ESSA AND EARLY LEARNING: The Education Department is releasing more guidelines today to help states and districts as they develop plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act – this time offering guidance on how they can invest in early learning through what’s largely a K-12 education law. ESSA includes a Preschool Development Program, the guidelines note, which is different from the program now operating under the Obama administration with the same name. The new program will be jointly administered by the Education and Health and Human Services Departments, and will provide competitive grants to help states expand early education programs and also improve the coordination among various programs.
– The guidelines clarify that federal Title II dollars for professional development can be used to support early childhood teachers. And federal officials tell states and districts that the law amends the definition of “charter school” under the Charter Schools Program, which provides federal dollars for the expansion of charter schools. The new definition includes charter schools that serve preschoolers. Lastly, the guidelines say that federal Title I funds for poor students can be used to improve health, nutrition and other services for students in a Title I preschool program, among other things. Read the guidance here.
