Preschool Program Slots

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Defined Terms

Defined Terms are found throughout the Notice Inviting 

Application and Application and are indicated by 

capitalization. 

Some defined terms we will highlight are:

• Early Learning Provider

• Eligible Children

• Eligible Children with Disabilities

• High-Need Community

• High-Quality Preschool Programs

• Subgrantee
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Developing a Quality Application

• Address Absolute Priority 1 throughout

• Commitment to State Preschool Programs 

• Provide ambitious and achievable plans

• Complete the Excel spreadsheets and tables

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Absolute Priority 1

Increasing Access to High-Quality Preschool Programs in High-Need 

Communities

To meet this priority, the State must demonstrate in its application how it will 

increase access to High-Quality Preschool Programs for Eligible Children by having 

an ambitious and achievable plan to--

1) Begin serving Eligible Children no later than in year one of the grant period;

2) Subgrant at least 95 percent of its Federal grant funds received over the 

grant period to one or more Subgrantees to implement and sustain 

voluntary, High-Quality Preschool Programs for Eligible Children in two or 

more High-Need Communities in the State; and

3) Use no more than five percent of its Federal grant funds received during the 

grant period for State-level infrastructure and quality improvements, such as 

those described in selection criterion (C)(1).

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Ambitious and Achievable Plan

The State must provide, for each selection criterion or priority in this notice that 

solicits an ambitious and achievable plan, a description of the following elements, at a 

minimum—

1) The key goals of the plan;

2) The key activities to be undertaken; the rationale for the activities; and, if 

applicable, where in the State the activities will be initially implemented, and 

where and how they will be scaled up over time;

3) A realistic timeline, including key milestones, for implementing each key activity;

4) The party or parties responsible for implementing each activity and other key 

personnel assigned to each activity;

5) Appropriate financial resources to support successful implementation and 

sustainment of the plan;

 
Ambitious and Achievable Plan (cont.) 

6) The information requested as supporting evidence, if any, together with any 

additional information the State believes will be helpful to peer reviewers in 

judging the credibility of the plan;

7) The information requested in the performance measures, where applicable; and

8) How the State will address the needs of Eligible Children, including those who 

may be in need of additional supports, such as children who have disabilities or 

developmental delays; who are English learners; who reside on “Indian lands” as 

that term is defined by section 8013(7) of the Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) (ESEA); who are 

migrant; who are “homeless,” as defined in subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento 

Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §11434a(2)) (McKinney-Vento Act); whose 

families are involved in the child welfare system; who reside in rural areas; who 

are from military families; and other children as identified by the State, if 

applicable.

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Absolute Priority 2

Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge States

• To meet this priority, an applicant must have received an 

award under a Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge 

competition.

Note: These States are California, Colorado, Delaware, 

Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, 

Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, 

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and 

Wisconsin. 

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Absolute Priority 3

Non-Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge States with 

More Robust State Preschool Programs

• To meet this priority, the applicant must not have received an 

award under a Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge 

competition and serve 10 percent or more of four-year-old 

children in a State Preschool Program. 

Note: These States are Arkansas, Connecticut, District of 

Columbia, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, 

New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, 

Virginia, and West Virginia. 

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Excel Spreadsheets

• There are 5 tables to fill out in the Preschool Development Grants –

Development Grant Application

• Table A 

• Table B

• Competitive Preference Priority 1

• Selection Criterion (D)(4)

• Budget Table (commonly referred to as the OMB SF 524B) – modified

• An Example of Table A completed

• We include tables in the application for two reasons:

• Clarify to applicants what data they need to provide

• Assist reviewers

• Don’t feel constrained by the tables, provide the requested information but also 

 feel free to provide additional information that is helpful

• Tables aren’t everything – Remember to write a strong narrative and refer back 

 to the criterion to make sure you are fully addressing it.
Table A

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Absolute Priority 1 – Table A

Expansion Grants

PART I. Absolute Priority 1 Instructions: For each year, please fill out the expected Federal PDG Funds for 1A,1C, and 1D. Nothing else should be filled out in this section. The other 

cells will self-populate with information; those should not be modified.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Cumulative $ %

Allocation of Federal PDG Funds $ % Funds $ % Funds $ % Funds $ % Funds

1A: State-Level Infrastructure $0

1B: High-Quality Preschool Programs $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

 1C: New Preschool Slots $0

 1D: Improved Preschool Slots $0

Total Federal Funds $0 0% $0 0% $0 0% $0 0% $0

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Selection Criteria
Scoring Information

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A. Executive Summary (10 points)

B. Commitment to State Preschool Programs (20 points)

C. Ensuring Quality in Preschool Programs (30 points)

D. Expanding High-Quality Preschool Programs in Each High-Need Community (60 points)

E. Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong Partnerships (50 points)

F. Alignment within a Birth Through Third Grade Continuum (20 points)

G. Budget and Sustainability (10 points)

Total Points Available for Selection Criteria (200 points)

Competitive Priority 1: Contributing Matching Funds (10 points)

Competitive Priority 2: Supporting a Continuum of Early Learning and Development (10 points)

Competitive Priority 3: Creating New High-Quality State Preschool Program Slots (0 to 10 points)

Total for All Priorities (30 points)

Grand Total 230 points
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Scoring Rubric

Percentage of Available 

Points Awarded

High-quality response 80-100%

Medium/high-quality 

response

50-80%

Medium/low-quality 

response

20-50%

Low-quality response 0-20%
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How the Pieces Fit Together

The Parts to Respond to:

• For each criterion, there are two parts

• Narrative: All selection criteria include a narrative section. This is 

where you write your response to the criterion. 

