PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

FY2017 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT

Preschool Development Grants AUGUST 2018

New Jersey
ED 524B Page 1 of 35

U.S. Department of Education 

PDG Grant Performance Report Cover Sheet 

Based on ED 524B OMB No. 1894-0003 Exp. 08/31/2020

General Information 

1. PR/Award #: S419B50020 2. Grantee Federal Information Processing Code: 34

3. Project Title: RTT - Preschool Development Grant

4. Grantee Name: New Jersey Department of Education

5. Grantee Address:100 Riverview Plaza

City: Trenton State: New Jersey Zip: 08625

6. Project Director Name: Beth Ann Gardiner

Title: Project Director, Preschool Expansion

Phone #: 609-376-3860 Ext.: Fax #:(609) 777-0967

Email Address: beth.gardiner@doe.state.nj.us

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

Reporting Period Information 

7. Reporting Period: From: 01/01/2017 To: 12/31/2017

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 $14,290,155.00 $7,447,000.00 

b. Current Budget Period $17,990,091.00 $7,447,000.00 

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: 07/01/2016 To: 06/30/2020

Approving Federal agency: ✔ ED Other Specify other:

Type of Rate: (Final Performance Reports only) Provisional Final 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)?

Other

10. Performance Measures Status

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

Project Status Chart?

Yes No

b. If no, when will the data be available and submitted to the Department?
ED 524B Page 2 of 35

U.S. Department of Education 

PDG Annual Performance Report 

Executive Summary 

Based on ED 524B OMB No. 1894-0003 Exp. 08/31/2020

Grantee State: NJ PR/Award #: S419B50020

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 New Jersey Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Education and Family 

Engagement (DECEFE), has continued its highly successful implementation of high-quality preschool 

programs through a combination of state and federal funding from the Preschool Expansion Grant. 

New Jersey oversees the operation of public preschool programs in 147 local school districts 

throughout the state, representing over 50,000 preschoolers served. Through funding to school 

districts, preschool programs operate in a variety of settings including public schools, private child 

care providers and Head Start programs. The DECEFE works collaboratively with other Department of 

Education offices (Special Education, Title One, Homeless and Migrant Education) as well as a variety 

of other state agencies including the Departments of Human Services (Division of Family 

Development), Children and Families (Offices of Licensing, Child Protection and Permanency, and 

Family and Community Partnerships), and Health (Office of Early Intervention), to provide maximum 

supports for early learning and integration of services for children and families. 

New Jersey's Preschool Expansion Grant continues to build on the strength of the state's highly 

successful early childhood education infrastructure. The addition of preschool expansion funds to the 

already far-reaching and comprehensive early learning system in New Jersey provided an opportunity 

for outreach to 16 additional school districts and their local communities. In year three of the grant 

(2017) state-wide enrollment targets were exceeded, reaching a total of 1,929 additional high-need 

four-year-olds in new (1,280) and improved (649) slots. All high-quality components continue to be 

monitored by dedicated staff who work closely with individual school districts for successful 

implementation. Through funding from the Race-to-the-Top Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant, 

New Jersey further developed its robust tiered quality rating and improvement system, Grow NJ Kids, 

which is now being used to support quality improvements throughout the early learning community, 

including in the preschool expansion districts and locally contracted private providers. Grow NJ Kids, 

along with other required high-quality elements, provides a framework for program implementation, 

engagement of families, workforce development, and program administration. 

Below can be found key highlights and accomplishments of year three (2017) implementation. 

Key Highlights and Accomplishments 

I. Measurable Quality Improvements - Annual classroom quality assessments continue to be 

conducted by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) with the use of the 

Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale - Third Edition (ECERS-3). In the spring of 2016, 

assessments were completed in a total of 122 classes over 17 (original) school districts, 

measuring classroom quality in all four-year-old and mixed-age general education/inclusion 

classes. A study of those same classrooms was conducted again in the spring of 2017 in order 

to gauge quality improvements over the second year of grant implementation. Once again, 

the results of the spring 2017 study show measurable quality improvements in overall 
ED 524B Page 3 of 35

averages and ranges for the full sample of classrooms. The average total score of all districts 

in spring 2016 was 4.27 (122 classes), increasing to 4.73 (on a 7-point scale) in spring 2017 

(138 classes). This increase shows significant improvements for the second year of program 

implementation. Statewide scores improved over all subscales (see below). These results are a 

testament to the intensive supports and high-quality elements required of all expansion school 

districts. 

New Jersey Preschool Expansion Districts' Average Scores by ECERS-3 Subscale and Overall 

 

Space and Furnishings Spring 2016 = 4.06 Spring 2017 = 4.35 

This subscale addresses the areas of indoor and outdoor space, room arrangement, organization, 

display, furnishings and equipment. 

Personal Care Routines Spring 2016 = 4.03 Spring 2017 = 4.27 

This subscale addresses practices around daily routines such as meals and toileting as well as health 

and safety practices. 

Language and Literacy Spring 2016 = 4.56 Spring 2017 = 5.02 

This area addresses the classroom's formal and informal communication, language and vocabulary 

expansion opportunities, and use of books and attention to print. 

Learning Activities Spring 2016 = 3.71 Spring 2017 = 4.34 

This subscale looks at the learning opportunities in each of the areas of the classroom including fine 

motor, art, music/movement, blocks, sand/water, dramatic play, nature/science, math/number 

materials and activities, use of technology, and diversity. 

Interaction Spring 2016 = 5.15 Spring 2017 = 5.65 

This area addresses supervision of children, discipline, staff-child interactions, individualized teaching 

and learning, and interactions among children. 

Program Structure Spring 2016 = 5.14 Spring 2017 = 5.64 

This area addresses classroom operations and schedule, including groupings, transitions and flexibility.

 

Overall Average Score Spring 2016 = 4.27 Spring 2017 = 4.73 

 

II. Participation in Special Initiatives - Preschool expansion districts have been afforded 

opportunities to participate in a variety of special initiatives offered by various entities. Access 

to these projects has resulted in additional supports to improve program quality and 

contribute to early education research being conducted in New Jersey. Interested preschool 

expansion districts have chosen to participate in the following initiatives: 

• Inclusive Gross Motor Education and Play Project - On-site professional development and 

gross motor materials for preschool teaching staff (teachers and assistants) provided by 

Special Olympics of New Jersey. Participating districts host a local Special Olympics Family 

Event. 

• Professional Development in the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale - Third Edition 

(ECERS-3) - Intensive ECERS-3 seminar conducted by the NJ Department of Education, 

Office of Special Education to improve program quality for both general and special 

education students. 

• Reaching Potentials through Recommended Practices (RP2) - Project funded through the 

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA Center) to increase the implementation 
ED 524B Page 4 of 35

of effective practices and enhance outcomes for young children with special needs and 

their families; project is facilitated by the NJ Department of Education, Office of Special 

Education. 

• K-3 Continuous Improvement Research Project - Research conducted in kindergarten to 

third grade classrooms to assess current practices in instructional and emotional supports, 

classroom environment and organization, activity levels, content areas, etc. Professional 

development is provided to teachers on the New Jersey Kindergarten and First to Third 

Grade Implementation Guidelines through Rutgers University, National Institute for Early 

Education Research (NIEER). 

• Robert Wood Johnson/NIEER Research Project: Understanding how public preschool can 

achieve and maintain high quality early education opportunities - This multi-year study, 

conducted by NIEER and funded through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, employs a 

combination of methods and designs to assess the program components, program quality, 

impacts on children's learning, development, and health, and teachers' well-being. The 

primary objective is to tease out those features of leadership, curriculum, and 

implementation of continuous improvement processes, and community and parent 

engagement that result in better outcomes for children. The research will describe and 

compare characteristics, contexts and processes in three types of NJ school districts 

implementing publicly-funded preschool (high-poverty districts with mature preschool 

programs where disadvantaged children achieve well above the national average; highpoverty districts with mature preschool programs where achievement is more typical 

despite the same resources as the high success districts; and districts that are just 

developing new high-quality preschool programs) in order to understand the ingredients 

associated with positive child outcomes that are sustained as children progress through 

elementary school. 

• Pyramid Equity Project - One New Jersey preschool expansion district (Clifton, NJ) is 

continuing to work with national experts in the Pyramid Equity Project to implement the 

enhanced Pyramid Model and evaluate the effects on children's social-emotional and 

behavioral health, expulsion and suspension, and racial/ethnic and ability-based disparities 

in each of these areas. The Clifton Early Learner Academy, working with the Pyramid 

Equity Project, is receiving monthly training and technical assistance support from national 

experts in Pyramid Model implementation and culturally responsive practices. When the 

work with the district is complete (June 2018), the Clifton site will serve as a national 

model addressing disproportionate discipline practices in early childhood programs. 

 Program activities include: 

9Training in implicit bias and culturally responsive practices; 

9Training and support of the implementation leadership team; 

9Training and support in the use of Practice-Based Coaching by classroom coaches; 

9Reliability training in the use of the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool; 

9Training in data tools and data decision-making related to implementation and outcomes; 

9Support for the implementation of a behavior incident tracking system that includes a 

mechanism for making decisions related to disproportionate discipline practices. 

