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PROGRAMS
& SERVICES:
EARLY EDUCATION:
PUBLIC PRESCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS:
ACT 62 - AN ACT RELATING TO PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION
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OVERVIEW
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Act 62 was signed into law in 2007. It reaffirms a long-standing practice of state and local support for publicly-funded prekindergarten education for three- to five-year-old children by schools and private programs. While not a mandatory program for towns or children, it allows interested communities to provide limited early education services in quality settings. View currently available documents and resources.
The Act places new requirements on participating programs for quality, funding, and accountability. Rules developed jointly by the Department of Education and Department for Children and Families assure greater coordination and collaboration across state agencies insofar as prekindergarten education is concerned. The State Board of Education will adopt rules concerning the administration of prekindergarten education services and a report on its efficacy will be submitted to the Vermont Legislature in 2010 with additional information and recommendations. |
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LINKS TO CURRENTLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION
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Directory of Vermont’s Act 62 Prekindergarten Education Programs
This document
includes the center-based and family-based child care programs, privately operated and school operated preschools, and Head Start programs that provide publicly funded pre-kindergarten education. |
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Guide for Implementing Prekindergarten Education in Accordance with Vermont's Act 62 (February 2009)
This guide was developed to provide clarity and guidance to school districts and community early care and education providers as they work to meet the early education needs of young children and their families. This guide discusses key components and implications of Act 62, the prekindergarten education rules, and Act 132. It answers commonly asked questions, provides recommendations for complying with the rules, and includes an appendix with various forms and sample documents.
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Vermont State Board of Education Rule 2600: Rules Governing Prekindergarten Education
Act 62 required the Department of Education and the Department for Children and Families to jointly develop rules to govern the implementation of publicly funded prekindergarten education. These rules were adopted and became effective as of July 1, 2008.
Act 62: An Act Relating to Prekindergarten Education
View the law as approved by the Vermont Legislature in June 2007.
Act 132: An Act Relating to Prekindergarten Education
View the law as approved by the Vermont Legislature in 2008. It amended Act 62 in three major ways: (1) it gave prekindergarten programs operated by or through school districts a “presumptive three STARS” for a year, (2) it postponed the required child progress assessments and certain financial provisions of Act 62 until July 1, 2009, and (3) it required the Department for Children and Families and the Department of Education to jointly develop rules for Vermont’s Step Ahead Recognition System (STARS). |
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Act 62 Required Prekindergarten Assessments
Act 62 requires publicly funded prekindergarten programs to report child progress data for all children who are included in a district’s school census. Districts and providers must use either the Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum (CCDC) or Work Sampling System (WSS) to measure child progress starting in 2009-2010. There are two versions of CCDC and WSS: a printed version and a Web-based version. As a result of Vermont’s agreements with the assessment publishers, reduced rates for the Web-based version of CCDC and WSS are now available. Use the link above to view information on how to apply for this reduced rate.
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Plan for Increasing Program Quality to 4 STARS (Vermont’s Step Ahead Recognition System) Instructions & Form
Act 62 requires that early childhood programs seeking to offer publicly funded prekindergarten must meet specific quality standards. Programs must either be NAEYC accredited or hold 4 STARS with two points in each arena. Programs that do not meet these standards, but have at least 3 STARS, may provide prekindergarten education IF they have an approved 3-year plan to meet the required program quality standards. To submit a plan, use the link above for the form and follow the instructions provided. The form is also provided below as a Word document and an RTF file:
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Prekindergarten Education Checklist
This checklist is to be used by school districts and their partners to verify that they are operating in compliance with the specifics of Act 62 and the prekindergarten education (pre-K) rules. |
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Information Fact Sheets for Parents, Schools & Private Providers
Act 62 was signed into law in 2007. Although rules are currently under development, other provisions of the law took effect on July 1, 2007. Informational sheets have been prepared for parents, schools and private early education providers to help them understand and plan for prekindergarten services offered by or through public schools.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
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For more information or for questions, contact Manuela Fonseca, Early Childhood Education Program Specialist, at (802) 828-3850 or manuela.fonseca@state.vt.us. |
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Essential Early Education | Prekindergarten Education
Early Education Programs
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