• Evidence: Some selection criteria require specific information 

requested as supporting evidence. States may also include any 

additional information the State believes will be helpful to peer 

reviewers in judging the State’s plan

• Tables: The tables provide applicants with a framework for 

presenting information in a consistent way. Some of the tables ask 

applicants to set targets around key outcomes you expect to achieve 

during the grant. 
Selection Criterion A 

Executive Summary (10 points)

The extent to which the State includes an ambitious and achievable 

plan for expanding access to High-Quality Preschool Programs that 

clearly articulates how the plans proposed under each criterion in this 

section, when taken together, will--

(1) Build on the State’s progress to date as demonstrated in selection 

criterion (B);

(2) Provide voluntary, High-Quality Preschool Programs for Eligible 

Children through subgrants to each Subgrantee in two or more HighNeed Communities;

(3) Increase the number and percentage of Eligible Children served 

in High-Quality Preschool Programs during each year of the grant 

period through the creation of new, and the improvement of existing 

State Preschool Program slots, as applicable;

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FAQ C-4
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High-Quality Preschool Program

means an early learning program that includes structural elements that are evidence-based and nationally 

recognized as important for ensuring program quality, including at a minimum--

a) 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; 

b) High-quality professional development for all staff; 

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

d) 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;

e) A Full-Day program;

f) Inclusion of children with disabilities to ensure access to and full participation in all opportunities;

g) 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; 

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

learning activities; 

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

j) Program evaluation to ensure continuous improvement; 

k) 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

l) Evidence-based health and safety standards.
Selection Criterion A

Executive Summary (cont.)

(4) Have all the characteristics specified in the 

definition of High-Quality Preschool Programs; 

(5) Set expectations for the school readiness of 

children upon kindergarten entry; 

(6) Be supported by a broad group of stakeholders, 

including Early Learning Intermediary Organizations 

and, if applicable, State and local early learning 

councils; and

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Selection Criterion A

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Executive Summary (cont.)

(7) Allocate funds between—

(a) Activities to build or enhance State Preschool Program infrastructure using no more 

than five percent of its Federal grant funds received over the grant period on State-level 

infrastructure including, but not limited to, monitoring and evaluation and other qualityenhancing activities that improve the delivery of High-Quality Preschool Programs to 

Eligible Children; and 

(b) Subgrants to Early Learning Providers to implement voluntary, High-Quality Preschool 

Programs for Eligible Children in two or more High-Need Communities, including how it 

will—

(i) Provide High-Quality Preschool Programs to Eligible Children no later than the end 

of year one of the grant period; 

(ii) Subgrant at least 95 percent of its Federal grant funds to its Subgrantee or 

Subgrantees over the grant period; and

(iii) Support each Subgrantee in culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach and 

communication efforts in order to ensure that all families, including those who are 

isolated or otherwise hard to reach, are informed of the opportunity and encouraged 

to enroll their children in available programs.
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Eligible Children

means four-year-old children from 

families whose income is at or below 

200 percent of the Federal Poverty 

Line.
28

Subgrantee

means an Early Learning Provider serving 

at least one High-Need Community that is 

receiving a subgrant from the State, and is 

participating in the State’s ambitious and 

achievable plan.
29

Early Learning Provider

means an entity that carries out an early childhood 

education program, including an LEA, charter school, 

educational service agency, Head Start program, 

licensed child care provider, municipality or other local 

government agency, tribe or Indian organization, 

institution of higher education, library, museum, or other 

eligible licensed provider as defined by the State, or a 

consortium thereof.
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Selection Criterion A - Evidence

Evidence for selection criterion (A): 

• (A)(3) and (A)(7) Information contained in Table A for the number of Eligible 

Children to be served each year of the grant and the number and percentage of 

State Preschool Program slots (See Table A in the Excel Spreadsheets).

• (A)(4) Documentation of the structural elements in the definition of High-Quality 

Preschool Program.

• (A)(5) Set of expectations for school readiness.

• (A)(6) Letters of support from stakeholders, including Early Learning Intermediary 

 Organizations and, if applicable, State and local early learning councils. 

• Any other supporting evidence the State believes will be helpful to peer 

reviewers.
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Excel Spreadsheet (Table A)

$0

0 0 0 0

3J: Total % Eligible Children Served With 

New and Improved Slots

3K: Total Children Served

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

3A: Total Eligible Children

3B: Eligible Children Served in New 

Preschool Slots

 3C: PPE/Slot

3D: Estimated Cost (Rounded)

3E: % Eligible Children Served in New 

Preschool Slots

3F: Eligible Children Served in 

Improved Preschool Slots

Instructions: For each year, please fill out 3A,3B,3C and 3F,3G. The other cells will self-populate with information; those should not be 

modified.