In this second year of participation, the Clifton School District has a robust Pyramid Leadership 

Team comprised of the preschool administrator, Master Teacher/coach, Preschool 

Intervention and Referral Team (PIRT) coach, preschool teacher, family member, Community 

Parent Involvement Specialist (CPIS), and Head Start family workers. This team receives 

support from the Pyramid Equity staff to work on meeting the Early Childhood Program-Wide 

PBS Benchmarks of Quality and reduce behavior incidents as measured by Behavior Incident 
ED 524B Page 5 of 35

Report (BIR) data. 

III. Mount Holly Preschool Expansion School District Rated by Grow NJ Kids - Mount Holly school 

district became the first preschool expansion district to apply for and receive a rating through 

Grow NJ Kids, New Jersey's Quality Rating and Improvement System. Through a rigorous 

process that lasted approximately 18 months, Mount Holly completed necessary quality 

improvements, collected required documentation, and conducted internal program 

assessments. The district spent the summer of 2017 making final preparations and 

determined that they were “rating ready”. They applied for and, after an intensive review and 

assessment by the New Jersey Center for Quality Ratings (William Patterson University), were 

awarded a four-start rating (out of a maximum of five stars.) Since Mount Holly was one of the 

first 100 programs rated through Grow NJ Kids, the district received a $1000 stipend to reward 

them for their successful completion of the ratings' process. 

Challenges and Lessons Learned 

While New Jersey continues to enjoy many successes and accomplishments, some ongoing challenges 

remain. The two most difficult of these include improving inclusion rates of children with special 

needs in the general education preschool classes and implementing developmentally appropriate 

practices and assessments in Kindergarten programs. Both of these particular challenges require 

involvement and collaboration of district level staff that are not under the purview of the preschool 

program administrators. 

During the many years that New Jersey state programs have been in place, inclusion of preschool 

children with special needs has been a high priority. State-funded districts that serve less than 50% of 

their children with special needs in general education settings are required to make a plan to improve 

rates, with a target rate of at least 50% inclusion. To improve rates in expansion districts, preschool 

expansion staff work closely with district administrators, in partnership with the New Jersey 

Department of Education, Office of Special Education, to address needed supports in individual 

districts. Staff continue to customize technical assistance to meet individual district needs such as 

planning on-site meetings with administrators and providing opportunities for staff professional 

development (see special initiatives above.) 

Division of Early Childhood Education and Family Engagement staff provides individualized supports to 

facilitate a better understanding of the New Jersey Kindergarten Implementation Guidelines, an 

essential step in building continuity and high-quality practices from preschool through third grade. 

New Jersey continues to provide a wealth of professional development opportunities in the guidelines 

and the New Jersey Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) to improve teaching practices and the use 

of performance-based assessments. Additional supports include face-to-face meetings with preschool 

supervisors, other district administrators (principals, elementary and curriculum supervisors) and 

DECEFE staff with both preschool and kindergarten areas of specialization. Supports to districts will 

continue to be tailored to provide maximum support for achievement of positive outcomes for New 

Jersey's kindergarten children. 

Conclusion 

The New Jersey Preschool Expansion program has been successful in providing increased early 

education services to high-need four-year olds while improving supports for teachers, administrators, 

and families throughout the state. Our internal and external partnerships are critical in providing 

support to the success of our early childhood programs and addressing any challenges that arise in 

implementation of grant components. As always, lessons learned year-to-year will continue to inform 

professional practice and successes in the final year of the grant. 

 
ED 524B Page 6 of 35

 

 

 
ED 524B Page 7 of 35

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. 08/31/2020

Section A: Performance Objectives Information and Related Performance Measures Data 

(narrative) 

1. Project Objective

Grantee State: NJ PR/Award #: S419B50020

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, 2017.

In 2017, New Jersey successfully enrolled 1,280 new children into preschool classrooms and improved 

preschool services and conditions for an additional 649 children. This total of 1,929 eligible children 

served in new or improved slots represents 71.7 % of eligible children in the 16 preschool expansion 

districts. Throughout the spring and summer of 2017, DECEFE completed the following activities in an 

effort to increase enrollment of eligible children into high-quality preschool programs: 

• Supported districts in locating appropriate classroom space to serve additional preschool 

children, either in-district or in private provider locations; 

• Provided resources and support to all districts in developing Four-Year Preschool Program Plan 

Updates to expand capacity and quality across all districts; 

• Worked with districts to develop recruitment and marketing strategies, determine family 

eligibility, and enroll eligible children; 

• Provided guidance on budgeting and planning for the start of the new school year. 

Districts completed the following activities in support of increasing enrollment of eligible children: 

• Developed Four-Year Preschool Program Plan Updates and budgets to expand capacity; 

• Located and secured space for new classrooms and developed contracts with private providers 

as needed; 

• Purchased materials and equipment to prepare classrooms for the opening of the school year; 

• Developed or expanded marketing and recruitment strategies to locate typically hard-to-reach 

populations; 

• Began outreach to families in an effort to maximize enrollment of both general education and 

special education students into grant-funded classrooms. 

Program activities are monitored closely by the project director and district liaisons who are in regular 

contact with preschool supervisors and fiscal specialists to gauge progress on all project components, 

including enrollment of children and inclusion of children with special needs. Monthly enrollment 

reports are required of all districts until enrollment targets are met and individualized strategies were 
ED 524B Page 8 of 35

shared with districts to maximize recruitment of new children from hard-to-reach families. 

Enrollment numbers are also tracked through the state's data collection system, Application for State 

School Aid (ASSA), which is used to gather resident and non-resident pupil counts. Regular check-ins 

with supervisors to determine areas of need and meetings amongst district liaisons ensure that 

resources are shared and maximum supports are in place. 

 

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.

An important component of our High-Quality State Preschool Program is the inclusion of preschool 

children with disabilities in general education settings. We know that a general education preschool 

classroom is an optimal environment to support children with disabilities' individual needs, because of 

the wide range of skills, interests, and abilities typical of this age group. New Jersey is also committed 

to ensuring that adaptations and supports for preschoolers with disabilities are carried out in the 

context of the curriculum's daily activities, interactions and routines. 

New Jersey preschool expansion grant districts are required to include children with disabilities in 

general education to the maximum extent possible. DECEFE recommends that districts plan 

enrollment of children in general education classrooms to mirror the general population, which would 

be 1-2 children with special needs in a class of 15 children. Guidance for inclusion of children with 

special needs can be found in the New Jersey Administrative Code NJAC 6A:13A, the Self-Assessment 

Validation System (SAVS) and the Preschool Program Implementation Guidelines. Required elements 

for inclusion, as noted in the guidelines, are as follows: 

 

• Administrative supports are in place that facilitate inclusion; 

• Children with special needs are served in the least restrictive environments with Individual 

Education Plan (IEP) goals addressed in the context of the curriculum and daily activities; 

• Children with special needs are served in general education classrooms to the maximum extent 

possible; 

• The proportion of children with and without special needs reflects that of the general 

population; 

• The IEP team includes the teacher, parent, child study team member, and special education 

personnel; and 

• Push-in and pull-out services are not used or are used on a limited basis. 

All high-quality elements are required in the inclusion classrooms as noted in question two, below. In 

the 2017-2018 school year, 13.6% of the children in the preschool general education classrooms are 

children diagnosed with disabilities. Individual percentages by subgrantee can be found in the APR 

Data Workbook, Table A (3)(c). 

 
ED 524B Page 9 of 35

New Jersey's successful rates of inclusion are based, in large part, on the history of our state-funded 

preschool programs. During the many years that state programs have been in place, inclusion of 

preschool children with special needs has been a high priority. State-funded districts who are serving 

less than 50% of their children with special needs in general education settings are required to make a 

plan to improve rates, with a target rate of at least 50% inclusion. Individual districts are provided 

support by DECEFE staff in collaboration with our colleagues in the Office of Special Education, 

including on-site visits to assess classrooms and provide technical assistance and meeting with school 

administrators to troubleshoot issues that arise. New Jersey Department of Education also provides 

professional development on preschool inclusion best practices, providing the Least Restrictive 

Environment (LRE) and developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Districts are also 

required to use the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence of Infants and Young 

Children (Pyramid Model) to implement strategies for preschool children with behavior challenges, 

resulting in decreases in the number of referrals to child study teams for special education services. 

Each district has, in place, a Preschool Intervention and Referral Team (PIRT) to support 

implementation of the Pyramid Model and assess classrooms to improve strategies for supporting 

children with behavior challenges. 

 

While progress has been made to include children with special needs in general education classrooms, 

improved numbers of inclusion students continues to be slow in a few of the expansion districts. In 

some districts, the historical model has been to serve preschool children with special needs in selfcontained classes. When a review indicates that targets are not being met, the DECEFE district 

liaisons, along with our colleagues from the Office of Special Education work closely with special 

education, early childhood staff, and administrators from the school district to develop a plan for 

improving inclusion numbers. DECEFE district liaisons provide individualized support and coaching to 

increase levels of inclusion. The Office of Special Education provides an additional level of technical 

assistance and offers professional development to support inclusion. 

