qm_winter_2015

7 / 36

Virginia C apitol C onnections, Winter 2015 7
We fuel progress around the world.
RunningRIGHT
means doing the right things for safety—every day.
Feds Fund Expansion of
Virginia Preschool Initiative
By Holly Coy
In mid-December the U.S. Department
of Education awarded Virginia a $17.5
million Preschool Expansion Grant which
will enable the Commonwealth to build
upon our existing public preschool program,
Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI), which
serves 18,000 at-risk four year olds annually.
The grant will support expansion and
improvement of the Virginia program in 11
high-needs school divisions beginning in the
2015-2016 school year.
“Expanding preschool is essential to
ensure that all Virginians—regardless of income or background—
acquire the education and skills they’ll need to participate and succeed
in the newVirginia economy of the 21st century,” Governor McAuliffe
said. “This grant is a big win for the children of the Commonwealth.”
The divisions were selected based on the following indicators of
need: poverty, number of Title I schools, percentage of children entering
kindergarten below the state’s literacy readiness benchmark and the
number of unserved at-risk four-year-olds. Together, the divisions have
committed to establishing 88 new classrooms and improving services
for children in 94 existing preschool classes through a program called
VPI Plus. When fully implemented, VPI Plus will serve more than
3,000 students per year at or below 200% of the poverty line.
In addition to providing high-quality preschool experiences and
activities, VPI Plus will include focused outreach to families and
communities, as well as individualized support for children with unique
learning needs, including students with disabilities, English-language
learners and children from military families.
“This exciting Preschool Expansion Grant is proof that Virginia’s
dedication to early childhood education is recognized nationwide,”
Secretary of Education Anne Holton said. “Access to high-quality
early childhood education is a determining factor in future success,
especially for at-risk young people.”
“This new grant will enable the Commonwealth to expand access
to high-quality preschool, which is an essential foundation for any
student’s academic success,” said Lieutenant Governor RalphNortham.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Virginia, and the Commonwealth
Council on Childhood Success looks forward to supporting the
program.”
The Commonwealth Council on Childhood Success, which was
created by Governor McAuliffe in August 2014 and is chaired by the
Lt. Governor, serves as the mandated advisory council for the grant.
The grant also will fund a state-level effort—led by the Center for
Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning at the University ofVirginia
(UVA)—to improve preparation and professional development for
preschool teachers and administrators.
The awards were announced by President Obama during a
December White House Summit on Early Education as part of more
than $1 billion in new federal and private-sector investments in early
childhood education. The awards are first-year grants with the potential
of continued funding for three additional years.
Holly Coy is the Policy Director for the Office of Lt. Governor
Ralph Northam.V