$0 $0 $0 $0

Cumulative

 3G: PPE/Slot

$0 $0 $0 $0

3H: Estimated Cost (Rounded) $0

3I: % Eligible Children Served in Improved 

Preschool Slots

PART III. Selection Criterion (D) (4)
Selection Criterion B 

Commitment to State Preschool Programs (20 points) 

The extent to which the State has demonstrated its commitment to 

develop or enhance the State Preschool Program infrastructure and its 

capacity to both deliver and increase access to High-Quality Preschool 

Programs for Eligible Children and their families, as evidenced by—

(1) State Early Learning and Development Standards (2 points);

(2) The State’s financial investment, if any, and the estimated number 

and percentage of children, including, if known, the estimated number 

and percentage of Eligible Children, served in State Preschool 

Programs over the last four years (6 points); 

(3) Enacted and pending legislation, policies, or practices that 

demonstrate the State’s current and future commitment to increasing 

access to High-Quality Preschool Programs for Eligible Children (4 

points); 

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Selection Criterion B

Commitment to State Preschool Programs

(4) The quality of existing State Preschool Programs, as evidenced by policies and program 

data that demonstrate the State’s commitment to the components of a High-Quality Preschool 

Program; compliance with Program Standards; and support for program monitoring and 

improvement, which may be accomplished through the use of a TQRIS (4 points); 

(5) The State’s coordination of preschool programs and services, in partnership with its Early 

Learning Advisory Council, with other State and Federal resources that may be used to serve 

preschool-aged children, including, if applicable, programs and services supported by title I of 

the ESEA, part C and section 619 of part B of IDEA, subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act, 

the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), and the Child Care and Development Block Grant 

Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) (2 points); and 

(6) The State's role in promoting coordination of preschool programs and services at the State 

and local levels with other sectors that support the early learning and development of children, 

including child health, mental health, family support, nutrition, child welfare, and adult education 

and training sectors (2 points). 

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Selection Criterion B - Evidence

Commitment to State Preschool Programs 

Evidence for selection criterion (B): 

• (B)(1) Executive summary or brief description of the State’s Early Learning 

and Development Standards, including how the definition is met.

• (B)(2) Completed Table B that describes the State’s financial investment 

and number of children served in State Preschool Programs (See Table B in 

the Excel spreadsheets).

• (B)(3) Evidence of enacted and pending legislation, policies, or practices.

• Any other supporting evidence the State believes will be helpful to peer 

reviewers.
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# % # %

2013

2012

2011

2010

6: Four-Year Olds Served in 

the State Preschool 

Program

7: Four-Year Olds at or 

below 200% FPL Served in 

the State Preschool 

Program

Table B

State 

Fiscal 

Year

1:State 

Funding

2: Local 

Funding

3: Philanthropic 

/Private Funding 

(if applicable)

4: Number of 

Four-Year Old 

Children

5: Number of 

Four-Year Olds 

at or below 

200% FPL

Excel Spreadsheet (Table B)
Selection Criterion C

Ensuring Quality in Preschool Programs (30 points)

The extent to which the State has an ambitious and achievable plan to ensure 

program quality, including a description of how the State will (8 points)--

(1) Use no more than five percent of the funds received over the grant period 

for State Preschool Program infrastructure and quality improvements at the 

State level through activities such as--

(a) Enhancing or expanding Early Learning and Development 

Standards;

(b) Implementing Program Standards consistent with a High-Quality 

Preschool Program; 

(c) Supporting programs in meeting the needs of children with disabilities 

and English learners, including in workforce development;

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Selection Criterion C

Ensuring Quality in Preschool Programs (cont.)

(d) Conducting a needs assessment to determine the current 

availability of High-Quality Preschool Programs, including private and 

faith-based providers and Head Start programs;

(e) Establishing or upgrading preschool teacher education and 

licensure requirements;

(f) Improving teacher and administrator early education training 

programs and professional development;

(g) Implementing a Statewide Longitudinal Data System to link 

preschool and elementary and secondary school data;

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Selection Criterion C

Ensuring Quality in Preschool Programs (cont.)

(h) Implementing a Comprehensive Early Learning Assessment System;

(i) Building preschool programs’ capacity to engage parents in decisions about 

their children’s education and development, help families build protective 

factors, and help parents support their children’s learning at home;

(j) Building State- and community-level support for High-Quality Preschool 

Programs through systemic linkages to other early learning programs and 

resources to support families, such as child health, mental health, family 

support, nutrition, child welfare, and adult education and training sectors; and

(k) Other activities that would support the delivery of High-Quality Preschool 

Programs to Eligible Children. 

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Selection Criterion C

Ensuring Quality in Preschool Programs (cont.)

(2) Implement a system for monitoring and supporting continuous improvement for 

each Subgrantee to ensure that each Subgrantee is providing High-Quality 

Preschool Programs (which may be accomplished through the use of 

leveraging a TQRIS and other existing monitoring systems), including the 

extent to which the State (10 points)--

(a) Has the capacity to measure preschool quality, including parent 

satisfaction measures, and provide performance feedback to inform and 

drive State and local continuous program improvement efforts;

(b) Is using a Statewide Longitudinal Data System that is able to track student 

progress from preschool through third grade; and

(c) Clearly specifies the measureable outcomes, including school readiness, 

to be achieved by the program.

