State seeks bids for pre-K overhaul

State officials Wednesday announced that they are soliciting bids from school districts and others for pilot projects to overhaul pre-kindergarten classes in Louisiana.

The changes stem from a 2012 state law, which assigned details of the do-over to the state Department of Education and the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The new setup is aimed at revamping what critics call a pre-kindergarten system that features uneven quality, standards and availability.

The rate of children entering kindergarten ready to learn is 54 percent. State officials hope to get that number to 70 percent.

The information released by the state Department of Education on Wednesday is called a request for applications.

It invites school districts, child care providers, Head Start programs and others to offer child care plans for review by state officials before the overhaul is started statewide in 2015.

Groups that take part are supposed to identify children from infant to age 5 who attend or need publicly funded child care and education services.

They are also to use new state learning and development standards; take part in program and child assessments; receive a quality rating; and develop a common application process for all programs.

Those picked to take part are eligible for up to $350,000 over two years.

The deadline for applications is March 22.

Those picked will be notified on April 12.

Pilot projects are set to begin with the 2013-14 school year.

The state will establish early learning performance guidelines for those from birth to age 3 and academic standards for 3- and 4-year-olds.

Pre-K centers and schools will get letter grades, and state aid will be linked to how the centers perform.

BESE approved the initial plans in December amid concerns that additional state dollars will be needed to make the improvements a reality.

Comments

1) Comment by Whatnow - 07/02/2013

Ah, early education for our scientists, lawyers, doctors, and engineers, etc. How did we ever manage before this?

2) Comment by phil - 07/02/2013

lovemykids: Do a little research on love my kids at home instead of sending them to free daycare and letting someone else raise them. I have done some research. Some of my research included years in the past when there was no such thing as Pre-K and people seemed to be able to get a good public education, go to college, get jobs, build infrastructure like roads and bridges, go to the moon etc. So what changed? If society wants "free" (it's not really free) daycare from birth then they should vote on it. However, please don't label free daycare as being education so education taxes can be diverted to free daycare services.

3) Comment by lovemykids - 07/02/2013

Nay sayers, do a little research on early childhood education. What you find might surprise you.

4) Comment by Bighug - 07/02/2013

You said what I was thinking, phil. Looks like Brave New World is one step closer.

5) Comment by jwarren - 06/02/2013

There must be a mistake here. They are not trying to implement this program -- regardless of its merits -- in a rush? They are going to run some pilots and not fully implement for another couple of years? They are seeking ideas and solicitations? What happened to the "Do it right now and we'll bluff our way through it" attitude?

6) Comment by DUH - 06/02/2013

Phil..I completely agree. Free daycare for women sitting home already!!!

7) Comment by phil - 06/02/2013

Happy to know that all children will have been educated to change their own diapers and and warm up their baby bottles before they reach 4. This Pre-K is just free day care services by another name and should not even be called education. How did we survive in the USA without free Pre-K, and even managed to send people to the moon etc years ago? Were very young children just that much smarter generations ago or is there something else that is a factor in this education and Pre-education mess?

8) Comment by Whatnow - 06/02/2013

Gee, where are all the White bashers this morning on this one???