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The Kansas Head Start Association (KHSA), through an Early Childhood Block Grant from the Kansas Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund, is creating demonstration models to guide the development of the Kansas Preschool Program (KPP).   The models will complement the work of the KPP Practitioner and Policy Groups, led by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), a key partner in this grant project.

The demonstration models are bringing together school district Four-Year-Old programs, Head Start, special needs and child care into integrated classrooms which began serving children in August 2009 in Coffeyville, Liberal, and Rossville.  The experiences of these three community teams will serve as learning resources for other communities. 

This web page is the initial repository of these resources, including tools and templates, which will be useful in expanding collaborative preschool services across the state.

What makes these projects different from others in Kansas?

• The projects bring together partners from school districts, Head Start, child care and home-based providers to offer high-quality preschool services for children. 
• Funding and staff will be shared, providing a way to use resources more effectively. 
• Children who have been served in separate programs will be in the same classrooms, just as they will be when they enter kindergarten.

What are some benefits of community partnerships and a collaborative approach?

• Shared resources, such as space, staff, expertise and professional development
• Alignment of standards, curriculum and best practices
• Natural peer environment
• Linkages to comprehensive services (e.g. health, mental health, social services)
• Increased family involvement
• Easier transition to kindergarten

What special challenges of integration must be met with this approach?

• Cost allocations among different funding sources, which support integrated services while complying with individual fiscal requirements
• Differing program standards, e.g., meeting Head Start Federal Performance Standards, which are more rigorous than the Four-Year-Old Program standards in a way that creates consistent service delivery for all children
• Staffing issues related to cost-sharing, credential requirements, etc.
• Curriculum and assessment differences among programs and how to resolve these differences

What model will be used?

The Kansas Preschool Program (KPP) represents a vision for future preschool programming in Kansas which builds on the success of Pre-K Pilot Programs over the past three years.  Its mission is "to provide high-quality learning experiences and comprehensive services to all children ages 3-5 years and their families through a community and school-based, collaborative process that requires braided funding and community partnerships."  The model requires programs...

• To meet or exceed 10 nationally-recognized quality standards set by NIEER, the National Institute for Early Education Research,
• To utilize school and community-based partnerships, and
• To serve at least 50 percent at-risk children.

How are the demonstration projects funded?

An Early Childhood Block Grant from the Kansas Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund to the Kansas Head Start Association is funding the projects.  The Kansas State Department of Education is a grant partner, along with school districts, Head Starts and child care providers in each of the three communities. 

Why are the demonstration projects important?

In 2008, Governor Sebelius called for the expansion of state-funded preschools using the KPP model.  The demonstration projects will serve as "learning models" for other communities across the state and the nation. 

These projects were recently cited in testimony before the U.S. House Education Committee as an example of how early learning programs can collaborate to deliver high-quality services to children and families while using resources most effectively. 

Are community partners collaborating to provide preschool services in other states?

A growing number of communities across the nation are using a collaborative approach. To learn more about collaborations and what is happening in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee, see "Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners," published by pre[k]now in July 2009.