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Selection Criterion C

Ensuring Quality in Preschool Programs (cont.)

(3) Measure the outcomes of participating children across the five 

Essential Domains of School Readiness during the first few 

months of their admission into kindergarten using an assessment 

or assessments, such as a Kindergarten Entry Assessment, to 

achieve the purposes for which the assessment was developed 

and that conform with the recommendations of the National 

Research Council report on early childhood assessments (12 

points).

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Selection Criterion C - Evidence

• (C)(2)(a) Evidence of a monitoring protocol used to 

drive continuous program improvement.

• (C)(2)(c) Evidence of State targets with measurable 

outcomes, including school readiness achieved by the 

program. 

• Any other supporting evidence the State believes will 

be helpful to peer reviewers.

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Selection Criterion D

Expanding High-Quality Preschool Programs in Each HighNeed Community (60 points)

The extent to which the State articulates an ambitious and achievable 

plan for expanding High-Quality Preschool Programs in two or more 

High-Need Communities, including a description of how—

(1) The State has selected each Subgrantee and each High-Need 

Community that will be served, including a description of each 

High-Need Community and its geographic diversity, such as 

whether the community is located in a rural or tribal area, and 

whether it is located in a federally designated Promise Zone (8 

or 6 points).

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High-Need Community

means a geographically defined area, such 

as a city, town, county, neighborhood, 

district, rural or tribal area, or consortium 

thereof, with a high level of need as 

determined by the State.
Selection Criterion D

Expanding High-Quality Preschool Programs in Each HighNeed Community (cont.)

(2) Each High-Need Community is currently underserved, 

including the number and percentage of four-year-olds in 

State Preschool Programs and other publically funded 

preschool programs (8 points). 

(3) The State conducted outreach, including consultation 

with tribes, if applicable, to potential Subgrantees and the 

process used in selecting each Subgrantee (4 points). 

44
Selection Criterion D

Expanding High-Quality Preschool Programs in Each HighNeed Community (cont.)

(4) The State will subgrant at least 95 percent of its Federal grant 

award over the grant period to its Subgrantee or Subgrantees to 

implement and sustain voluntary, High-Quality Preschool Programs 

in two or more High-Need Communities, and—

(a) Set ambitious and achievable annual targets for the number and 

percentage of additional Eligible Children to be served during 

each year of the grant period (16 points); and

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Selection Criterion D

(b) Incorporate in its plan (12 points): 

(i) Ambitious expansion of the number of new slots in State 

Preschool Programs that meet the definition of High-Quality 

Preschool Program; and 

(ii) Ambitious improvement of existing State Preschool Program slots 

to bring them to the level of a High-Quality Preschool Program by 

extending programs from half-day to Full-Day; limiting class size and 

decreasing child to staff ratios; employing and compensating a 

teacher with a bachelor’s degree; providing in-service, evidencebased professional development such as coaching; or providing 

Comprehensive Services. 

Note: Applicants may receive up to the full 12 points if they address 

only (D)(4)(b)(i) or (b)(ii) or if they address both (D)(4)(b)(i) and (b)(ii).

46

E-1, E-2
Selection Criterion D

Expanding High-Quality Preschool Programs in 

Each High-Need Community (cont.)

(5) The State, in coordination with each Subgrantee, 

intends to sustain High-Quality Preschool Programs 

after the grant period, including any non-Federal 

support that the State or each Subgrantee commits 

to contribute (12 points).

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Selection Criterion D - Evidence

• A letter of support or preliminary binding 

agreement, such as a preliminary MOU, from each 

identified Subgrantee attesting to the Subgrantee’s 

participation.

• Table (D)(4) and Table A (See Tables (D)(4) and A 

in the Excel spreadsheets). 

• Any other supporting evidence the State believes 

will be helpful to peer reviewers.
Table (D)(4)

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50

Table A - PART III
51

5 Minute Break
52

Let’s discuss a few questions...
Selection Criterion E

Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong 

Partnerships (50 points)

The extent to which the State has an ambitious and achievable plan to ensure 

that each Subgrantee is effectively implementing High-Quality Preschool 

Programs, including a description of—

(1) The roles and responsibilities of the State and Subgrantee in implementing 

the project plan (2 points).

(2) How the State plans to implement High-Quality Preschool Programs, 

including the organizational capacity and existing infrastructure of the 

Subgrantee to provide High-Quality Preschool Programs, either directly or 

indirectly through an Early Learning Provider or Providers, and coordinate 

the delivery of High-Quality Preschool Programs (6 points).

53
Selection Criterion E

Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong 

Partnerships (cont.)

(3) How the State will ensure that each Subgrantee minimizes local 

administrative costs (2 points).

(4) How the State and Subgrantee will monitor the Early Learning Providers 

to ensure they are delivering High-Quality Preschool Programs (4 

points). 

(5) How the State and the Subgrantee will coordinate plans related to 

assessments, data sharing, instructional tools, family engagement, 

cross-sector and comprehensive services efforts, professional 

development, and workforce and leadership development (4 points). 

