(1) The High Quality School Readiness Grant Program is created to expand access to high quality school readiness programs for eligible students through grants administered by the department for eligible LEAs and private providers.
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Terms Used In Utah Code 35A-15-302

  • Department: means the Department of Workforce Services. See Utah Code 35A-15-102
  • Eligible private provider: means a child care program that:
              (4)(a)(i) is licensed under Title 26B, Chapter 2, Part 4, Child Care Licensing; or
              (4)(a)(ii) except as provided in Subsection (4)(b)(ii), is exempt from licensure under Section 26B-2-405. See Utah Code 35A-15-102
  • Evaluation: means an evaluation conducted in accordance with Section 35A-15-303. See Utah Code 35A-15-102
  • High quality school readiness program: means a preschool program that:
         (7)(a) is provided by an eligible LEA or eligible private provider; and
         (7)(b) meets the elements of a high quality school readiness program described in Section 35A-15-202. See Utah Code 35A-15-102
  • LEA: means a school district or charter school. See Utah Code 35A-15-102
  • School readiness team: means a team comprised of staff from:
         (15)(a) the Department of Workforce Services' Office of Child Care that support preschool and early care programs; and
         (15)(b) the state board that oversees preschool programs. See Utah Code 35A-15-102
(2) The department, in consultation with the school readiness team, shall solicit proposals from eligible LEAs and eligible private providers .
(3)

     (3)(a) An applicant shall submit a proposal that includes the information described in Subsection (3)(b) to the department.
     (3)(b) An applicant’s proposal for the grant solicitation described in Subsection (2) shall include:

          (3)(b)(i) the applicant’s existing and proposed school readiness program, including:

               (3)(b)(i)(A) the number of students served by the applicant’s school readiness program;
               (3)(b)(i)(B) the estimated cost per student; and
               (3)(b)(i)(C) any fees a parent or legal guardian pays for the school readiness program;
          (3)(b)(ii) how the applicant would use a grant to:

               (3)(b)(ii)(A) expand the number of eligible students served by the applicant’s school readiness program; and
               (3)(b)(ii)(B) target the funding toward the highest risk students;
          (3)(b)(iii) the results of any evaluations of the applicant’s school readiness program; and
          (3)(b)(iv) a demonstration that the respondent’s existing school readiness program meets performance outcome measures.
(4) For each proposal received in response to the solicitation described in Subsection (2), the school readiness team shall determine if the applicant school readiness program is a high quality school readiness program by:

     (4)(a) applying the tools;
     (4)(b) reviewing performance outcome measures; and
     (4)(c) implementing the elements of a high quality school readiness program.
(5)

     (5)(a) Subject to legislative appropriations and Subsection (8), the department, in consultation with the school readiness team, shall award a grant to an applicant.
     (5)(b) The department may only award a grant to an applicant if:

          (5)(b)(i) the applicant submits a proposal that includes the information required under Subsection (3); and
          (5)(b)(ii) the school readiness team determines that the applicant’s program is a high quality school readiness program in accordance with Subsection (4).
     (5)(c)

          (5)(c)(i) A grant recipient may use funds received under this section to supplement an existing program but not supplant other funding.
          (5)(c)(ii) An eligible LEA or an eligible private provider may not receive funding under this section if the eligible LEA or eligible private provider receives funding under Section 35A-15-301 or 35A-15-401.
(6) In evaluating a proposal received in response to the solicitation described in Subsection (2), the school readiness team shall consider:

     (6)(a) the number and percent of students in the applicant’s high quality school readiness program that are eligible students at the highest risk;
     (6)(b) geographic diversity, including whether the applicant is urban or rural; and
     (6)(c) the applicant’s level of administrative support and leadership to effectively implement, monitor, and evaluate the program.
(7) A grant recipient shall work in cooperation with the UPSTART contractor in accordance with Section 63N-20-103 and develop data sharing agreements that include:

     (7)(a) program information;
     (7)(b) referrals; and
     (7)(c) shared student performance outcomes.
(8) Subject to legislative appropriations, the department shall give priority in awarding grants to an applicant that has previously received a grant under this section if the applicant:

     (8)(a) makes the annual report described in Section 35A-15-303;
     (8)(b) participates in the evaluation; and
     (8)(c) continues to offer a high quality school readiness program.
(9) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the department, in consultation with the school readiness team, shall make rules to:

     (9)(a) implement the observation tools; and
     (9)(b) administer the grant program.
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