1) CUSD Preschool Annual Report

CUSD’s preschool curricula support all content areas of the CA Preschool Leaning Foundations and Curriculum Framework, which includes reading and language arts, math, science, social studies, health and art.  In addition, CUSD provides curricula that support character education and social/emotional development and skills.  Preschool teachers collaboratively engage in professional development, ensuring alignment and high quality instruction at both CUSD preschool sites.

Silver Strand State Preschool

Silver Strand State Preschool, which opened in January 1997, provides one classroom which serves a maximum 24 students with family income requirements.  During the current school year, the class has been filled.  Staffing includes Eileen Rodriguez, a classified preschool teacher with the District since 2000, and 3 part-time instructional assistants.  Children qualify for the state-funded program based on a family’s monthly income and the size of the family unit.  Priority in registration is given to low income families; however, CUSD can accept 2 children with income waivers if the monthly income does not exceed 15% of the maximum income allowed.  Currently, 2 children are enrolled on income waivers.  Silver Strand Preschool also has students funded by First Five of San Diego.  First Five funding is available for Silver Strand Preschool through CUSD’s participation in the San Diego County’s Quality Preschool Initiative (QPI).  First Five can “fully fund” students if the children have special needs or if the children have parents serving in the military.  During the year, SS Preschool has had, at any one time, 11-13 students funded by First Five.      

The vision of the QPI program includes quality enhancement of preschool classroom, early identification and treatment of developmental delays and social emotional issues, parent and caregiver education to promote positive practices, and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors for young children and their families that reduce childhood obesity.  CUSD signed its initial QPI contract in the spring of 2015. 

The QPI program provides professional development for preschool staff, financial incentives and other supports to improve the State’s early education preschool programs.  The program stresses that by providing objective ratings inherent in this program, families have the necessary information to help assess a program’s quality.  The rating system uses a tier rating matrix to assess 3 core areas of a preschool program.  Each core has subsections which are used for evaluation.

            Core I:  Child Development and School Readiness

1.     Child Observation

2.     Developmental and Health Screenings

Core II:  Teachers and Teaching

1.     Minimum Qualifications for Lead Teacher

2.     Effective Teacher-Child Interactions:  CLASS Assessments

Core III:  Program and Environment

1.     Ratios and Group Size

2.     Program Environment Rating Scale

3.     Director Qualifications

QPI sets ambitious, yet achievable, targets for the California State Preschool Programs to reach Tier 4 on the rating matrix.  The goal is for all preschool programs receiving State funds to be a Tier 4 or a Tier 5 program.  CUSD is currently a Tier 4 school with a score 31 points.  A score of 32 is required for a Tier 5 rating. 

As a new participant in the 2015-2016 school year, CUSD benefitted from receiving a “one-time” mini-grant in the amount of $92,750.00.  These funds were used to purchase an entire classroom of new furniture, supplies, outdoor play equipment, refurbishment of some existing playground equipment.   In March 2016, the program was assessed by the County using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) tool.  The ECERS review rates the procedures and practices in the following areas:

o   Space and Furnishings

o   Personal Care Routines

o   Language and Reasoning

o   Activities

o   Interaction

o   Program Structure

o   Parents and Staff

Strand State Preschool scored an overall average score of 6.12 out of a total 7.0 points available.  The high ECERS scores helped in the program’s Tier rating as well as impacted the stipends received by the preschool staff. 

In addition, Silver Strand State Preschool underwent a formal compliance review by the CDD in March 2016.  State Preschool Analyst, Sandy Patitucci, spent 3 days onsite.  Comprehensive documentation covering over 50 specific areas was provided which included:  Involvement; Governance and Administration; Standards, Assessment, and Accountability; Staffing and Professional Development; Opportunity and Equal Educational Access; and Teaching and Learning.  Impressed by the exemplary administration of Silver Strand State Preschool, Ms. Patitucci commented on the exceptional record keeping for attendance and eligibility.  She described the staff as a “strong, gifted team”.  Ms. Patitucci also noted that professional development of the staff was a definite strength. 

In November 2016, the state preschool was assessed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) tool.  CLASS looks at 3 components of the program:  Emotional Support; Instructional Support; and Classroom Organization.  Within each of the three domains, there are multiple dimensions that each focus on a different aspect of teach-child interactions.  Each of these dimensions includes a set of effective teaching practices.  The top score in any category is a "7."  With the average scores of 6.83 for Emotional Support, 6.75 for Classroom Organization, and 4.58 for Instructional Support, Silver Strand Preschool received the top rating possible under the Quality Rating Improvement System Matrix and far surpassed the minimum scores required (5.5 for Emotional Support, 5.5 for Classroom Organization, and 3.5 for Instructional Support). 

