Every Student Succeeds Act/Preschool Development Grants

 

Section 9212 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), PL 114-95 establishes the Preschool Development Grants (PDG). This grant initiative seeks to assist States in helping low-income and disadvantaged children enter Kindergarten prepared and ready to succeed in school and to help improve the transitions from the early care and education setting to elementary school. The overall responsibility of the ESSA PDG is to assist States in the coordination of their existing early childhood service delivery models and funding streams - for the purpose of serving more children birth through age five in a mixed delivery model. The ESSA PDG has three targeted purposes. It aims to: "(1) assist States to develop, update, or implement a strategic plan that facilitates collaboration and coordination among existing programs of early childhood care and education in a mixed delivery system across the State designed to prepare low-income and disadvantaged children to enter kindergarten and to improve transitions from such system into the local educational agency or elementary school that enrolls such children, by? (A) more efficiently using existing Federal, State, local, and non-governmental resources to align and strengthen the delivery of existing programs, (B) coordinating the delivery models and funding streams existing in the State's mixed delivery system; and (C) developing recommendations to better use existing resources in order to improve-- (i) the overall participation of children in a mixed delivery system of Federal, State, and local early childhood education programs; (ii) program quality while maintaining availability of services; (iii) parental choice among existing programs; and (iv) school readiness for children from low- income and disadvantaged families, including during such children's transition into elementary school; (2) encourage partnerships among Head Start providers, State and local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, private entities (including faith- and community- based entities), and local educational agencies, to improve coordination, program quality, and delivery of services; and (3) maximize parental choice among a mixed delivery system of early childhood education program providers." [Note to 42 USC 9831(a)] The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in consultation with the Department of Education (ED) will be soliciting applications from eligible States to carry out the activities of the ESSA PDG. The new ESSA PDG program seeks to empower State governments to lead the way in leveraging Federal, State and local early care and education investments. States are not to create another early childhood program, but rather help coordinate early childhood programs and services that already exist in the State according to the identified needs of the State. The ESSA PDG is a competitive grant authorized for up to four years - a 1 year initial grant and a renewal grant of up to 3 years. Annual funding for the program is contingent upon annual Congressional appropriation. The Initial Grant requires the States to develop, update, and implement a comprehensive, Statewide, birth through five needs assessment and related strategic plan. The Renewal Grant allows States to continue activities begun with the Initial Grant and/or to carry out additional activities including the awarding of subgrants to improve the State's Early childhood care and learning mixed delivery systems and services.

