Preschool Promise

CPS and Preschool Promise

The United Way of Greater Cincinnati (UWGC) will help oversee a major expansion of affordable, quality preschool in Cincinnati if voters approve a 5-year, 7.93-mill levy request for Cincinnati Public Schools in November 2016.

United Way of Greater Cincinnati will manage disbursement of $15 million annually for preschool – inside CPS buildings and through community-based providers – of the $48 million in annual revenues that the levy would generate. CPS will retain overall fiscal responsibility and accountability to the taxpayers.

Here's a breakdown of how this will work:

Cincinnati Public Schools Board

1. Fiscally responsible.
2. Issues Request for Proposals and selects a Trusted Entity (United Way of Greater Cincinnati was selected for this role).
3. Nominates five Trustees to the Preschool Expansion Organization Board.
4. Disburses funds to United Way (Trusted Entity) and annually audits — common tuition assistance formula and retains the funds for CPS preschool expansion with a transparent reconciliation process.
5. Contracts to conduct an annual evaluation and audit.
6. Establishes a Workforce Development Council that works in partnership with the Preschool Expansion Organization.

Workforce Development Council

1. Appointed by CPS working in partnership with the Preschool Expansion Organization.
2. Comprised of entities involved in professional development and provider quality improvement.
3. Monitors and reports contract non-compliance to United Way (Trusted Entity) and ultimately to the CPS Board.
4. Collaborates with Preschool Expansion Organization on professional employment standards, wage administration/parity, quality improvement (coaching, teacher pipeline, etc.) and curricular alignment to state standards.
5. Provides guidance to teachers to establish individual professional development plans.

Preschool Expansion Organization

1. Hires the CEO.
2. Receives funding from United Way of Greater Cincinnati.
3. Works jointly with CPS district to align curriculum and outcomes to K-12 state academic standards.
4. Contracts with community providers to expand quality seats and process payments for tuition credits and quality improvement grants.
5. Coordinates tuition credits with other public funding.
6. Quarterly reports on budget, enrollment and provider payments.
7. Reviews plans and forecasts on capacity, level of quality and participation
8. Reviews enrollment, satisfaction and payment processes.
9. Collaborates with the Workforce Development Council on professional employment standards, wage administration/parity, quality improvement (coaching, teacher pipeline, etc.) and curricular alignment to state standards.
10. Leads annual reconciliation of all dollars going to preschool tuition assistance and quality improvement grants in partnership with CPS and its Audit Committee.
11. Preschool funding should ensure competitive wages for full-time teachers with comparable credentials, with a rate of at least $15 an hour. This will ensure that participating preschool programs can hire and retain good teachers and provide quality.

United Way of Greater Cincinnati

1. Implements requirements of the Request for Proposals (RFP) and audit.
2. Establishes Preschool Expansion Organization and elects the Board of Trustees.
3. Nominates five Trustees to the Preschool Expansion Organization Board.
4. Disburses funds to Preschool Expansion Organization.
5. Provides support to the Preschool Expansion Organization — leveraging current infrastructure.
6. Fundraising

Cincinnati Preschool Promise

1. Nominates five Trustees to the Preschool Expansion Organization Board.

Parent and Provider Advisory Council

1. Jointly appointed by CPS Board and Preschool Expansion Organization.
2. Oversees and advises on parent and provider satisfaction.
3. Provides input on policies and procedures for parent and provider recruitment and participation.

Chart — CPS and Preschool Promise Governance and Management — Sept. 2016