 
ED 524B Page 10 of 35

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 2017, subgrantees were successful in enrolling a total of 1,280 children into new slots and 649 in 

improved slots, totaling 1,929. The state's experience and high level of expertise in developing new 

preschool programs laid the groundwork for ease of transition into the work of the grant. The 

preschool expansion programs follow already established high-quality standards as outlined in the 

Elements of High Quality Preschool Programs, New Jersey Administrative Code NJAC 6A:13A (Code) 

written as a result of the Abbott decision. Also in place are program standards including NJ Preschool 

Teaching and Learning Standards, NJ Kindergarten Implementation Guidelines, and NJ First through 

Third Grade Implementation Guidelines. 

All Preschool Expansion grant districts are enrolled in New Jersey's tiered Quality Rating and 

Improvement System, Grow NJ Kids (GNJK). In 2017, all districts continued to work on meeting GNJK 

standards detailed in their individual quality improvement plans and gathered documentation to 

meet these additional high quality standards. In addition, the DECEFE provided training and technical 

assistance on the GNJK rating readiness process which included testimony from one school district 

that received a five-star rating from GNJK. 

The New Jersey State Preschool Program coordinates services and supports to school districts through 

collaborations with Head Start and the Office of Special Education. In this way resources are shared 

and maximized to provide the greatest benefit and limit duplication of services. The Head Start state 

collaboration director is located at the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) which allows for ongoing 

dialogue and trouble-shooting of any issues that arise as districts develop partnerships with their local 

Head Start programs. The DECEFE works closely with the Office of Special Education to provide 

supports to districts to increase the number of children with special needs that are included in 

preschool general education classrooms. 

Progress in establishing and maintaining high-quality programs within our subgrantee school districts 

is monitored closely with regular reporting requirements (enrollment, expenditures), personal, faceto-face contact with all districts, and quarterly meetings with supervisors to share information and 

review program requirements. 

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 2017-18 school year.

New Jersey State preschool programs are currently serving a total of 49,843 preschool children. The 

breakdown of children by program is as follows: 35 Former Abbott districts (fully-funded) serve 

41,229 children (19,436 three-year-olds and 21,793 four-year-olds) and 96 Preschool Expansion Aid 

(PEA) districts (partially-funded) serve 6570 children (741 three-year-olds and 5829 four-year-olds). 

Including new grant-funded slots, a total of 69% of high-need four-year-olds are being served 

statewide. The percentage of four-year-olds being served has decreased slightly due to the 

recommended implementation of smaller class sizes (from 18 per class to 15 per class) in the districts 

that are serving both State- and grant-funded children. 

To support high quality early childhood programs, the DECEFE: 

· Develops and aligns teaching, learning, and program standards and guidance based on current 

research on early childhood education; 

· Develops resources to facilitate the implementation of each component of high-quality preschool 
ED 524B Page 11 of 35

programs; 

· Tracks and adjusts progress through a continuous evaluation and improvement cycle; and 

· Provides statewide, regional and on-site support to key staff in state-funded schools and districts. 

Currently, the DECEFE supports preschool programs in 147 school districts in a mixed delivery system 

of private providers, Head Start and school districts (former Abbott, PEA, and Preschool Expansion 

Grant districts). The DECEFE reviews preschool budgets to guide the use of funding for former Abbott 

and PEA districts. The division also oversees the work of the state advisory council, the NJ Council for 

Young Children, which aligns and coordinates early childhood services across the state, and houses 

the Head Start Collaboration director, in order to coordinate the work of school districts' contracting 

and collaborating with Head Start. 

Quality of the program is measured at five levels: 

Child level 

Children are screened upon entry to the program to assess development and to help determine if 

additional supports may be needed; their progress in the classroom is tracked using performancebased assessments that help teachers adjust instruction based on the various developmental 

stages of children in the group. 

Classroom level 

Teachers, coaches and building administrators/provider directors use tools to evaluate classroom 

practices, interactions, activities (e.g. Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Third Edition 

(ECERS-3); Supports for Early Literacy Assessment (SELA); Preschool Rating Instrument for Science 

and Mathematics (PRISM); and curriculum-specific fidelity tools.) 

Site/Program level 

Beginning in 2015, providers and schools in the State Preschool Program began participating in 

GNJK, the state's quality rating and improvement system. Roll-out has continued across the state 

to continue enrolling new participants across all program types. To promote high quality programs 

for infants and toddlers, child care providers in each community serving high need infants and 

toddlers are encouraged to participate in GNJK. 

District level 

School districts assess the implementation of each program component through the use of GNJK 

or: 

· A self-assessment (with a validation component), the Self-Assessment Validation System (SAVS), 

which measures the implementation of each component of the Preschool Program 

Implementation Guidelines and Code. 

· Summaries of both classroom evaluations and child performance data to inform areas of need 

and professional development planning. 

State level 

Classroom quality and child progress are carefully monitored through: 

· Aggregate scores and ratings from GNJK. 

· University-conducted structured evaluations of classroom quality in a random sample of 

classrooms every year. 

· University-conducted tracking of child outcomes over time. 

· Summaries and analysis of district-reported SAVS data, classroom evaluations and child 

performance data. 

· Analysis of number of children served, rates of inclusion, and teacher qualifications. 

· Audits of fiscal practices. 

 
ED 524B Page 12 of 35

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 3 APR, grantees will provide disaggregated data on the school readiness of the children enrolled 

and served by the grant. This may include information collected about the children enrolled and received 

services by the grant during the 2016-17 preschool year. States may provide data from a sample of children 

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

In the Year 3 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. 

The New Jersey Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) is part of a larger data system, the New Jersey 

Standards Measurement and Resource for Teaching (NJ SMART). NJ SMART is a comprehensive 

statewide longitudinal data system that serves multiple purposes: staff/student identification, data 

warehousing, data reporting, and analytics. The KEA is a performance based assessment, used 

primarily to inform instruction and as one data point in assessing preschool program efficacy. 

Assessments and Instruments 

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

Teaching Strategies GOLD® (TS GOLD®) 

The key to a seamless transition from the various early learning environments from which children 

come into the K-12 public school system is in understanding the developmental stages and levels of 

readiness of children at the intersection point of kindergarten entry. We chose a Kindergarten Entry 

Assessment (KEA) that met two main objectives: 1) To understand children's academic and social 

development at school entry to inform instruction, and 2) To serve as one data point in evaluating 
ED 524B Page 13 of 35

preschool program efficacy. Teachers collect data about children in the first seven weeks of school 

and use the information to understand children's readiness. Thresholds are based on national 

norms and norms from our pilot. The numbers below describe the cumulative raw scores for each 

domain that a child who is “ready” for kindergarten should possess. TS GOLD® is being used with 

children entering kindergarten. 

Teaching Strategies has established kindergarten readiness points for all six areas of development 

and learning: Social/Emotional, Physical, Language, Cognitive (Approaches to Learning), Literacy, 

and Mathematics. The kindergarten readiness point is intended to be used in the fall for the New 

Jersey Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA). 

 

Area Raw Score for K GOLD® Readiness 

Social Emotional 47 

Physical 30 

Cognitive (Approaches to Learning) 49 

Literacy 41 

Mathematics 35 

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

The KEA is voluntary and funded. School districts can choose to administer the tool. However, the 

preschool expansion grant school districts are required to begin using the KEA during either the 

2016-2017 or 2017-2018 school year. 

 

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

The tool is administered in kindergarten. Many school districts also use the TS GOLD® assessment 

system in their preschool programs. 

 

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

New Jersey began a pilot of the KEA starting in September of 2013, and continues to expand 

enrollment each year. As of December 31, 2017, the DOE has trained 1174 teachers and 398 district 

level administrators across 102 districts in TS GOLD® covering 13,993 active Kindergarten students 

and 17,456 archived student portfolios. TS GOLD® is a rigorous and appropriate performance-based 

assessment instrument. During the first seven weeks of kindergarten, teachers collect evidence of 

children's performance across three of the nine TS GOLD® domains including social/emotional, 

literacy, and mathematics, for the purpose of assigning a rating along a developmental continuum. 

Teachers who are in year two of implementation collect evidence on two additional TS GOLD® 

domains including, cognitive and language. Once teachers make ratings for each child at the end of 

the seven-week period, district-level teachers and administrators are able to view ratings and data of 

individual children, as well as aggregate ratings within each learning domain. The DOE TS GOLD® 

administrators have access so that they can generate aggregated outcome reports; they cannot 

generate any child-level reports or access child-level data. DOE TS GOLD® Manager has access to 

individual teacher accounts, with child-level data, only when an administrator or teacher submits a 

written request for assistance. Child data reports go to a New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) 

Data Steward. 