54
Selection Criterion E

Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong 

Partnerships (cont.)

(6) How the State and Subgrantee will coordinate, but not supplant, the 

delivery of High-Quality Preschool Programs funded under this grant 

with existing services for preschool-aged children including, if applicable, 

State Preschool Programs and programs and services supported 

through title I of the ESEA, part C and section 619 of part B of IDEA, 

subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act, the Head Start Act, and the 

Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (6 points). 

(7) How the Subgrantee will integrate, to the extent practicable, High-Quality 

Preschool Programs for Eligible Children within economically diverse, 

inclusive settings, including those that serve children from families with 

incomes above 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Line (6 points). 

55
Selection Criterion E

Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong 

Partnerships (cont.)

(8) How the Subgrantee will deliver High-Quality Preschool Programs to Eligible 

Children, including Eligible Children who may be in need of additional supports, 

such as those who have disabilities or developmental delays; who are English 

learners; who reside on "Indian lands" as that term is defined by section 8013(7) 

of the ESEA; who are migrant; who are “homeless,” as defined in subtitle VII-B of 

the McKinney-Vento Act; who are in the child welfare system; who reside in rural 

or tribal areas; who are from military families; and other children as identified by 

the State (6 points).

(9) How the State will ensure the Subgrantee implements culturally and linguistically 

responsive outreach and communication efforts to enroll children from families 

with Eligible Children, including isolated or hard-to-reach families; helps families 

build protective factors; and engages parents and families (e.g., builds capacity 

to support children's learning and development) as decision-makers in their 

children's education (4 points). 

56
Selection Criterion E

Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong 

Partnerships (cont.)

(10) How the State will ensure strong partnerships between each Subgrantee and LEAs or 

other Early Learning Providers, as appropriate, including a description of how the State will 

ensure that each Subgrantee (10 points) –

(a) Partners with LEAs or other Early Learning Providers, as appropriate, to carry out 

activities that provide children and their families with successful transitions from 

preschool into kindergarten; and 

(b) Coordinates and collaborates with LEAs or other Early Learning Providers, as 

appropriate, in--

(i) Providing opportunities for early educators to participate in professional 

development on early learning and kindergarten standards, assessments, 

curricula, and culturally and linguistically responsive strategies to help families 

build protective factors, build parents’ capacity to support their children’s learning 

and development, and engage parents as decision-makers in their children’s 

education; 

57
Selection Criterion E

Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong 

Partnerships (cont.)

(ii) Providing family engagement, support, nutrition, and other Comprehensive 

Services and coordinating with other community partners to ensure families’ access 

to needed supports; 

(iii) Supporting full inclusion of Eligible Children with disabilities and developmental 

delays to ensure access to and full participation in the High-Quality Preschool 

Program; 

(iv) Supporting the inclusion of children who may be in need of additional supports, 

such as children who are English learners; who reside on "Indian lands" as that 

term is defined by section 8013(7) of the ESEA; who are migrant; who are 

"homeless," as defined in subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act; who are in the 

child welfare system; who reside in rural areas; who are from military families; and 

other children as identified by the State; 

58
Selection Criterion E

Collaborating with Each Subgrantee and Ensuring Strong 

Partnerships (cont.)

(v) Ensuring that High-Quality Preschool Programs have age-appropriate 

facilities to meet the needs of Eligible Children; 

(vi) Developing and implementing a systematic procedure for sharing data 

and other records consistent with Federal and State law; and

(vii) Utilizing community-based learning resources, such as libraries, arts 

and arts education programs, and family literacy programs.

59
60

Selection Criterion E - Evidence

• Any supporting evidence the State believes 

will be helpful to peer reviewers.
Selection Criterion F

Alignment within a Birth through Third Grade Continuum (20 

points)

The extent to which the State has an ambitious and achievable plan to align High-Quality 

Preschool Programs supported by this grant with programs and systems that serve children 

from birth through third grade to, among other things, improve transitions for children across 

this continuum.

(1) For birth through age-five programs, these activities include—

(a) Coordinating with other early education and care programs and child care family service 

providers supported through Federal, State, and local resources to build a strong 

continuum of learning for children from birth through age five and their families that 

expands families’ choices, facilitates or improves their access to programs and supports in 

their own communities, and engages all families with Eligible Children, including isolated or 

hard-to-reach families that might not otherwise participate; and

(b) Ensuring that the provision of High-Quality Preschool Programs will not lead to a 

diminution of other services or increased cost to families for programs serving children from 

birth through age five; and 

61
Selection Criterion F

Alignment within a Birth through Third Grade Continuum

(2) For kindergarten through third grade, these activities may include—

(a) Ensuring that Eligible Children are well-prepared for kindergarten; 

(b) Sustaining the educational and developmental gains of Eligible Children by—

(i) Promoting collaboration between preschool and kindergarten teachers; 

(ii) Expanding access to Full-Day kindergarten; and

(iii) Increasing the percentage of children who are able to read and do math at grade 

 level by the end of third grade; and

(c) Sustaining a high level of parent and family engagement as children move from High- 

 Quality Preschool Programs into the early elementary school years; 

(d) Taking steps, or building upon the steps it has taken, to align, at a minimum--

(i) Child learning standards and expectations;

(ii) Teacher preparation, credentials, and workforce competencies;

(iii) Comprehensive Early Learning Assessment Systems; 

(iv) Data systems; and

(v) Family engagement strategies.

