On TEA Letterhead

TO THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANT ADDRESSED:

SUBJECT: Request for Application # 701-09-105

Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program Tier 3, Year 1

Eligible Applicants:

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is requesting applications under Request for Application (RFA) # 701-09-105 from school districts and open-enrollment charter schools that meet the following criteria:

·  The applicant participated in Cycle 14 of the Prekindergarten Expansion Grant Program (i.e., did receive grant funding during the 2008-2009 school year).

·  The average of the applicant’s last three consecutive years of grade 3 TAKS scores (i.e., 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008) has been at or below the state average in reading or mathematics.

Education service centers (ESCs) are eligible to apply as the fiscal agent of a shared services arrangement (SSA).

All applicants eligible for funding are included on the List of Eligible Applicants posted on the TEA Grant Opportunities webpage (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/opge/disc/calendar/762-09/Prek-Tier3.pdf).

Description of Program:

The purpose of the Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program Tier 3, Year 1 is to provide funds to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in order to prepare students to enter kindergarten on or above grade level by doing the following:

·  Identifying eligible prekindergarten children and communicating the availability of services to their families and caregivers.

·  Assessing the needs of those children and providing them with quality preschool services based on proven school readiness components that include high quality, developmentally appropriate, and rigorous curriculum; continuous monitoring of student progress in the classroom; and professional development, including mentoring, to promote student achievement with the goal of dramatically improving early literacy, language, mathematics, and social development skills.

·  Creating and implementing a School Readiness Implementation Partnership that outlines the means by which the grantee will coordinate efforts, services, resources, program administration, and curriculum and instruction among local public-school prekindergarten programs, licensed child-care providers, and Head Start programs.

·  Participating in the School Readiness Certification System, a valid, research-based automated system through which an early childhood education program submits an application demonstrating the program’s record of cognitive, social, and emotional development of young children to be certified as a school ready program.

·  Designing and developing a prekindergarten service program that is sustainable after the end of the Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program, with sufficient funding from sources other than grant funds.

Tier 3, Year 1 grant recipients will be required to work with the state’s technical assistance provider, the State Center for Early Childhood Development (SCECD). Grant recipients will be required to participate in intensive technical assistance provided by the SCECD, focused on proven school readiness components aligned with the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.

The goal of the Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program is to expand the state’s capacity to provide high-quality prekindergarten services to a greater number of eligible preschool students. The Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program is designed to achieve this goal through its support of coordinated community partnerships that build on existing local resources to provide instructional services that help children reach their full potential as learners.

Project Funding:

The Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program Tier 3, Year 1, will be implemented during the 2009-2010 school year(s). Applicants should plan for a starting date of no earlier than September 1, 2009, and an ending date of no later than August 31, 2010. The Prekindergarten Early Start Program Tier 3, Year 1, grant program will be funded contingent upon approval by the 81st Texas Legislative Session.

Based upon appropriation in previous legislative sessions, it is anticipated that approximately $30,725,014 will be available for funding Prekindergarten Early Start Program Tier 3, Year 1, grants during the September 1, 2009, through August 31, 2010, project period. The number of projects funded will depend on the number of applicants for funding and the amount awarded to applicants selected for funding. Projected maximum grant amounts for all eligible applicants are included on the List of Eligible Applicants, posted on the TEA Grant Opportunities webpage (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/opge/disc/calendar/762-09/Prek-Tier3.pdf). This project is funded 100% from state funds.

Selection Criteria:

Applications will be selected based on the independent reviewers' assessment of each applicant's ability to carry out all requirements contained in the RFA. Reviewers will evaluate applications based on the overall quality and validity of the proposed grant programs and the extent to which the applications address the primary objectives and intent of the project. Applications must address each requirement as specified in the RFA to be considered for funding.

TEA is not obligated to approve an application, provide funds, or endorse any application submitted in response to this RFA. This RFA does not commit TEA to pay any costs before an application is approved. The issuance of this RFA does not obligate TEA to award a grant or pay any costs incurred in preparing a response.

Requesting the Application:

Due to the high cost of printing and mailing RFAs, they will no longer be available in print. The announcement letter and complete RFA will be posted on the TEA website at http://burleson.tea.state.tx.us/GrantOpportunities/forms for viewing and downloading. In the “Select Search Options” box, select the name of the RFA from the drop-down list. Scroll down to the “Application and Support Information” to view all documents that pertain to this RFA.

Applicants’ Conference:

An applicants’ conference will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2009, from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. on the Texas Educational Telecommunication Network (TETN) available at each regional education service center (ESC) (TETN Event # 34324). To locate the nearest TETN facility, please contact the TETN site manager at your regional ESC. (The following webpage includes links and contact information for each ESC in Texas: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ESC/.)

In an effort to make most efficient use of time during the TETN, any questions relevant to the Prekindergarten Early Start Grant Program to be addressed during the TETN may be sent in advance to Lilie Elizondo-Limas at or faxed to 512-463-4246. Please provide the questions to be addressed in the TETN prior to Friday, January 8, 2009. These questions along with other information will be addressed in the presentation. The conference will be open to all potential applicants and will provide prospective applicants an opportunity to receive general and clarifying information about the program and RFA.

The entire applicants’ conference will be digitally recorded. Prospective applicants who are not able to attend the applicants’ conference may request a password to download a video stream that is viewable on their computer desktop. Applicants should contact the TETN site manager at their local ESC to request the procedures to download the video stream. To locate the nearest TETN facility,

For Further Information:

For clarifying information about the RFA, contact Sarah Averill, Division of Discretionary Grants, TEA, (512) 463-9269. In order to assure that no prospective applicant may obtain a competitive advantage because of acquisition of information unknown to other prospective applicants, any additional information that is different from or in addition to information provided in the RFA will be provided only in response to written inquiries. Copies of all such inquiries and the written answers thereto will be posted on the TEA website in the format of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at http://burleson.tea.state.tx.us/GrantOpportunities/forms. In the “Select Search Options” box, select the name of the program/RFA from the drop-down list. Scroll down to the “Application and Support Information” to view all documents that pertain to this RFA.

Deadline for Receipt of Applications:

Applications must be received in the Document Control Center of TEA by 5:00 PM (Central Time), Tuesday, February 19, 2009, to be eligible to be considered for funding.

Sincerely,

Nora Ibáñez Hancock, Ed.D.

Associate Commissioner

Office for Planning, Grants and Evaluation

Revised 9-17-07 KKM