 

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

Statewide; 

During the 2016-2017 school year, the first cohort of preschool expansion districts was required to 

begin using the KEA. Eight of the preschool expansion school districts had some portion of their 

kindergarten teachers and supervisors attend training on the KEA between June and August 2016. 

Eleven districts sent staff to KEA training in 2017. A total of 52 teachers and 12 administrators from 

the expansion districts participated in the KEA training which was held in three regions of the state for 
ED 524B Page 14 of 35

a total of 32 days of training. Individual school district administrators decided which of their 

Kindergarten staff would participate (all or a portion of classes). Teachers that attended the KEA 

training conducted by Teaching Strategies are currently in the process of attending the Kindergarten 

seminar, a series of 3 classes conducted by the NJDOE. The seminar classes cover such pertinent 

topics as: review of NJ Kindergarten Implementation Guidelines, learning environment and materials, 

customizing curricula, differentiated instruction, and documentation. 

 

Training and Test Quality 

 

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

In 2017, Teaching Strategies conducted a total of 32 in-person KEA training sessions and has now 

reached 1174 teachers and 398 administrators from 102 school districts throughout the state. 

Training topics included: Observing and Documenting, Scoring Reports, Family Communication, and 

Reliable Assessments. KEA training is being planned for 2018 so that additional Kindergarten staff and 

administrators can be trained. Technical assistance visits were made by Teaching Strategies within 

the first seven weeks, as well as subsequent visits throughout the year at individual district requests. 

In 2017, nine districts are participating in the bi-monthly visits. These visits focus on supports for both 

the teacher and administrator including but not limited to: pulling and interpreting reports, collecting 

effective documentation, setting up classroom environment, completing checkpoints. 

After the training, teachers completed a reliability assessment, adding credence to the accuracy of 

teacher ratings before beginning to use the instrument. Teachers collect their data over the first 

seven weeks of school. They use the information collected to assign a score in each of the three 

developmental areas. Throughout the roll-out, KEA teacher training is supported by the training of 

district administrators as well as professional learning communities that help to embed principles of 

assessment into every day practice. 

New Jersey has developed a set of guidelines and checklists to guide the interpretation of the 

portfolio collections, which helps ensure that teachers are collecting and rating information accurately 

and reliably. Once the teachers assign the scores, Teaching Strategies uploads the data into NJ 

SMART, New Jersey's statewide longitudinal data system. Teachers and administrators also 

participate in a kindergarten seminar that supports the high quality implementation of performance 

based assessments. 

 Data and Usage 

 

The State's definition of school readiness: 

New Jersey defines school readiness as the extent to which children have developed the necessary 

physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills when they enter kindergarten to be 

successful in school and in life. However, we also maintain that only age should determine whether or 

not a child enters kindergarten, and that the school system is responsible for creating family 

partnerships and ensuring that the kindergarten learning environment is ready for the child, 

regardless of the child's competencies when they transition. This definition is in accordance with what 

we know to be best transition practices for children, families, and schools. Further, the New Jersey 

position is in accordance with the research provided by the National Association of Early Childhood 

Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE). 

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

the measure; 

Challenges remain in collection of child data in the KEA. Since preschool administrators rarely 

supervise kindergarten, it is difficult to ensure that teachers are entering data for all children on a 

regular basis. Preschool supervisors are sometimes met with resistance from other elementary school 

administrators who prefer to require assessments of kindergarten students (other than KEA) to track 

data as they have always done. Also, for newly participating teachers, data collection and input to the 
ED 524B Page 15 of 35

system is still in its infancy stages. In some cases, data is missing for participating teachers and school 

districts. DOE continues to review data and provide individualized technical assistance to districts to 

help ensure that data entry is completed as expected. Data that has been gathered does not yet 

show a complete picture of the preschool expansion students at kindergarten entry, although early 

data indicates a high level of readiness in the literacy domain, one measure of school readiness. 

Individual district reports produced by Teaching Strategies come out in the spring of each year so child 

readiness data for new districts in the current school year is not yet available. 

 

Upon completion of an assessment period and the assignment of scores, Teaching Strategies uploads 

the scores into NJ SMART. The Department of Education's NJ Standards Measurement and Resource 

for Teaching (NJ SMART) is a comprehensive statewide longitudinal data system solution that serves 

multiple purposes: staff/student identification, data warehousing, data reporting, and analytics. We 

will be able to link the kindergarten readiness data to prior experiences in early learning and 

development settings, where possible, and to later performance on New Jersey state tests, starting 

with the third grade Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) 

assessments. 

 

NJ-EASEL (New Jersey Enterprise Analysis System for Early Learning), our early childhood integrated 

data system, when ready, will allow us to match data from our early childhood data systems to assess 

our programs' efficacy. We will be able to link the valuable KEA data with early learning and 

development programs across sectors (e.g., Licensing, NJ SMART, Workforce Registry, Home Visiting, 

child care, State preschool, Early Head Start, Head Start, and Early Intervention), providing concrete 

feedback on the efficacy of all early care and education programs. The NJ-EASEL technology is being 

developed by the State Office of Information Technology (OIT). 

 
ED 524B Page 16 of 35

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.
ED 524B Page 17 of 35

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.

During 2017, New Jersey's efforts to ensure quality were supported with the strong early learning 

infrastructure already in place. Using the elements of the state's High Quality Preschool Program 

in conjunction with GNJK, expansion districts were provided maximum supports to ensure the 

continued expansion of high quality preschool programs in 16 districts throughout the state. 

a) Early Learning and Development Standards - New Jersey has in place early learning and 

development standards encompassing birth through grade three. These include: NJ Birth to Three 

Early Learning Standards, NJ Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards, NJ Kindergarten 

Implementation Guidelines, and First through Third Grade Implementation Guidelines. 

b) Program Standards consistent with a High-Quality Preschool - Individual districts' 

implementation of program standards is monitored by district liaisons who reviewed and 

approved Four-Year Preschool Program Plan updates, budgets, and professional development 

plans to ensure compliance with grant requirements. Districts also worked to complete GNJK selfassessments, develop Quality Improvement Plans, and apply for enhancement grants. Grant 

funds also supported a spring 2017 study of classroom quality across districts through use of the 

ECERS-3. The study, completed by NIEER, gathered data across all standards for individual 

districts. Reports were shared with district personnel and DECEFE staff and will continue to be 

measured annually (each spring) to gauge progress in improving scores on the ECERS-3. A report 

of the NIEER study, comparing spring 2016 and spring 2017 scores can be found in the Executive 

Summary. Data shows that ECERS-3 scores improved over all subscales and most indicators. 

c) Programs for children with disabilities and English learners - Expansion districts are required to 

have appropriate supports in place for English language learners; those supports vary by district 

and school. All districts are also required to include children with special needs in general 

education classrooms. Progress in this quality indicator varies by district and individualized 

supports are being provided by district liaisons to improve numbers of inclusion students. All 

districts are required to use a developmental screening tool to help identify children who are most 

at risk for achievement and behavior problems. In addition, districts have a Preschool 

Intervention and Referral Team (PIRT) to provide targeted strategies for positive behavior 

supports. PIRT members are trained in the Pyramid Model which is provided by the NJ 

Department of Education, DECEFE. Training is also provided in the Teaching Pyramid Observation 

Tool (TPOT) which is used to assess and improve children's learning environments and classroom 

behavior strategies. Districts also have access to Preschool Special Education Specialists that 
ED 524B Page 18 of 35

support best practices in the classrooms, including those that support children with disabilities in 

the mixed-delivery system. Grant funds are being used by districts to purchase developmental 

screening tools and pay salaries of required staff, including PIRT members. 

d) Methods to determine availability of High-Quality Preschool Programs - DECEFE works closely 

with individual districts to determine best locations for preschool programs using the needs 

assessments conducted by NIEER in the spring of 2015 as well as outreach to the early learning 

community. Six school districts are currently contracting with local Head Start and/or private child 

care programs to meet projections for added high quality classrooms. 

e) Preschool teacher education, training programs, and professional development - Teachers in 

programs participating in Preschool Expansion are required to possess, at a minimum, a bachelor's 

degree, and a P-3 certificate or equivalent. Any teachers or teacher assistants wishing to obtain a 

degree or a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential were eligible for scholarships provided 

through Race-to-the-Top funding and GNJK. In 2017, a wide variety of professional development 

opportunities were available through GNJK and DECEFE including: curriculum topics, 

developmental screening tools, ECERS-3, home visiting, Pyramid Positive Behavior Supports, and 

Teaching Strategies GOLD. 

f) Improvements to teacher and administrator training programs and professional 

development - Trainings were held in various geographic locations to meet the needs of 

participants in GNJK, including the expansion districts. In addition, the DECEFE conducted 

targeted training to support preschool supervisors, new Master Teachers, and new PIRT members 

working in expansion districts. Expansion grant staff conducted supervisor professional 

development during 2017 that specifically targeted preschool supervisors and was held in 

conjunction with quarterly support meetings. Topics included: performance-based assessment, 