Active 93.434 Administration For Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services B - Project Grants; M - Training; Z - Salaries and Expenses Fiscal Year 2016 Not Applicable
Fiscal Year 2017 Not Applicable Not Applicable
Fiscal Year 2018 47 applications were received and 46 met the minimum scoring threshold and were awarded. These States and Territories are: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington.
Fiscal Year 2019 It is anticipated that 3-5 States/Territories will apply for and be awarded a PDG B-5 Initial Grant. It is also anticipated that all 46 States/Territories with an existing Initial Grant will apply for a PDG B-5 Renewal Grant, although we do not anticipate being able to award more than 20-25 grants. Every Student Succeeds Act/Preschool Development Grants, Section 9212(c)(1), Public Law 114-95, Note to 42 U.S.C. 9831 In 2019 eligible applicants for the initial grant are the 10 States and/or Territories that were not awarded an Initial PDG B-5 Grant in 2018. The 46 States/Territories that received an Initial PDG B-5 Grant in 2018 are now eligible to apply for a Renewal Grant. Beneficiaries are state and local communities with children birth through 5 and their families. Correspondence from the Governor identifying the State lead entity appointed to administer and oversee the PDG B-5 grant award is required. Preapplication coordination is required. Coordination is expected at the state level among all state departments involved in providing supportive early childhood services to children birth through age 5 and their families prior to the submission of a formal application to the Federal funding agency. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. 45 CFR Part 75 also applies to this program. Applications will be submitted through https://www.grants.gov. Additional guidance related to the submission of the applications will be included in the Funding Opportunity Announcement. Each application will be screened to determine whether it was received by the closing date and time and whether the requested amount exceeds the award ceiling. Applications that are designated as late or those with requests that exceed the award ceiling will be deemed non-responsive and will not be reviewed. Because these grants will be administered jointly by the HHS/ACF and ED, ACF and ED shall review the applications to confirm that each State submitting an application has, as of the date of the application, a mixed delivery system in place. Those applications designated as on time, that do not exceed the award ceiling, and that have a mixed delivery system in place will be reviewed and evaluated by objective review panels using the criteria described in the funding opportunity announcement. Each panel is made up of individuals with knowledge and experience in the area under review. Generally, review panels are composed of three reviewers and one chairperson. Finally, once a slate has been developed, identifying the rankings of each applicant and the amount of funding requested by each, the Secretaries of both Departments will give final approval to those who will receive an award. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 60 to 90 days. Not applicable. After the initial year of funding, states are eligible to apply for a Renewal Grant of not more than 3 years to enable states to carry out activities identified in their initial grant's needs assessment and strategic plan. Selection criteria will be stated in the funding opportunity announcement (FOA). A State, acting through the State entity appointed by the Governor, which receives a grant shall use the grant funds for all of the following activities: (1) Conducting a periodic statewide needs assessment of— (A) the availability and quality of existing programs in the State, including such programs serving the most vulnerable or underserved populations and children in rural areas; (B) to the extent practicable, the unduplicated number of children being served and (C) awaiting service in such programs. (2) Developing a strategic plan that recommends collaboration, coordination, and quality improvement activities among existing programs in the State and local educational agencies, including activities to improve children's transition from early childhood education programs into elementary schools. The strategic plan must include information that— (A) identifies opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration and coordination among existing programs in the State, responsible for administering such programs; (B) recommends partnership opportunities among Head Start providers, local educational agencies, State and local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and private entities (including faith- and community-based entities) that would improve coordination, program quality, and delivery of services; (C) builds on existing plans and goals with respect to early childhood education programs; (D) describes how accomplishing these activities will better serve children and families in existing programs and how such activities will increase the overall participation of children in the State. (3) Maximizing parental choice and knowledge about the State's mixed delivery system of existing programs and providers by— (A) ensuring that parents are provided information about the variety of early childhood education programs for children from birth to kindergarten entry in the State's mixed delivery system; and (B) promoting and increasing involvement by parents and family members, including families of low-income and disadvantaged children, in the development of their children and the transition of such children from an early childhood education program into an elementary school. (4) Sharing best practices among early childhood education program providers in the State to increase collaboration and efficiency of services, including to improve transitions from such programs to elementary school. (5) After the statewide needs assessment and strategic plan have been completed, improving the overall quality of early childhood education programs in the State, including by developing and implementing evidence-based practices to improve professional development for early childhood education providers and educational opportunities for children [Note to 42 USC 9831(f)]. Each State that receives a Renewal Grant may use grant funds to continue activities begun in the initial year and/or start new activities including awarding subgrants to benefit programs in a mixed delivery system across the State designed to assist low-income and disadvantaged children prior to entering kindergarten to enable programs to implement activities addressing areas in need of improvement as determined by the State, or develop new programs to address the needs of children and families eligible for, but not served by, such programs. If a State chooses to award subgrants, the State shall prioritize activities to improve areas in which there are State-identified needs that would improve services for low-income and disadvantaged children living in rural areas. Performance Reports: After each state has completed its statewide birth through age 5 needs assessment and strategic plan that recommends collaboration, coordination, and quality improvement activities, it must submit evidence of such completion to HHS and ED in order to spend grant funds on activities targeted on improving overall quality of early childhood education programs in the State. 45 CFR Part 75 Subpart F applies to this initiative. All financial records are to be maintained in accordance with 45 CFR 75.361-365. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is mandatory. 30%. "Matching requirement.--Each State that receives a grant under this section shall provide funds from non-Federal sources (which may be provided in cash or in kind) to carry out the activities supported by the grant, in an amount equal to not less than 30 percent of the amount of such grant." [Note to 42 USC 9831]

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Grantees must obligate all discretionary funds in the fiscal year in which they are granted or in the succeeding fiscal year. Post award, our Division of Payment Management will establish an account from which a grantee may draw down award funds. None/Not specified. Richard F Gonzales
Switzer Building
330 C Street, SW
Room 4012E
Washington, DC 20201 US
richard.gonzales@acf.hhs.gov
Phone: 2024015138 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/occ/resource/pdg-b-5-initiative 75-1819-0-1-536 (Project Grants) FY 18$242,742,262.00; FY 19 est $242,500,000.00; FY 20 est $0.00; FY 16$0.00; FY 17$0.00; Estimate Not Available - (Training) FY 18$6,777,738.00; FY 19 est $6,940,000.00; FY 20 est $0.00; - (Salaries and Expenses) FY 18$480,000.00; FY 19 est $560,000.00; FY 20 est $0.00; - The range of funding is anticipated to be between $1-15 million per Grant Award, based on application request and supporting evidence. Not applicable. Not applicable.