IMPACT Follow-Up Report
Pre-K Commitments in 2010 and Update for Nehemiah Action in 2011
Albemarle County Schools
- Improve access to publicly funded Pre-K for low-income children; target of 85 to 90%.
From 2005 to 2009, on average, 83.5% of children funded through the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) were designated as low-income. In 2010-2011, Albemarle has 135 4-year-olds funded through this initiative; 90% are eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch, and designated as low-income. Since 2007, Albemarle has increased the numbers of Pre-K children being served by publicly funded preschool programs by almost 16%.
- Regularly report results of publicly funded Pre-K programs to the community.
In 2009-2010, all entering Kindergarten children (N=1000) were assessed on the KPALS Language and Literacy Test. About 40% of them had been in a public Pre-K program the year before according to information given by parents on the kindergarten registration form. In the fall 68% of low-income children passed, compared to 94% of other students. In the spring 77% of low-income students passed, compared to 96% of other students. The low-income achievement gap for kindergarteners decreased from 26 to 19 percentage points from Fall to Spring.
According to state SOL test data, for Grade 3 Reading the achievement gap for low-income children decreased from 19 to 15 percentage points from 2006 to 2010. For Grade 3 Math the achievement gap decreased from 17 to 12 percentage points from 2006 to 2010.
- Plan for expansion of Pre-K services.
Dr. Moran is beginning to meet with Dr. Atkins and Smart Beginnings Leadership Council to plan collaboratively for expansion of Pre-K programs.
Charlottesville City Schools
- Improve access to publicly funded Pre-K for low-income children; target of 90%.
Charlottesville added 2 classes for 3-year-olds. They are now serving 60 3-year-olds; 100% are low-income; 4 of the 5 classes are locally funded, 1 is funded by a 5-year grant.
They are now serving 144 4-year-olds; 93% are low-income; classes are funded by the state /Title I.
Since 2006, Charlottesville has had a 46% increase in Pre-K children being served.
- Regularly report results of publicly funded Pre-K programs to the community.
A study of the cohort of children from the 2007-08 class of 3-year-olds showed: for Fall 2008-09 4-year-old classes, that cohort met developmental standards on 49% of PALS subtests, while those who did not attend the 3-year-old class met the standard on 36% of subtests; for Fall of 2009-10 Kindergarten classes, 100% of the cohort from the 3-year-old 07-08 class met the PALS benchmark score. For 4-year-olds in 2009-10 the PALS pass rate increased from 26% to 93% from Fall to Spring.
For Grade 3 Reading (state SOL test data) the achievement gap for low-income children decreased from 10 to 9 percentage points from 2007 to 2010. For Grade 3 Math the achievement gap decreased from 8 to 4 percentage points from 2007 to 2010. These relatively low achievement gaps may be related to the development of the 3-year-old Pre-K program in Charlottesville.
- Plan for expansion of Pre-K services.
Walker Middle School will be remodeled and become a Pre-School Center for all Pre-K classes. It will house equal numbers of 3 and 4-year-old students. They will begin with classes for low-income children, but eventually expect to be open for all pre-K children in the city.