GNJK's rating readiness, overview of ECERS-3 results and fiscal management of grant. For the first 

time this year, administrator professional development was conducted in a “professional learning 

community” format. This format was used in response to the growing interest of administrators 

to share their expertise, engage in professional dialogue, and share implementation strategies 

across districts. This effort has been highly successful in creating a platform for a rich exchange of 

ideas. 

g) Use of a Statewide Longitudinal Data System to link data - Children registered in both grantand state-funded preschool programs are enrolled into New Jersey's statewide longitudinal data 

system, NJ SMART. Each child is assigned a unique Student Identification Number, allowing the 

system to follow each child from grade level to grade level. Participating school districts, private 

providers, and Head Start programs receive their own site-level codes, which will ultimately allow 

us to develop a monitoring system connecting child outcome to early experiences at specific 

district, provider, and Head Start sites. 

h) Implementing a comprehensive Early Learning Assessment System - New Jersey has a robust 

comprehensive early learning assessment system that is built into GNJK. Implementation of the 

four types of assessment (screening, performance-based assessment, environmental measures, 

and measures of teacher-child interaction) is incorporated into GNJK (for early learning providers 

and participating school districts) and the Self-Assessment Validation System (SAVS) for Statefunded school districts not enrolled in GNJK. School districts, private providers and Head Start 

programs are required to use valid and reliable developmental screenings (Ages & Stages 

Questionnaire, Early Screening Inventory-Revised); formative assessments that correspond with 

the comprehensive curricula and learning standards (TS GOLD®, The Child Observation Record 

(COR) or Work Sampling System); and measures of environment (ECERS-3) and adult-child 

interaction (Classroom Assessment Scoring System/CLASS). 
ED 524B Page 19 of 35

i) Building preschool programs capacity to engage parents - As part of the GNJK self-assessment, 

expansion districts are required to use an additional Strengthening Families self-assessment to 

gauge effectiveness in parent engagement and supports. Training in the Strengthening Families 

Protective Factors is offered through both GNJK and DECEFE. Expansion districts are required to 

have active parent advisory groups and encouraged to participate on their local County Councils 

for Young Children (CCYC) which are required to have 51 percent parent membership. The goal is 

to have school district participation on the CCYCs to support development of parent leaders in 

each community. Each county council works within the community to support families as children 

transition into preschool through kindergarten and helps to facilitate linkages to community 

resources. 

j) Building state- and community-level support for high-quality programs - Through the RTT-ELC 

grant, the State established a coordinated network of prenatal/early childhood services known as 

Central Intake Hubs to function as a single point of entry at the county level for pregnant or 

parenting families. Central Intake helps to streamline access to health care resources, social 

services, and other community supports. Early learning providers across settings are working to 

connect families with Central Intake and encourage them to participate on the CCYCs for their 

counties. No grant funds are being used, as these activities are covered by the RTT-ELC grant. 

k) Other activities to support the delivery of High-Quality Preschool - Quarterly meetings for 

preschool expansion supervisors provide opportunities for networking and exchange of 

information and strategies amongst school districts. Some districts have made connections with 

State-funded preschool programs in their county in order to seek guidance and benefit from 

experience. Preschool expansion supervisors have also started networking amongst themselves 

to share best practices and troubleshoot any implementation challenges that arise. In addition, 

they have sought opportunities to visit their colleagues in other preschool expansion districts to 

observe the program in action. 

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;
ED 524B Page 20 of 35

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

✔ A Full-Day program;

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 21 of 35

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.

To ensure program quality, New Jersey is using the same process that was used to raise the quality of 

the 35 school districts currently in the state's High-Quality Preschool Program (former Abbott 

districts). The 16 school districts participating in preschool expansion are required to meet the same 

high-quality program and learning standards used in the state's program, and memorialized in our 

Administrative Code, N.J.A.C., 6A:13A, Elements of High Quality Preschool Programs, Preschool 

Program Implementation Guidelines, Self-Assessment Validation System (SAVS) or GNJK. Private 

providers and Head Start programs contracted with school districts have agreed to the terms of the 

annual Preschool Provider Contract in addition to using GNJK to work through the levels of quality. 

 

The state's administrative code and other quality guidance documents (mentioned above) contain the 

following required quality structural elements that were addressed with preschool expansion grant 

districts in 2017: 

• Maximum class size of 15 children with one certified teacher and a teacher assistant; 

• Full-day preschool program consisting of a six-hour day and in keeping with each districts' school 

calendar for a 10-month academic period (180 day minimum); 

• In-district administrator and/or supervisor to ensure coordination of all of the elements of the 

high-quality preschool program within each school district, including oversight of any 

contracted private providers or Head Start programs; 

• Teacher with a Bachelor's degree and certification in preschool - grade three or other equivalent 

preschool certification. Teachers working at private provider programs contracted through 

the districts were eligible for scholarships through GNJK in order to complete a Bachelor's 

degree program and attain teaching certification; 

• Instructional salaries that are comparable to school district salaries; 

• Developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically relevant comprehensive curriculum 

(districts choose from High Scope, Tools of the Mind, Creative Curriculum and Curiosity 

Corner) and assessment (TS GOLD®, Child Observation Record, or Work Sampling System), that 

is aligned with the Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards. Professional development in a 

variety of curricula and assessment systems was offered in an effort to support full curriculum 

implementation and effective child assessment. Larger expansion districts used grant funds to 

support personalized professional development and coaching by the curriculum developers; 

 

• Master Teacher(s) to provide coaching, classroom support, and professional development to 

instructional staff; master teachers are required at a ratio of one to not more than 20 

preschool classrooms. In 2017, five expansion districts sent a total of five staff to the seminar 

for new master teachers; the nine-session seminar is held monthly to orient and train master 

teachers in the requirements of their new role. Participants successfully completing all course 

requirements are awarded a fellowship letter from the NJDOE. Requirements include the 

submission of a portfolio that includes written evidence of reflective coaching sessions, 

documentation of completion of structured observation instruments, and group presentations 

based on NJ Teaching and Learning Standards. 

• Structured observation tools are used by the Master Teacher to assess implementation of 
ED 524B Page 22 of 35

curriculum and quality components and to systematically gauge quality changes over time. 

The primary tool used in New Jersey in 2017 was the ECERS-3. Training in the application and 

appropriate use of the ECERS-3 has been conducted throughout the state to orient expansion 

district staff to its use and effectiveness in measuring and guiding quality improvements. To 

build capacity and support DECEFE's work with school districts, several NJDOE staff are now 

reliable in the ECERS-3. 

• Developmental screening instruments are required to be administered by classroom teachers at 

the beginning of the school year. The screening tool is used to determine if further evaluation 

of the child may be necessary. Professional development in administering the various 

screening tools was offered to districts in 2017 and individualized support was provided by 

district liaisons on an as-needed basis. 

• Preschool Intervention and Referral team (PIRT) provide intervention and support services; PIRT 

may consist of school psychologist, learning disabilities teacher, social worker, and/or speech 

and language specialists. The PIRT is responsible for consulting with master teachers and 

classroom teachers to adapt and modify teaching practices and classroom environment to 

help preschool children meet the preschool standards. The PIRT also use reflective coaching 

with their teachers and coach around social/emotional development and the Pyramid Model. 

Two sessions of professional development in the Pyramid Model are underway this school 

year. All expansion districts were invited to attend the four-day sessions to get training for 

additional staff in the Pyramid Model. The 2017-2018 Pyramid Model trainings (two sessions 

of 4-days each) were attended by 16 staff from preschool expansion districts. PIRT members 

were also invited to training in the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT) which is used to 

gauge teacher effectiveness in implementing the Pyramid positive behavior supports in the 

classroom. In the 2017-2018 school year, there will be a total of 5 sessions of two-day 

trainings in the TPOT which will be attended by approximately 4 preschool expansion staff 

(based on registrations to-date). For the first time ever, a new PIRT seminar was offered for all 

state-funded districts and preschool expansion districts. This 9-session seminar includes 

training for first year PIRT on the Pyramid Model, NJ Teaching and Learning Standards, 

reflective coaching, providing Professional Development and TPOT reliability training. In the 

2017-18 school year, one expansion district is attending the seminar. 

• Preschool nurses are required at a ratio of one for every 300 preschool students, including those 

students contracted with private provider and Head Start programs. The nurses' role is to 

ensure that basic health services are provided, including: 

o Vision, hearing, height and weight screenings of each child upon enrollment in preschool; 

o Maintenance of records pertaining to immunization, physical examinations and other 

records necessary for transition to kindergarten; 

o Parent education and communication designed to meet the health, nutritional, and social 

service needs of children enrolled in the program. 

• Community Parent Involvement Specialist (CPIS) or other appropriate person (social service 

staff) is required in each expansion district to collaborate with all relevant preschool 

instructional staff, administrators, and support personnel to plan and facilitate greater 

engagement of families in the school and community. District CPIS work closely with 

preschool personnel to assess family needs (through surveys), engage parents in preschool 

and district-wide events, and connect them with local advisory councils or parent groups. 