62
63

Selection Criterion F - Evidence

• Any supporting evidence the State 

believes will be helpful to peer 

reviewers.
Selection Criterion G

Budget and Sustainability (10 points)

The extent to which the budget narrative and budget tables demonstrate that 

the State will—

(1)Use the funds from this grant and any matching contributions to serve the 

number of children described in its ambitious and achievable plan for each 

year, including using the funds for the projected per child costs for new and 

improved State Preschool Program slots that are reasonable and sufficient, and 

that the projected per child costs for new and improved State Preschool 

Program slots are reasonable and sufficient to ensure High-Quality Preschool 

Programs;

64
Selection Criteria G

Budget and Sustainability (cont.)

(2) Coordinate the use of existing funds from Federal sources that 

support early learning and development, such as title I of the 

ESEA, part C and section 619 of part B of IDEA, subtitle VII-B of 

the McKinney-Vento Act, the Head Start Act, and the Child Care 

and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, and State, private, 

local, foundation, or other private funding sources for activities 

and services that help expand High-Quality Preschool Programs; 

and 

(3) Sustain the High-Quality Preschool Programs supported by this 

grant after the grant period ends 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.

65
66

Selection Criterion G - Evidence

• Budget narrative and budget tables.

• Any other supporting evidence the State 

believes will be helpful to peer reviewers.
67

Budget Tables and Narratives

• Adequate to support the activities described in 

the State’s plan

• Includes costs that are reasonable and 

necessary 

• Details the amount of funds budgeted for 

Subgrantees or other partners, and the 

specific activities to be implemented
68

Included in State’s Budget:

• Budget Summaries

• Overall budget summary information by budget category, Subgrantee, 

and project 

• Budget Table I - Budget Summary by Budget Category

• Budget Narrative

• Describe the overall structure of the State’s budget, including for each 

project:

• The designation of the selection criterion or competitive 

preference priority the project addresses;

• An explanation of how the project will be organized and 

managed; and 

• Any information pertinent to understanding the proposed budget 

for each project. 
Overall Statewide Budget

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Budget Categories

Grant Year 1 

(a)

Grant Year 2 

(b)

Grant Year 3 

(c) 

Grant Year 4 

(d)

Total 

(e)

1. Personnel $ - 

2. Fringe Benefits $ - 

3. Travel $ - 

4. Equipment $ - 

5. Supplies $ - 

6. Contractual $ - 

7. Training Stipends $ - 

8. Other $ - 

9. Total Direct Costs (add lines 1-8) $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - 

10. Indirect Costs* $ - 

 11. Funds to be distributed to 

Subgrantees $ - 

12. Funds set aside for participation in 

grantee technical assistance $ - 

13. Total Grant Funds Requested 

(add lines 9-12) $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - 

14. Funds from other sources used to 

support the State's plan $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - 

15. Total Statewide Budget (add 

lines 13-14) $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - 

OVERALL STATEWIDE BUDGET

Budget Table I-1: Budget Summary by Budget Category

(Evidence for selection criterion (G))
Other Considerations

70
Competitive Preference Priority 1

Contributing Matching Funds 

To receive a competitive preference under this priority, 

the State must describe and submit appropriate 

evidence of a credible plan for obtaining and using 

non-Federal matching funds to support the 

implementation of its ambitious and achievable plan 

during the grant period. Matching funds may be 

comprised of State, local, and philanthropic funds and 

may also include increased State funding appropriated 

beginning in the State fiscal year prior to the first year 

of the grant period. Points will be awarded based on 

the following scale if the plan is determined to be 

credible:

Percentage 

non-Federal 

match of 

the State’s 

four-year 

total award

Competitive 

preference 

points

50% or more 10

40-49% 8

30-39% 6

20-29% 4

10-19% 2

0-9% 0

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FAQ F
72

Competitive Preference Table

Types of Match FY 2014 

Investment

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 TOTAL

State 0

Local 0

Philanthropic 0

Other 0

Overall Match 0 0 0 0 0 0

Matches Amount 

from Master 

Table

Correct Correct Correct Correct Correct Correct

Competitive Priority 1 Table
73

Table A

PART II. Competitive Priority 1

Instructions: For each year, fill out the expected Matching Funds for 2A, 2C, 2D. Also, provide the State Matching Funds for 

2013-2014 Fiscal Year at the bottom of this section. The other cells will self-populate with information; those should not be 

modified.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Cumulative $ %

Allocation of Matching Funds $ % Funds $ % Funds $ % Funds $ % Funds

2A: State-Level Infrastructure $0

2B: High-Quality Preschool Programs $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

 2C: New Preschool Slots $0

 2D: Improved Preschool Slots $0

Total Year 1-4 Matching Funds $0 0% $0 0% $0 0% $0 0% $0

Type of State 

Match

$ from State Fiscal 

Year 2014 $ from Year 1 $ from Year 2 $ from Year 3 $ from Year 4

Overall 

Matching 

Funds

Match %

2E: State 

Matching Funds 

(if applicable)

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0

2F: Total Funds for State-Level 

Infrastructure $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

2G: Total Funds for High-Quality 

Preschool Programs $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

2H: Total Funds for New Preschool 

Slots $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

2I: Total Funds for Improved Preschool 

Slots $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

2J: Total Program Resources $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0
Competitive Preference Priority 2

Supporting a Continuum of Early Learning and 

Development

To receive a competitive preference under this priority, the State 

must describe an ambitious and achievable plan that addresses 

the creation of 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 HighNeed Community served by each Subgrantee.

