Q: Is there any flexibility on the requirement to serve children six hours per day, four days per week?
No. Grantees are required to serve children at minimum six hours per day, four days per week.
Q: Is there any flexibility on the requirement to start a new program by October 30?
No. Grantees are required to Be ready to provide Preschool Promise program services no earlier than August 1, 2022, and no later than October 30, 2022.
Q: Is there any flexibility on the ORO step 8 requirement? Is there flexibility on other staff requirements?
A Grantee that is maintaining progress towards quality may request a waiver for staff qualifications.
Q: Is there flexibility on the requirement that programs have at least two staff members per classroom?
Grantees are required to stay within licensing ratios.
Q: Is there flexibility on the requirement that a center-based/school-based classroom have no more than 18 children?
Maximum class size of 18 with an adult to child ratio of 1:9 some exceptions may available.
Q: Is there flexibility on staff salary requirements?
Grantees are required to develop a plan to achieve salary requirements.
Q: If awarded, can my own child enroll in my Preschool Promise program?
No. Preschool Promise providers cannot use their awarded slots to provide care for any child related to them by blood, marriage or legal adoption. However, if a child in your family is eligible for Preschool Promise, they may attend another Preschool Promise program.
Q: Can I apply now to plan for a program launch in fall 2023?
No. This grant is only for the 2022-2023 program year.
Q: Can a school-based program offer a combination of Preschool Promise 10 slots and five non-Preschool Promise slots?
Yes. Programs may combine children from enrolled through a variety of funding sources ERDC, private pay, and other.
Q: What are the curriculum and assessment requirements for Preschool Promise programs?
What are the curriculum and assessment requirements for Preschool Promise programs?
Programs must also implement a curriculum that meets the following requirements. The Grantee must be implementing the chosen curriculum to fidelity, as defined by the developer of the curriculum. Grantees are expected to select and implement a curriculum that is:
- Aligned with Oregon’s Early Learning and Kindergarten Guidelines,
- Based on the science of child development and how young children learn,
- Culturally and linguistic responsive,
- Balanced with adult-directed and child-initiated activities,
- Specifies outcomes for key areas of development,
- Allows for adaptability to build on children’s’ interests,
- Explores topics that are relevant to the school community,
- Designed to provide specialized and individualized instruction for child with a disability, and
- Supports positive adult-child interactions.
Grantees must conduct ongoing formative assessments of each child at least three times during the program year. Programs must choose a formative developmental assessment tool that aligns with all developmental domains and indicators in Oregon’s Early Learning and Kindergarten Guidelines. Assessment data must be used to create individual, small group and large group activity plans. Individual child outcomes should be shared with parent/guardian at Parent and Teacher conferences.
Please refer to pages 8-9 of the Grant Manual for more information.
Q: Is there an adult to child ratio requirement?
Maximum class size of 18 with an adult to child ratio of 1:9. Grantees must comply with specified ratios during all direct service hours of the Preschool Promise Program.
Q: Does the four days per week requirement allow for breaks/vacations?
Yes, as long as the regularly planned schedule adheres to the four day/week schedule and there are still 900 program hours offered to all families
Q: I noticed a note about attendance and maintaining at least an 85% attendance rate for children placed via grant. How can providers control this, especially during COVID spikes?
We understand that programs do not have full control over child attendance. The intention with the 85% attendance expectation is that programs create a plan to help engage and support families to improve child attendance if attendance falls below 85%.
Q: Can a program offer Preschool for All (Multnomah County universal preschool program) and Preschool Promise?
Yes. Many Preschool Promise programs are funded by multiple funding sources.
Q: If I sell my business during the program year, can the award be transferred to the new owner?
The program must obtain prior consent of ELD in order for a grant to be assigned or transferred to a new party. See page 11, Section 19 of the Sample Grant Agreement for details.
*NEW* Q: What is counted toward “direct service hours?” Is transportation included? Napping? Eating?
Instructional hours, naps, snacks, and lunch are counted toward the number of direct service hours required. However, parent/teacher conferences, in-service or training days, teacher planning time and transportation time may not be included in the 900 hours of direct services.