With funding provided by First Five for student enrolled in the program, the State’s distribution of funds to Silver Strand State Preschool has decreased even more during the last 2 years.  Each year the State and the District enter a contract for the operation of Silver Strand State Preschool.  The contract states a Maximum Reimbursable Amount (MRA) the District can receive.  This amount is set by the State’s Child Development Fiscal Services unit per projected earnings calculated from the preschool’s attendance and fiscal report data.  Quarterly reports are required that list student attendance and expenses.  Based on these quarterly reports, the District earns its contract amount.  The following is a brief history of the funds received from the state or county and the school’s expenses:

*The income and expenses for 2015-2016 include the one-time mini-grant funds totaling $92,750.00 as referenced above.

For the current school year, CUSD has received $48,796.00 from the State as of March 31, 2017.  Our initial Maximum Reimbursable Amount (MRA) was $98,045.00.  That amount was adjusted in January 2017 to $103,081.00.  This adjustment was the result of increasing the daily maximum rate per child from $38.53 to $40.45 for full-time enrollment.  Since Silver Strand State Preschool operates a part-day, part-time program and has less than full attendance, it has not been able to earn its contract, dating back to approximately 2012.  The estimated income and expenses projections for the current year at Silver Stand State Preschool follow the report on Crown Preschool. 

Crown Preschool

Crown Preschool opened in 2013 and is licensed for 72 children with a total enrollment in each class not to exceed 24 students.  The preschool opened with one classroom and expanded in 2014 to two classrooms.  A third classroom is used for the extended day child care program for Crown Preschool.  This year 31 students are enrolled in the morning and 31 students in the afternoon.  Of the children enrolled this year, 4.8% are from District families.  These families receive a 20% discount on their tuition.  Since Crown Preschool has opened, 16 students of District employees have attended Crown Preschool, with 2 more children of District employees joining the Crown family in the 2017-2018 school year. 

With the expansion of Crown Preschool in 2014-2015, appropriate inclusion with a collaborative teaching model for students in both general and special education began.  All preschool teachers at Crown Preschool hold appropriate certificated credentials.  Staffing also includes six preschool instructional assistants who hold child development preschool teaching permits and an additional six instructional assistants support students with disabilities.  Through the appropriate inclusion model, social competence and the ability to maintain higher levels of learning and play are enhanced for all children, especially those with special needs who interact with typically developing peers. 

Crown Preschool has an annual tuition for each program and equal payments are made August through May.  This year, the five day per week program is $5,550.00 per year.  The 3 day per week program is $3,400.00.  The two day per week program is $2,300.00.  Crown Preschool also offers an extended day option with before school care starting at 6:30 a.m. and after school care going until 6:00 p.m.  Currently, 38 children are enrolled in the extended day program.  Charges for this program are billed monthly and are based on the amount of care each child receives.  The average cost of the extended day program is $4.40 per hour.  Crown Preschool also offers a summer enrichment program that runs simultaneously with the Extended School Year for identified students.  The cost for the 20-day session is $400.00.  Before and after school care is available for an additional cost.  22 students are already enrolled for the summer 2017 program.    

Crown Preschool’s finances are below:

*The revenue collected by Crown Preschool includes payment from the District for reserving spaces in the program for the inclusion of students with special needs.  Using the model that an inclusion classroom should have 25-33% of all students be students with special needs, the District is currently paying for 6 spaces in each of the 4 class sessions. 

Along with all funds going to the general fund, the intent of the District has always been that income generated from Crown Preschool would be able to offset any loss from the operation of Silver Strand State Preschool. 

The 2016-2017 estimated projections for revenue and expenses for both CUSD preschool programs are as follows:

*Expenses at Strand Preschool include salaries, benefits, materials and supplies, and indirect costs.

**Expenses at Crown Preschool include salaries, benefits, and materials and supplies.  It also includes a 17% fee collected by the District and 5.18% charged for indirect costs (both based on total revenue).  This year expenses for Crown Preschool increased due to additional support needed for students with special needs and due to the medical leave of its Director at the beginning of the school year which created a need to hire staff to keep the program in compliance with licensing.

In conclusion, CUSD’s preschool programs consider the uniqueness of every child and family in the classroom and addresses each child’s strengths and needs to prepare them for their K-12 education.  CUSD offers quality programs for some of the community’s youngest members that focus on learning readiness as these children approach kindergarten and beyond. 

2) Coronado High School SOLO program update

See attached presentation.

1) CUSD Preschool Annual Report

Since 2013-14, total return to CUSD general fund has been $219,457.00.

2) Coronado High School SOLO program update

5 sections on CHS master schedule for SOLO. 

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This report is presented to the Board for information.