74
Competitive Preference Priority 3

Creating New High-Quality State Preschool Program 

Slots

To receive a competitive preference under this priority, the 

State must demonstrate how it will use at least 50 percent 

of its 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.

75
Application Requirements

The following requirements apply to all applications submitted under this 

competition:

(a) The State’s application must be signed by the Governor or an authorized 

representative and an authorized representative from the Lead Agency.

(b) The application must include a letter of support from an operational State 

Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care that meets the 

requirements described in section 642B(b) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 

9837(b)) and in paragraph (l) of the Program Requirements. If the State does 

not have an operational State Advisory Council, the application must include a 

letter of support from a similar State council on early childhood education and 

care established by the State’s legislature or assigned the duties of the State 

Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care by the State’s 

Governor that meets the requirements described in section 642B(b) of the Head 

Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837(b)) and in paragraph (l) of the Program 

Requirements. The letter must describe the council’s level of support and, if 

applicable, participation in the grant.

76
Application Requirements

(c) The State must include a budget narrative that details how it will use 

Federal grant funds awarded under this competition, and, if applicable, 

funds from other Federal, State, private, and local sources, to achieve--

(1) The goals outlined in its ambitious and achievable plan; and 

(2) Its ambitious and achievable targets for increasing the number and 

percentage of Eligible Children who are enrolled in High-Quality 

Preschool Programs through, as applicable, newly created and 

improved State Preschool Program slots as described in selection 

criterion (D)(4)(b).

(d) The State must complete the Excel spreadsheets that are provided on the 

Preschool Development Grants Website at 

www.ed.gov/programs/preschooldevelopmentgrants and upload to the 

Other Attachments Form in Grants.gov as explained in Part 5 of the 

application. 

77
Application Requirements

(e) The State must provide, for each selection criterion or priority in this notice that solicits an 

 ambitious and achievable plan, a description of the following elements, at a minimum--

1. The key goals of the plan;

2. The key activities to be undertaken; the rationale for the activities; and, if applicable, where 

in the State the activities will be initially implemented, and where and how they will be 

scaled up over time;

3. A realistic timeline, including key milestones, for implementing each key activity;

4. The party or parties responsible for implementing each activity and other key personnel 

assigned to each activity;

5. Appropriate financial resources to support successful implementation and 

sustainment of the plan;

6. The information requested as supporting evidence, if any, together with any additional 

information the State believes will be helpful to peer reviewers in judging the credibility of 

the plan;

7. The information requested in the performance measures, where applicable; and

8. How the State will address the needs of Eligible Children, including those who may be in 

need of additional supports, such as children who have disabilities or developmental 

delays; who are English learners; who reside on “Indian lands” as that term is defined by 

section 8013(7) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 

U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) (ESEA); who are migrant; who are “homeless,” as defined in subtitle 

VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §11434a(2)) (McKinneyVento Act); whose families are involved in the child welfare system; who reside in rural 

areas; who are from military families; and other children as identified by the State, if 

applicable.

78
Application Requirements

(f) The State must provide a letter of support or 

preliminary binding agreement, such as a 

preliminary memorandum of understanding 

(MOU), from each Subgrantee attesting to the 

Subgrantee’s participation (a model MOU is 

provided in the Appendix B of the application).

79
Program Requirements

States and each Subgrantee that receive funds under this grant program 

must meet the following requirements for, at a minimum, the duration of 

the grant period:

(a) The State must continue to participate in—

(1) The programs authorized by part C and section 619 of part B of IDEA;

(2) The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program (pursuant to 

the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 

seq.));

(3) The program authorized under section 418 of the Social Security Act 

(42 U.S.C. 618); 

(4) The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program 

(section 511 of title V of the Social Security Act, as amended by 

section 2951 of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-148)); 

and

(5) Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act. 

80
Program Requirements (cont.)

(b) The State and each Subgrantee must use funds made available under this 

grant to supplement, not supplant, any Federal, State, or local funds (e.g., 

IDEA, title I, Head Start, CCDF, and any matching funds included as part of 

Competitive Preference Priority 2) that, in the absence of the funds awarded 

under this grant, would be available for improving the quality of State 

Preschool Programs and increasing access to High-Quality Preschool 

Programs.

(c) The State must participate in grantee technical assistance activities 

facilitated by ED or HHS, individually or in collaboration with other State 

grantees, to share effective program practices and solutions and 

collaboratively solve problems, and must set aside a minimum of $25,000 

annually from its grant funds for this purpose.

(d) The State and each Subgrantee must participate in any evaluation of the 

State's High-Quality Preschool Program, including any cross-State 

evaluation, if funded by ED or HHS.

