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Home » Early childhood education meeting 3 minutes - April 17, 2015

Early childhood education meeting 3 minutes - April 17, 2015

  • Welcome – Commissioner Jacobs
    • Anything not discussed here will be carried over to the next meeting
    • Remember the charge of the Governor for the subcommittee
  • Reminder of Discussion Guidelines and Use of Parking Lot – Rebecca Reeves
    • Continue to honor discussion guidelines with special focus on listening to all voices
    • Declutter the discussions  and stay focused by moving unrelated items to the Parking Lot
  • Review of March 26 Subcommittee Meeting – Dr. Bentley Ponder
    • Presentations
      • National overview of Pre-K
      • Georgia’s Pre-K Director Survey
      • Georgia’s Pre-K Funding Formula
      • Q & A
    • Group Activity
      • Subcommittee divided into four groups with each group generating recommendations for different components of Pre-K funding; then subcommittee members voted on proposed recommendations using green and yellow dots
  • Overview of Feasibility Check of Subcommittee’s Recommendations by DECAL Staff – Bentley Ponder
    • Citing an example from the template that was used to redeliver the recommendations to the Subcommittee for review and refinement today, the following key points were made:
    • Reviewed all recommendations internally and made specific suggestions for revisions
    • Identified recommendations that could be addressed through DECAL policy changes
    • Identified recommendations requiring additional information before a decision can be made to move them forward; posed questions to assist in refining recommendations, where felt to be appropriate
    • Identified one recommendation that appears ready to move forward
    • Identified several recommendations that appear to be duplicative; made suggestions for combining or deleting one of the versions
    • Provided brief summaries of relevant DECAL policies, where appropriate, and included additional feedback in the recommendations grid
  • Overview of Next Steps for Recommendations Reviewed/Revised at Today’s Meeting – Bentley Ponder & Susan Adams
    • Choices
    • The recommendations will go to DECAL
      • These recommendations DECAL can change in Pre-K policy.
    • The recommendation will go to the full Education Reform Commission  
      • These changes go beyond DECAL
    • Send the recommendation back to DECAL with requests for more information
    • Recommendation deleted
    • Recommendation completed
  • Public Comment Period – At 1:30 p.m., Rebecca Reeves invited guests desiring to make public comments on the work of the Subcommittee to come forward.  No one signed-up for public comment, so the Subcommittee continued with its tasks.
  • Budget Analysis – Woody Dover
    • A brief summary of Pre-K budget items relevant to today’s task was verbally provided and a handout disseminated during small group activities.
    • Key findings for Georgia’s Pre-K providers
      • For all providers
        • 72% of providers reported a loss on Georgia’s Pre-K classrooms
        • Average net loss was $5,732
      • Public providers
        • 58% reported loss
        • Average net loss was $6,544
      • Private metro providers
        • 83% reported a loss
        • Average net loss was $5,517
      • Private non-metro providers
        • 86% reported a loss
        • Average net loss was $4,789
  • Recommendations Emerging from Small Groups (See Attachments 1 and 2 for worksheets from small groups.)
  • Recommendations Emerging From Full Subcommittee Deliberations – Facilitated by Susan Adams Members were divided into two groups. The subcommittee was given feedback on the recommendations for lead and assistant teacher salary.
    • Each group reviewed the recommendations and drafted one revised recommendation for lead teacher salary and one revised recommendation for assistant teacher salary.
    • Revised recommendations will be reviewed by DECAL and presented to the full subcommittee at the May 6th subcommittee meeting.
  • Recommendations
    • Recommendations for Non-Instructional, Administrative Expenses, and Startup Funds
      • Cost analysis based on reconciliation report to determine actual amount spent on Pre-K
        • Committee Recommendation:  Recommendation completed.
      • Increase the administrative amount based on current studies on appropriate administrative costs
        • Committee Recommendation: DECAL Policy Recommendation. DECAL should conduct further research to determine the actual average amount of administrative costs.
          • One provider recommends that DECAL take a closer look at the definition of “administrative costs” and try to define it more clearly.
      • Increase start-up funds to $12,000
        • Committee Recommendation: Recommendation to the full Education Reform Commission
      • Remove the mandate to allow flexibility in the use of classroom funds
        • Committee Recommendation: No action on this recommendation
      • Maintain flexibility currently in place
        • Committee Recommendation: DECAL Policy Recommendation
          • Committee requests additional data to be pulled from DECAL to see how many programs have requested waivers
          • Potentially expand this to allow providers to spend money on curriculum materials
      • Move Administrator/Director salaries to “fixed” costs     
        • Committee Recommendation: DECAL Policy Recommendation. 6% of non-instructional funds would be considered a fixed cost and would not be prorated based on class size.
      • Provide refurbishment funds every 8-10 years
        • Committee Recommendation: DECAL Policy Recommendation. DECAL should develop a consistent policy for classroom refurbishment funds.
          • Establish a consistent policy including schedule and amount of allotment
          • Consider a tiered allotment (e.g. $1,500 at three years, $3,000 at five years)
    • Recommendations for Roster Based Payments 
      • Roster based payments proration should exclude fixed costs as long as above a certain threshold (e.g., 20 students)
        • Committee Recommendation: DECAL Policy Recommendation
      • Remove fixed costs from prorated amount
        • Committee Recommendation: Delete recommendation.
      • Base payments after September on average enrollment for each roster cycle
        • Committee Recommendation: DECAL Policy Recommendation
          • DECAL will conduct more research and determine feasibility of this change. Would affect current IT systems in place.
          • DECAL will conduct research on the impact of average enrollment calculation to provider payments.
  • Closing – Commissioner Amy Jacobs
    • Thanks to everyone for driving to Tifton.  This was an intense session in which we got a lot done.
    • Will try to finalize Pre-K recommendations at next meeting and move on to access to quality.
    • Key question:  How to connect Subcommittee’s recommendations with K-12’s recommendations?
    • Remaining meetings, including addition of May 6th to schedule:  May 6th, May 15th, June 25th, and July 27th.  All meetings will be held at Twin Towers State Office Building in Atlanta from 10-3.