Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 591 - RULES OF BRIGHT FROM THE START GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CARE AND LEARNING › Chapter 591-2 › Subject 591-2-1 - GRANT DESCRIPTIONS › Rule 591-2-1-.01 - Georgia's Pre-K Program

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1)
General Scope and Purpose:
This program is designed to provide grant funding to license or government
				childcare centers, local school systems, and Head Start organizations.
				Providers are to conduct a full day (6 1/2 hours of instructional
				services), 180 days per year of appropriate educational/instructional services
				for four-year-old children and eligible five year old children (five year old
				children who did not previously participate in Georgia's Pre-K
				Program).
(2) Georgia's Pre-K
				Program will also offer a Summer Transition Programs. These programs operate a
				full day (6 1/2 hours of instructional services), five days a week for
				6 weeks and provides appropriate educational/instructional services for all
				eligible children. Eligible children are those who meet Childcare and Parent
				Service minimum qualifications, who are age eligible. Rising Pre-K STP
				eligibility is for dual language learners age eligible for Pre-K services.
				Rising kindergarten STP is for students who did not attend a Georgia's Pre-K
				program or who attended a Pre-K Program but need additional instruction to
				prepare them for Kindergarten and are age eligible for kindergarten.
(3)
General Terms and
				Conditions:
Contract recipients agree to use the awarded funds to
				provide a developmentally appropriate educational program for the children. The
				funds may be used to provide salaries and benefits for lead teachers, assistant
				teachers, and limited support staff; materials and equipment to support an
				appropriate early education program; Category 1 eligible child transportation
				costs; staff travel to required training; and the purchase of other materials
				and services necessary to implement the program. Providers may also be granted
				funds to coordinate comprehensive services for the family. These same
				conditions apply to the Georgia's Pre-K Summer Transition Program.
(4)
Eligible Recipients:
Any
				legal educational or licensed childcare entity, such as a local school system,
				a public or private not-for-profit [501c(3)] agency, or a private for-profit
				agency. Each private site must have a room with licensed space for a minimum of
				22 children.
(5)
Application
				Process:
If funding is available, applications are available during an
				annual application period and can be downloaded from the agency website (
www.decal.ga.gov
). Interested entities must
				complete a detailed application, which includes vendor TIN verification,
				licensing information, description of the program curriculum choice, and
				assurances. A competitive application process is made available for the
				Georgia's Pre-K Program. Programs must demonstrate need by providing data about
				unserved children.
(6)
Approximate time to apply:
If funding is available, the
				application period for Georgia's Pre-K Program generally runs from February
				through April, for the following school year. If funding is available, the
				application for the Summer Transition Program is generally available January
				through April, for the program beginning in June. The exact due date is
				published each year in the Application Information Package.
(7)
Criteria for Grant Award:
Grant Agreements are awarded to Georgia's Pre-K and Summer Transition Program
				providers through a competitive process, subject to funding availability,
				previous program compliance (for continuation programs), and identified
				regional population needs. DECAL shall contract with both public and private
				providers for Pre-K services. Licensed applicants must have a history of
				compliance with regulations.
(8)
Calculation of Payment:
For Georgia's Pre-K Program, each Pre-K
				provider must submit detailed class rosters four times during the school year,
				which include teacher's name, Social Security Number and teaching credential
				information. The roster also includes all Pre-K students' names, Social
				Security Numbers, gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, English
				language proficiency and dates of birth. The enrollment and teacher credentials
				reported are applied to the Pre-K rate model to determine the amount of the
				monthly Pre-K payment. Payments for the Summer Transition Programs must submit
				attendance reports during the six week program detailing program attendance in
				the program. Additional documentation may also be collected outlined by the
				Child and Parent Service Program requirements including parent education/ work
				participation and parent education attendance participation. The teacher
				credentials and CAPS attendance reported are applied to the Summer Transition
				Program rate models to determine the amount of bi-weekly payments.
(9) Length of Award: For Pre-K grants, awards
				are valid for one school year only, and are in effect from July 1 through June
				30. For Summer Transition Programs, awards are valid from mid- May to mid/ late
				August depending on the program calendar.
(10)
Authority:
O.C.G.A.
				  20-1A-1;
				  20-1A-4;
				  50-27-2;
				  50-27-3.
O.C.G.A. Secs.
				  20-1A-1,   28-5-122,   50-27-2,   50-27-9.