Expansion districts also use the Strengthening Families protective factors framework and selfassessment as a requirement of participation in GNJK. Strengthening Families, developed by 

the Center for the Study of Social Policy, provides seven primary strategies for engaging and 

supporting families while building protective factors to empower parents as partners in their 

child's education. Individual school districts plan a wide variety of parent events to best meet 
ED 524B Page 23 of 35

the needs of their communities. 

• Each district board of education was required to establish an Early Childhood Advisory 

Council (ECAC) comprised of district and community stakeholders whose role is to engage 

around early childhood issues in the community, advise on preschool matters, and seek 

opportunities for collaboration and resource-sharing. CPIS also work to connect families 

with local County Councils for Young Children (CCYC). Each CCYC works within the 

community to support families, facilitate linkages to community resources, and provide 

opportunities for families' involvement in authentic decision-making and leadership 

development. 

• Expansion districts are required to include children with Individualized Education Programs 

(IEPs) in the preschool general education classrooms, recommended at a rate of 1-2 per 

class of 15 children. Preschool supervisors work closely with their special education 

counterparts to determine appropriate placements for children and provide related 

services and supports to ensure the greatest likelihood of success. District liaisons work 

closely with each school district to share appropriate resources and give guidance on best 

practices for inclusion. Additional supports are available through the NJDOE, Office of 

Special Education, in the form of regional specialists that can provide on-site and 

personalized technical assistance to districts as needed. 

• School districts are required to provide appropriate supports for English language learners 

depending on the particular need of each community. Home language surveys are 

distributed to families upon enrollment to help determine levels of support needed for 

new preschool enrollees. Districts provided supports in a variety of ways including 

bilingual instructional staff, in-class strategies for teachers by an ELL specialist, bilingual 

classroom materials, professional development for instructional staff, and resources for 

parents. 

• Professional development for districts was offered by the state in a variety of venues and on 

various topics to support all components of the grant requirements. In 2017, the state's 

GNJK training was the primary vehicle for delivery of training. Training was offered in 

several different regions to maximize accessibility for all participating subgrantees. Topics 

covered a wide range of subjects and levels in order to provide options for districts 

depending on need. The DECEFE also scheduled professional development for Master 

Teachers and PIRT members to help ensure compliance with grant requirements. Districts 

were also responsible for developing individualized professional development plans to 

support such topics as curriculum implementation, inclusion of children with special needs, 

and support of English language learners. The following specific topics were among those 

offered free of charge to expansion districts through GNJK and DECEFE: 

• Let's Move Child Care 

• ECERS - 3 Overview 

• Creative Curriculum 

• High Scope Curriculum 

• Teaching Strategies Gold 

• Inclusion Strategies 

• Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence of Infants and Young Children 
ED 524B Page 24 of 35

• Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT) 

• Strengthening Families 

• Performance-Based Assessments 

Districts were required to create transition teams to develop plans for transitioning children from 

entering preschool through third grade. Teams are comprised of various stakeholders including 

administrative staff, teachers (across grade levels and disciplines), and Child Study Team staff who 

meet to establish district goals and plans for seamless transitions of children and families through the 

early education system. 

Progress on implementation of the above quality structural elements and required grant components 

are monitored by district liaisons with the use of the GNJK self-assessment, ECERS-3, and the District 

Activities Tracking Plan. These tools help guide the work of the liaisons with the districts and provide 

methods for planning and measuring quality improvements over time. Intensive technical assistance is 

provided to be sure districts are successfully implementing all elements. In the past year (2017), 106 

on-site technical assistance and monitoring visits were conducted with preschool expansion districts. 

 

Selection Criteria (D)(4) from NIA 

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

The total percentage of eligible children being served by the grant across 16 school districts is 71.7%. 

The number of children targeted to be served in year three of the grant was exceeded by 927 

additional new slots. The cost per pupil for year three was $10,225 for new slots and $5,260 for 

improved slots. There are no planned changes to targets for year four. 

 

 

 
ED 524B Page 25 of 35

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.

Since the start of the grant in January 2015, DECEFE has worked to develop and maintain close 

working relationships with the participating school districts. All districts are assigned a liaison who 

is primarily responsible for regular contact and program monitoring to ensure all grant 

components are being successfully implemented. As staffing at DECEFE has shifted, 

responsibilities for various districts have been reassigned. 

1. Establishment of roles and responsibilities of the state and subgrantee toward implementing the 

state's plan- 

 The NJDOE and subgrantee school districts have clearly defined roles as outlined in the annual 

Cooperative Agreements that are developed by NJDOE and signed by responsible parties at both 

the state (NJ Department of Education Commissioner and Director of Budget and Accounting) and 

local levels (school superintendent). State responsibilities includes oversight of all district 

activities and grant components. Four dedicated staff oversee the work of 16 expansion districts. 

Grant staff are housed within the DECEFE and enjoy the benefits of much experience and 

expertise to support the development and maintenance of high-quality preschool programs. Staff 

are assigned to specific districts and are responsible for the following grant activities completed 

annually: 

• Review and approve Four-Year Plan updates and budgets; 

• Conduct on-site visits to meet with school personnel; 

• Assist districts in assessing selection of classroom space and setting up new rooms as necessary; 

• Provide support and resources on specific topics (e.g., inclusion, curriculum, math, developmental 

assessments, screening tools, TPOT, etc.); 

• Assist districts in negotiating relationships, contracts, and budgets with private providers, as 

applicable. 

 School district roles and responsibilities: 

 • Develop annual plans and budgets; 

 • Determine locations for new classrooms, as needed; 

 • Develop contracts with private providers, as applicable; 

 • Recruit, hire, and supervise staff; 

 • Implement required quality components including grant and GNJK; 

 • Recruit and enroll children; 

 • Complete enrollment and quarterly expenditure reports. 
ED 524B Page 26 of 35

2. Increasing organizational capacity and infrastructure of the subgrantee to provide high-quality 

preschool programsDECEFE staff continues to work closely with school districts to build internal organizational capacity 

including the addition of staff and structural supports to meet all grant components. Staff maintain 

close contact through email, phone, and face-to-face meetings with all districts to provide 

individualized direction and assistance as needed and monitor progress on quality components. 

3. Minimizing local administrative costs - Budgets are reviewed and approved annually by DECEFE 

staff with the support of the fiscal staff from within the NJDOE. Quarterly expenditure reports are 

submitted by districts, reviewed and approved to ensure appropriate expenditure of funds. Funds to 

districts are paid through the state's Electronic Web-Enabled Grant System (EWEG) as reimbursement 

requests are submitted, reviewed and approved providing an additional mechanism for monitoring 

expenditures. 

4. Monitoring to ensure delivery of high quality- District liaisons work with individual districts to 

monitor quality components to determine the status of implementation through on-site visits and 

District Activities Tracking plans. GNJK is used to measure additional quality standards that are 

tracked across five categories and five levels. Classroom quality studies are done by NIEER on an 

annual basis to gauge quality changes. Annual results have demonstrated that expansion districts 

made improvements across all quality subscales in the ECERS-3. Individual school districts that 

contract with private providers or Head Start are responsible for monitoring both program and fiscal 

components of the provider. Privately contracted providers receive the same support services for 

their classes including coaches, behavior support, nurses, and therapies where appropriate. District 

Master Teachers assess classroom quality using the ECERS-3 and supervisors in contracted provider 

programs also participate in GNJK to assess quality across all program components. 

5. Coordination of plans related to assessments, data sharing, instructional tools, family 

engagement, cross-sector and comprehensive services efforts, professional development, and 

workforce and leadership developmentGrow NJ Kids is the primary vehicle for coordination of plans across all areas noted above. 

Incorporated into GNJK are instructional tools, family engagement, cross-sector and comprehensive 

services, professional development, and workforce. This assures that all school districts and provider 

partners work within the same high quality parameters and are being held to the same high standard. 

Also incorporated into GNJK is the Strengthening Families framework which addresses assessment 

and best practices related to family engagement. GNJK also includes the NJ Preschool Teaching and 

Learning Standards. 

In addition to GNJK, preschool expansion programs are guided by Department of Education and the 

N.J.A.C. 6A:13A, Elements of High Quality Preschool Programs which describes regulations used by 

districts to ensure compliance with state requirements for grant participation. This serves as a 

reference for districts and liaisons when determining such things as teacher compensation 

requirements and the role of the Master Teacher. Additional high quality parameters are outlined in 

the Preschool Program Implementation Guidelines which describes more detailed recommendations 

for community collaboration, recruitment and outreach, and administration. 

District liaisons work closely with individual districts to develop professional development plans 

(annually) and access free training available through the state and GNJK. Regular meetings are also 

held with key district staff to review information about all grant requirements and share resources to 

support the work of the districts. This year's meetings also provided an opportunity for professional 

development for school administrators on relevant topics such as performance-based assessments, 

GNJK rating readiness, and use of the ECERS-3 in planning professional development for staff. 
ED 524B Page 27 of 35

6. Coordination and delivery of High-Quality Preschool Programs - DECEFE continues to work closely 

with various state departments through the NJCYC and the Interdepartmental Planning Group (IPG). 

