Cincinnati Preschool Program

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO QUALITY COMMUNITY PROVIDER PRESCHOOLS LOCATED WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE CINCINNATI CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO (THE "SCHOOL DISTRICT"). IT FOCUSES ON ACCESS TO QUALITY PRESCHOOLS BECAUSE ATTENDING A QUALITY PRESCHOOL IS CONSIDERED A KEY STEP TO PREPARING CHILDREN FOR FUTURE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT.

TUITION ASSISTANCE:THE GOAL OF THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS TO GIVE PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN LIVING IN IMPOVERISHED CIRCUMSTANCES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A HIGH QUALITY RATED PRESCHOOL. WITH THIS PRESCHOOL PREPARATION THE CHILDREN ARE PROJECTED TO REACH HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND. THE INCREASED EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IS SEEN AS A KEY STEP IN IMPROVING THE CHILDREN'S LONG-TERM SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.THE PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON FIRST HELPING THOSE CHILDREN LIVING IN FAMILIES WITH INCOMES AT OR BELOW 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL AND THEN PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN HELPED BY INCREASING THAT THRESHOLD. THE PROGRAM FUNDS ATTENDANCE AT HIGH QUALITY RATED PRESCHOOLS, WHICH ARE THOSE PRESCHOOLS THAT HAVE ACHIEVED A 3, 4, OR 5 STAR RATING IN THE OHIO STEP UP TO QUALITY (SUTQ) RATING SYSTEM.THE PROGRAM IS RESTRICTED TO HELPING CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 3 AND 5 YEARS OF AGE WHO ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR KINDERGARTEN, BUT WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ENCOMPASSED BY THE CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT (CPS) AND WHO ARE ENTITLED TO ATTEND CPS SCHOOL UNDER OHIO REV. CODE 3313.64, BUT CHOSE TO ATTEND A NON-CPS PRESCHOOL LOCATED WITHIN THE CPS BOUNDARIES. THESE NON-CPS PRESCHOOLS ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS COMMUNITY PROVIDERS AND CAN INCLUDE PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS RECEIVING FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, OHIO GRANTS, AND EVEN PAROCHIAL AND NON-PAROCHIAL PRIVATE SCHOOLS.IN ORDER TO HELP THE LARGEST NUMBER OF CHILDREN FAMILIES ARE REQUIRED TO FIRST APPLY FOR AVAILABLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL PRESCHOOL-RELATED FUNDING BEFORE BECOMING ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE TUITION ASSISTANCE FUNDS. THIS ALLOWS THE PROGRAM TO BE LAST DOLLAR IN, THEREBY MAXIMIZING OTHER EXISTING SOURCES OF FUNDING.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS:THE GOAL OF THE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HIGH QUALITY RATED PRESCHOOL SEATS AVAILABLE WITHIN THE CPS GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES. HIGH QUALITY RATED PRESCHOOLS ARE THOSE THAT HAVE ACHIEVED A 3, 4, OR 5 STAR RATING IN THE OHIO STEP UP TO QUALITY (SUTQ) RATING SYSTEM. THE NEED FOR AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE HIGH QUALITY RATED PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS IN CINCINNATI WAS CHRONICLED BY A RAND CORPORATION STUDY TITLED OPTIONS FOR INVESTING IN ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL IN CINCINNATI AND PUBLISHED IN 2016.TO MEET ITS GOALS THE PROGRAM PROVIDES SERVICES, TRAINING, MATERIALS, AND ADVICE NEEDED FOR PRESCHOOLS TO ACHIEVE A 3, 4, OR 5 STAR SUTQ RATING. AS WITH TUITION ASSISTANCE, THE PROGRAM IS RESTRICTED TO PROVIDING ASSISTANCE WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ENCOMPASSED BY THE CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THE COST OF QUALITY PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION AT COMMUNITY PROVIDERS BY IMPROVING LEAD TEACHER RETENTION AND TRAINING, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR PRESCHOOL STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM HAS TWO GRANTS MEANT TO BENEFIT TEACHERS WORKING AT COMMUNITY PROVIDERS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE (TEACHER PROMISE GRANTS, TPG, AND TEACHER ADVANCEMENT STIPENDS, TAS) AND ONE GRANT FOR THOSE WORKING AT COMMUNITY PROVIDERS ELIGIBLE FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (STAFF SUPPORT FUNDS, SSF). TPG, PAYS A MONTHLY STIPEND DIRECTLY TO QUALIFYING LEAD PRESCHOOL TEACHERS WHO STAY IN THAT ROLE AT THEIR CURRENT PROVIDER. TAS, FOCUSES ON ONE-TIME PAYMENTS TO LEAD PRESCHOOL TEACHERS WHO ACHIEVE CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL MILESTONES. SSF PROVIDE RESTRICTED GRANTS TO COMMUNITY PROVIDERS, THE FUNDS OF WHICH MAY ONLY BE USED TO INCREASE WAGES, BENEFITS, OR TRAINING FOR THEIR PRESCHOOL TEACHERS.