Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a) An
application for an allocation to operate a universal prekindergarten program
shall be submitted by the school district to the State Education Department for
approval in a format and pursuant to a timeline prescribed by the commissioner.
Two or more school districts may submit a joint application to operate a joint
universal prekindergarten program. The maximum grant award for a joint program
shall be the sum of the grant awards computed for each participating
district.
(b) The application shall
set forth the following information:
(1) a
description of the prekindergarten program plan approved by the board of
education;
(2) a proposed budget
and a description of the proposed use of the funds;
(3) the participation and contribution of
each of the collaborative partners;
(4) the local share to be used;
(5) a description of any costs associated
with the administration of the program;
(6) a listing of district and eligible agency
sites selected for the universal prekindergarten program, including the
projected number of children and other projected program data as requested by
the department;
(7) a written
request for a variance where applicable. The department will consider variance
requests for the following:
(i) the 10
percent set aside for collaboration as set forth in Education Law section
3602-e(5)(e):
(a) for a district unable to
use the set aside to establish a collaborative arrangement that would meet the
requirements of this Subpart because of the unavailability of eligible agencies
willing to collaborate, or other factors beyond the control of the school
district; or
(b) for a district
that had fully implemented a universal prekindergarten program by serving all
eligible four-year-olds in the 1998-1999 school year and due to parental choice
the 10 percent set aside exceeds the total district aid per kindergarten pupil
multiplied by the number of prekindergarten pupils in collaborative
programs;
(ii) class
size based upon the unique characteristics of the program at the universal
prekindergarten site or to promote the inclusion of preschool children with
disabilities or children who are homeless;
(iii) for a district that operated a targeted
prekindergarten program pursuant to Subpart 151-2 of this Part in the 2006-2007
school year, a variance from any inconsistent provisions of Education Law
section 3602-e or this Subpart, in order to operate under the targeted
prekindergarten regulations. The amount of funding supporting classrooms to
which such variance applies may not exceed the amount of targeted
prekindergarten grant funds received by the district for the 2006-2007 school
year; and
(iv) for a district that
is unable to operate the program during the regular school session because of a
lack of available space in both district buildings and eligible agencies, a
variance for the district to operate a summer only program pursuant to section
151-1.4(b) of this
Subpart; and
(8) when
two or more school districts submit a joint application, the following
additional information must be submitted:
(i)
which district will serve as the fiscal agent for the joint grant;
(ii) a partnership agreement that specifies
the roles and responsibilities of each school district for the implementation
and oversight of the program.
(c) A final report shall be submitted to the
department within 30 days after the program ends. The final report shall
include such program and fiscal information as requested by the
department.