This important collaboration provides ongoing opportunities for coordination of service delivery 

across state- and federally-funded preschool programs, home visiting, child care, Head Start agencies, 

Title I programs, programs for homeless children, and programs for young children with disabilities. 

In addition to coordination at the program office level, the NJDOE has a strong system of checks and 

balances for fiscal accountability across program funding sources. Districts are required to maintain a 

uniform system of financial bookkeeping and reporting that is consistent with generally accepted 

accounting principles. State-funded preschool programs have their own unique revenue source and 

program codes for budgeting and reporting expenditures, allowing school districts to track preschool 

funding separately from other state and federal funding (Title I, IDEA, McKinney-Vento, etc.). Any 

district receiving grant dollars received unique program codes for tracking grant expenditures. Each 

school year, districts provide the NJDOE with a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report detailing 

expenditures from all funding sources in the prior school year. Districts must also submit annual 

independent audits of all expenditures. 

7. Integration within economically diverse, inclusive settings - To ensure economic diversity within 

each program, New Jersey leverages existing state funding provided to participating high-need 

communities to enhance existing preschool slots and add new slots for eligible children. School 

districts already receiving state funding for preschool are permitted to serve any resident three- and 

four-year-old child, without regard to income eligibility. This allows for more economically diverse 

populations in each classroom. Preschoolers with disabilities are also included in classrooms serving 

eligible children, following the model already established within the state's High-Quality Preschool 

Program. 

8. Delivery to eligible children in need of additional supports - Each district is responsible to create 

an annual program plan update to articulate how and where they will serve each of the following 

groups (where appropriate): children with disabilities, English language learners (ELL), children in 

migrant families, children in homeless families and children in military families. The plan describes 

what accommodations will be made to address the unique needs of each group. For instance, the 

plan will show how the Home Language Survey will be shared with teachers and directors/principals 

to address the needs of ELLs, and will describe what accommodations will be made for their families, 

including assistance with translation. 

9. Outreach and engagement of diverse families - Districts employed a wide variety of techniques 

including public service announcements, door-to-door distribution of flyers, leaving information at 

local pediatricians' and business offices, translation of materials into native languages represented in 

the community, mass mailings to public school families, newspaper advertisements, and outreach to 

local family resource centers. Districts also use the Strengthening Families self-assessment to gauge 

effectiveness of family engagement and work on improving services to all families. District CPIS are 

responsible for planning parent events and connecting families to community resources. 

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).

Through the RTT-ELC and preschool expansion grants, New Jersey has expanded and improved 
ED 524B Page 28 of 35

initiatives to ensure smooth transitions for children and families across the birth through third grade 

continuum. In the third year of the grant, New Jersey state departments continued working in a crosssector collaboration to expand and enhance services to families of its youngest children. In regular 

meetings of the NJCYC, a myriad of community stakeholders and state leaders discussed issues across 

all sectors that affected families seeking access to services. NJCYC members in attendance 

represented programs of all types serving families of children from prenatal through school-age. 

Efforts undertaken at the NJCYC and the IPG continue to support a strong continuum of learning for 

children from birth through third grade. In addition, internal work being done at DECEFE 

encompasses birth to grade three, including such projects as Early Head Start/Head Start, 

Kindergarten and First through Third Grade Guidelines. 

1. (a/b) Transitions for programs serving children from birth to five - Central Intake, New Jersey's 

single point of entry into comprehensive early childhood system provides the framework for seamless 

referral and coordination among key child and family-serving partners from pregnancy to age eight. 

With core funding commitments at the state level (Departments of Health, Children and Families, 

Human Services and Education), and cross-sector collaboration, the Central Intake hubs ensure easier 

access for programs and families to a continuum of early learning and development services and 

supports within each community. Partners in this collaboration include Early Intervention, Special 

Education, Home Visiting, Early Head Start/Head Start, child care and family child care, Special Child 

Health Services, before and after care programs, prenatal clinics and Medicaid-managed care 

organizations. 

The New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) continues to operate a statewide network 

of County Councils for Young Children (CCYC) in all 21 counties. The CCYC structure embraces the 

Strengthening Families Framework which facilitates parent participation in identifying local successes/

concerns, setting priorities, and establishing a local structure. The work of the CCYC is to strengthen 

collaboration between families and local community stakeholders. This shared leadership philosophy 

includes parents as active partners with service providers and community leaders helping to identify 

the needs and aspirations, as well as the successes of collective efforts to positively impact the health, 

education, and well-being of children from pregnancy to age eight. This body of community members 

(e.g. parents, community residents and community providers), come together and receive training 

and technical assistance in parent leadership and shared leadership models. 

 

Each CCYC partners with local providers (e.g. Home Visiting, Head Start, Child Care Resource and 

Referral, Family Resource Centers, etc.) to identify parents to participate on the CCYC. The CCYC also 

includes other stakeholders and services (e.g. faith-based organizations, civic groups, libraries, 

museums, etc.) that support parents and families. Expansion districts are encouraged to solicit 

participation from parent advisory groups on the CCYC. Each CCYC, which is comprised of 51% 

parents, seeks to develop the skills of parent leaders and recruit additional parents to participate in 

local events. The goal is that parents will have greater input into the service delivery and coordination 

at the local level and become equal partners in improving quality and access to early childhood 

services. Both Central Intake and CCYC have dedicated sources of funding that align with specific 

state or federal priorities and/or grants. Because of their direct relationship to identifying and linking 

children and families to preschool programs they are considered leveraged resources for support of 

preschool expansion. Transition teams are now in place in all districts with staff meeting between 

grade levels to prioritize goals and plan transition activities for children and families from before 

preschool entry through grade three. 

 

2. Transitions for programs serving children from Kindergarten to Grade 3 - 

(a) Ensuring that children are prepared for Kindergarten: New Jersey is working to ensure 

that children are well prepared for kindergarten by implementing the components of the high-quality 

preschool in the schools and providers in the 16 subgrantee communities, and by encouraging sites 
ED 524B Page 29 of 35

serving infants and toddlers to participate in GNJK. Districts are being supported by DECEFE staff to 

meet the standards of the state preschool program, and are being included in the ongoing evaluation 

of classrooms to inform quality improvements. Districts are working to meet the structural elements 

dictated by code and guidelines, and are participating in GNJK to ensure that all program features are 

in place. 

 

Expansion programs are required to fully implement developmentally appropriate, culturally 

responsive instruction and evidence-based curricula. Teachers also use a performance-based 

assessment system such as TS GOLD®, Work Sampling System, or Child Observation Record. 

Professional development in both curriculum implementation and performance-based assessments 

were provided in 2017 through GNJK; in addition, many individual districts provided their own 

professional development to staff to ensure full implementation of curriculum. With this and all other 

high-quality elements in place, New Jersey is poised to ensure that children are well-prepared for 

entry into Kindergarten. 

 

(b) Efforts to sustain developmental gains of children: 

(i) Collaboration between preschool and Kindergarten teachers - Each districts' transition 

team consists of teachers across grade levels including preschool and Kindergarten teachers. The 

transition team meetings provide opportunities for dialogue and planning around the needs of 

children and families in transition. Some examples of transition activities that have taken place in the 

past year include: 

 

• Preschool student visits to kindergarten classes; 

• Kindergarten orientation for all students; 

• Parent/teacher conferences; 

• Parent/guardian workshops; 

• Preschool-Kindergarten Buddy Program; 

• Multiple open houses with flexible times; 

• Kindergarten Summer Prep Program/Extended School Year Program 

By 2017, all districts had staff trained in the Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) and Kindergarten 

Implementation Guidelines through the Kindergarten seminar. The KEA uses the TS GOLD® system to 

assess children's academic and social development as they enter kindergarten. Teachers are 

encouraged to use TS GOLD® beyond kindergarten to measure progress, guide individualized 

instruction, and assist in curriculum planning, professional development, and interactions with 

parents. This provides opportunities for all districts to improve best practices at the kindergarten level 

and further coordinate activities and experiences. 

 (ii) Expanding access to full-day kindergarten - All participating expansion districts already 

offer full-day Kindergarten. 

 (iii) Increasing percentage of children who read and do math at grade level - Expansion of 

the KEA provides additional data to track progress of children from preschool into early elementary 

years. Data will be reviewed and targets will be set to increase the percentage of students who are 

proficient in reading and math skills. 

 (c) Plan to engage families - Transition teams at the district level have planned a variety of 

transition activities to include families. Parents attending the preschool program are surveyed using 

the Strengthening Families Protective Families Survey on an annual basis in order to gauge their 

needs. 

 (d) Steps you have taken to build upon or align - 
ED 524B Page 30 of 35

 (i) Child learning standards - Through the RTT-ELC grant and NJCYC, the NJ Birth to Three 

Early Learning Standards and Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards were aligned and a guidance 

document created. Kindergarten and First through Third Grade Implementation Guidelines have also 

been completed. During 2017, an additional document entitled New Jersey Preschool Classroom 

Teaching Guidelines was created to provide an overview of developmentally appropriate teaching 

practices across all preschool content areas. Corresponding videos were also developed to illustrate 

developmentally appropriate, effective and academically challenging early learning programs for 

young children. 

