KIDS ARE PRIORITY ONE COALITION
Live the Promise

December 12, 2007
____________ _________ _________ _________ __

VT Department of Education Starts the Formal
Rule-making Process for Public Funding for Pre-K
____________ _________ _________ _________ __

New Rules Available On-line

After extensive development and discussion, including significant input from stakeholders, the Departments of Education and Children and Families presented to the State Board of Education the latest version of the rules for school districts to use public education funding for providing pre-kindergarten services to 3 and 4-year-olds. 

At its November 20th meeting, the State Board voted to begin the formal rule-making process. To view the proposed rules, go to 

http://education. vermont.gov/ new/pdfdoc/ board/packet_ archives/ packet_07_ 1120/item_ N.pdf 

Note that changes from the previous version of the rules are underlined.

A Positive Step Forward

Initial feedback from Kids Are Priority One Coalition members indicates that these rules are an important step forward in planning for and funding high quality early education. One of the most significant proposals relates to the payment provisions (p. 5). The proposed rules call for early education programs to determine the actual costs of operating a full-time program. This approach will help focus future discussions on what it actually takes to run a high-quality program. Actual program costs will serve as the basis for negotiations between school districts and early education programs.

The rules also permit early education programs to charge parents the difference between the actual cost of the contracted services and the amount paid by the district for those services (p. 5). This provision gives programs the flexibility they need to meet their expenses while also remaining responsive to parents’ ability to pay.

Overview of the Rule-Making Process

The rule-making process is a formal series of steps beginning with the submission of the rules to the Interagency Committee on Administrative Rules (ICAR).  ICAR is a committee appointed by the Governor for "assistance in the review, evaluation and coordination of programs and activities of state agencies."  There will then be a public comment period and several public hearings.  The hearings will most likely be in February.  We will keep you posted.

The final rules will probably take effect sometime in the summer of 2008.

For details on the rule making process, go to http://education. vermont.gov/ new/pdfdoc/ board/rulemaking _process. pdf

For More Information

Contact Kim Friedman, Kids Are Priority One Organizing Director (348-9879 or kfriedman@svcable. net)

or Barbara Postman, Kids Are Priority One Policy Coordinator (229-6377 or bpostman@voicesforv tkids.org).