81
Program Requirements (cont.)

(e) The State and each Subgrantee must comply with the requirements of all 

applicable Federal, State, and local privacy laws, including the requirements 

of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g), the 

Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (Pub. L. 104-191), and IDEA.

(f) The State and each Subgrantee must ensure that the grant project is 

implemented in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws 

and regulations, including the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation 

Act of 1973 and Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 

1990 that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and require that 

individuals with disabilities be served in the most integrated setting 

appropriate to their needs.

(g) The State and each Subgrantee must provide researchers with access, 

consistent with the requirements of all applicable Federal, State, and local 

privacy laws, to available data regarding the enrollment and school readiness 

of Eligible Children in State Preschool Programs.

82
Program Requirements (cont.)

(h) Unless otherwise protected as proprietary information by Federal or State laws 

or a specific written agreement, the State and each Subgrantee must make any 

work (e.g., materials, tools, processes, systems) developed under its grant 

freely available to the public. Any Web sites developed under this grant must 

meet government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility.

(i) The State must have a Statewide Longitudinal Data System that links early 

childhood data with the State’s kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) data 

system by the end of the grant period.

(j) The State must ensure that the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood 

Education and Care includes, in addition to the members of the State Advisory 

Council described in section 642B(b) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837(b)), 

the State’s CCDF administrator, State agency coordinators from both part C and 

section 619 of part B of IDEA, the State Title I Director, the State Coordinator of 

Education for Homeless Children and Youth, State agency representatives 

responsible for health and mental health, and parent representatives.

83
Program Requirements (cont.)

(k) The State must establish policies and procedures that ensure—

(1) Collaboration between each Subgrantee and programs authorized by section 

619 of part B of IDEA so that Eligible Children with Disabilities in the HighNeed Community are being appropriately identified and served in the least 

restrictive environment; and

(2) Ensure that the percentage of Eligible Children with Disabilities served by the 

High-Quality Preschool Programs is not less than either the percentage of fouryear-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. 

(l) The State and each Subgrantee are prohibited from spending grant funds, including 

any matching funds, if applicable, on construction, renovation, modernization, or 

related activities. 

84
Eligible Children with Disabilities

means Eligible Children who have been determined 

by the local educational agency to be eligible for 

special education and related services under section 

619 of the IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.)

85
Program Requirements (cont.)

(m) For activities involved in improving existing State Preschool Program slots to meet the 

definition of High-Quality Preschool Programs, the State and each Subgrantee may only 

spend grant funds, including any matching funds, if applicable, on activities listed in 

selection criterion (D)(4)(b)(ii). 

(n) Within 90 days of receipt of an award, the State must submit to the Departments a 

signed MOU (a model MOU is provided in Appendix B of this notice) or other binding 

agreement between the State’s Lead Agency and each Subgrantee that, at a minimum—

(1) Includes a scope of work describing the portions of the State's plan that the 

Subgrantee will implement;

(2) Incorporates the State's ambitious and achievable plan, in particular the sections 

that the Subgrantee is responsible for implementing; Is signed by an authorized 

representative of the State’s Lead Agency and the Subgrantee;

(3) Describes the roles and responsibilities of the State’s Lead Agency and 

Subgrantee in implementing the project plan;

(4) Describes the method and process for making different types of decisions (e.g., 

policy, operational); Describes how the State and Subgrantee will exchange data; 

and

(5) Describes how the MOU can be amended. 

86
Program Requirements (cont.)

(o) The State must submit scopes of work for the State and 

each Subgrantee within 90 days of the grant award 

notification date. These scopes of work must contain 

detailed work plans and budgets that are consistent 

with the State's grant application, and must include the 

State’s and each Subgrantee’s specific goals, activities, 

timelines, budgets, key personnel, and annual targets 

for key performance measures for the portions of the 

State's proposed plans that the Subgrantee is agreeing 

to implement.

87
Submitting Your Application

88

• Electronic grant application for Preschool Development Grants--

Development Grants at www.Grants.gov. 

• Search for the downloadable application package for this competition 

by the CFDA number (84.419B).

• The Grants.gov site, has information about submitting an application

• Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time stamped. 

• Application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date 

and time stamped no later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, 

on October 14th.

FAQ D-8
89

Submitting Your Application

• Upload time can vary--do not wait until the application 

deadline date to begin the submission process through 

Grants.gov.

• You must submit all documents electronically.

• You must upload any narrative sections and all other 

attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable 

Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. 

• Excel Spreadsheets should be uploaded in Excel
90

Submitting Your Application

• After you electronically submit your application, you will 

receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of 

receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. 

• The Departments then will retrieve your application from 

Grants.gov and send a second notification to you by email. 
91

Submitting Your Application

• If you experience problems submitting your application 

through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support 

Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. 

• You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number 

and must keep a record of it. 
Next Steps

• September 11th: Intent to Apply due

• October 14th: Applications due to Grants.gov

• December 2014: Announce awards 

92
Contact Information

• Preschool Development Grants Program Web site: 

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/preschooldevelopmentgrants/index.html

• E-mail: PreschoolDevelopmentGrants@ed.gov

Thank you for joining us for today’s 

webinar.

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