 (ii) Teacher preparation and workforce competence - The Kindergarten Seminar is available 

to all districts participating in the KEA and includes sessions that introduce the key features of the 

Kindergarten Implementation Guidelines and the KEA. Classes continue to be available through GNJK 

and NJDOE, covering standards and implementation across all early grade levels including the new 

First through Third Grade Implementation Guidelines. 

 (iii) Comprehensive early learning assessment - District liaisons have been working closely 

with districts to implement comprehensive assessment systems from preschool into kindergarten and 

beyond. Professional development in the use of various levels of assessment, including TS GOLD® is 

provided through the RTT-ELC and expansion grants. Support is available to help teachers at all grade 

levels integrate the information learned to systematically address all areas of assessment: classroom 

environment, teacher-child interaction, developmental screening and performance-based 

assessment. 

 (iv) Data systems - As districts enroll teachers in the KEA, data is entered into NJ SMART, the 

state's longitudinal data system. Children will be assessed at both the beginning and end of 

kindergarten to track progress. 

 (v) Family engagement - See 2(c) above. 

 

 

 
ED 524B Page 31 of 35

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 3 Target differs from the Year 3 Actual.

As can be seen in our original application (and in the 2015 APR), our match began with a significant 

boost due to an increase of $14.4 million from FY13 to FY14. As shown in Table 7(a), we then met our 

projected year one (FY15) increase of $4,773,000 to New Jersey's already substantial preschool 

program budget of over $650 million annually. In year two (FY16), we then exceeded our initially 

projected match of $5,773,000 by over $1.67 million (for a total match of $7,447,000 in year two). In 

spite of a flat enrollment projection for FY17, state funding preschool did not decrease in year three 

(FY17). Instead, we maintained our year two matching level of $7,447,000. In year four (FY18), we 

not only maintained our matching level of $7,447,000, we grew by an additional $19,000,000 in 

funding to support new and improved slots in existing state programs. 

Although the state budget is not yet set for FY19, we anticipate maintaining FY18 levels and further 

increasing enrollment and program quality. These matching funds will be used to support additional 

slots in the high-need communities participating in New Jersey's High-Quality Preschool Program. 

Funding will be distributed to individual school districts (and to contracted providers, as appropriate) 

based on enrollment projections submitted to and approved by the New Jersey Department of 

Education. Including our initial match of $14.4 million, our total matching contribution will equal 

$60,114,000, representing an 85.9% match to our grant funding. 

 

 

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.

New Jersey has continued its collaborative partnership approach through the Interdepartmental 

Planning Group (IPG) that spans the birth through third grade continuum and goes across multiple 

sectors, including the Department of Education (Division of Early Childhood Education and Family 

Engagement, Offices of Special Education and Title One, Homeless and Migrant Education), the 

Department of Human Services (Division of Family Development), the Department of Children and 

Families (Offices of Licensing, Child Protection and Permanency, and Family and Community 

Partnerships), and the Department of Health (Office of Early Intervention). This cross agency 

collaboration has resulted in a more coordinated delivery of services starting prenatally, and we 

continue to find new ways to ensure continuous and consistent high-quality early learning and 

development opportunities throughout the prenatal/birth to age eight continuum. 

 
ED 524B Page 32 of 35

Central Intake hubs and CCYC (see 4, 1 a/b above) provide a mechanism to streamline families' access 

to comprehensive services. Information about services available through collaboration with our state 

partners has been shared with each district for use by social workers and Community Parent 

Involvement Specialists (CPIS). They, in-turn, have shared the information with families in an effort to 

maximize supports and resources to needy families. Central Intake provides families access to such 

services as home visiting, child care, adult education, housing, health, and mental health services. 

Local parent councils are active in all counties and district staff have been developing contacts by 

attending meetings and events to gather information about the availability of community resources 

and to make connections with local stakeholders. DECEFE district liaisons are working with their 

assigned districts to help facilitate development of relationships and collaboration in their local 

communities. 

 

In-district transition teams, including staff from various early grade levels and across disciplines, 

continue to meet to ensure that transitions between grades and programs are as smooth and 

seamless as possible. Transition teams and district staff were also responsible for surveying families 

to identify educational and social service needs and provide resources and information to them as 

needed. The work done in transition teams is also providing new opportunities for dialogue across 

grade levels to work toward better articulation and minimal disruptions during periods of transition. 

 

Preschool expansion supervisors work closely with district special education coordinators to seek 

children for enrollment into the preschool general education settings. Placement of children with IEPs 

into the general education setting is done through a joint effort of preschool and special education 

staff working together to determine "goodness of fit" for eligible children with special needs. 

Individual districts reached various levels of success in the integration of children with special needs 

and liaisons continue to work closely to promote positive growth in this area. Districts are provided 

with resources and professional development to learn more about strategies for inclusion of children 

with special needs. Districts have continued outreach to local Early Intervention providers to bring 

children with special needs into their state- or federally-funded preschool programs as they turn three 

years old. Children are then enrolled into grant-funded classrooms as they become age- and incomeeligible to participate and space is available. 

 

To ensure that the benefits of the high-quality preschool program continue beyond preschool, district 

administrators are introduced to the KEA and Kindergarten Implementation Guidelines. Kindergarten 

teachers participating in the KEA are also be enrolled in the Kindergarten Seminar, which focuses 

content on using both the Guidelines and the KEA. To help schools navigate the increasingly complex 

world of Common Core and higher expectations for accountability, and to promote smooth transitions 

across the grade levels, New Jersey also developed First through Third Grade Implementation 

Guidelines. Funded through the RTT-ELC grant, the guidelines include information on pedagogy and 

young children, best practices in assessment, reading interventions, center- and project-based 

learning, as well as specific guidance on implementing and assessing the Common Core using 

developmentally appropriate instructional practices and highlighting strategies for teacher evaluation. 

District liaisons and DECEFE colleagues are working closely with individual districts for successful 

implementation of the KEA and best practices in grades kindergarten through third grade. 

 
ED 524B Page 33 of 35

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.

New Jersey continues to be highly successful in creating new high quality preschool slots. To-date, 

the subgrantees are serving a total of 1,929 new or improved slots. Of these, 649 are improved and 

1280 are new which exceeds initial projections for year three. As districts begin planning for year four 

implementation (school year 2018-2019), DECEFE staff are working closely with districts to ensure 

that they are prepared to increase enrollment as projected in the year ahead. 

 
ED 524B Page 34 of 35

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, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

In 2017, state-level infrastructure costs were lower than expected, although the total actual costs are 

over-expended. This is due to the use of “carryover” funds (unspent funds from year two) that were 

allocated to individual districts. The total amount of those carryover funds allocated to districts was 

$884,714 which is offset by an under-expenditure in infrastructure costs ($393,757) for a total 

amount of funds over-spent of $490,957. 

 

State-level infrastructure expenditures were lower than expected because salary, benefit, grantee 

technical assistance and MOU costs came in lower than anticipated. We expect grant expenditures to 

maintain at this level during year four of the grant. Overall costs for year three were over-budget due 

to the amount of carryover funds that we allotted to districts from year two. 

2. Please describe any substantive changes that you anticipate to the State's Preschool Development 

Grant budget in the upcoming fiscal year (January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018).

Any substantive changes to our year four budget will likely involve carrying forward unexpended year 

three funding, but no changes are currently proposed in the nature of how funding will be expended. 

Our subgrantee school districts will continue to expend year three grant funding to close out the 

2017-18 school year. State-level infrastructure funding will also be carried forward into year four, 

with no substantive changes to our expenditures. 

 

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.

We are confident that New Jersey will be able to maintain, and possibly expand, the number and 

percentage of eligible children being served in high-quality preschool programs after the grant period. 

During the 2017-18 school year, we appropriated a larger amount of state aid on state-funded 

preschool programs than originally anticipated in our application. In addition, the New Jersey State 

Legislature appropriated $25 million to expand preschool programs, on top of what was already 

allocated for the state-funded preschool program. We expect to maintain those increases for the 

2018-19 school year. State legislators are also in the process of proposing several pieces of legislation 

aimed at increasing funding and enrollment in the state-funded preschool program. While we cannot 

guarantee future funding increases, we are encouraged by the current state of preschool funding in 

New Jersey. 

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, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

As noted above, many school districts (subgrantees) did not draw down all funds in 2016, which 

resulted in a large amount of “carryover” funds to be allocated to districts in 2017. 

We expect expenditures to increase further and then stabilize in year four as subgrantees meet their 
ED 524B Page 35 of 35

final grant enrollment targets. As stated above, subgrantees will continue to use year three grant 

funding to close out the 2017-18 school year. After that point, they will begin using year four grant 

funding to support the costs of the 2018-19 school year.