Home Preschool Program

Programs For Preschool Children With Disabilities
Public Schools Of North Carolina
2002 - 2003

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State Appropriation to Support Preschool Services

2002-2003 School Year - Approximately $34.5 million

1. School systems responsible for serving 3-and 4-year old children with disabilities located in hospitals, community residential centers, developmental day centers and on Indian reservations.
2. Funds to be distributed to each local education agency (LEA) on a base funding amount equal to the average salary of a classroom teacher plus benefits; remaining funds to be distributed on the April 1, 2002 child count of 13,717 children, ages 3, 4 and pre-K 5.

Federal Appropriation to Implement Preschool Services-P.L. 105-17, 102-119 (P.L. 99-457)

2001-2002 School Year - Approximately $11.5 million (based upon the 1997 allotment, average daily membership of children in public and private programs and the number of those children living in poverty). (The December, 2001, child count is 11,022, age 3, 4 and pre-K 5.)

Approximately 91% to local education agencies (LEAs), 5% for state administration and 5% for special projects which include activities such as:

1. Contracts for workshops to provide early childhood staff development training on low incidence disabilities for preschool coordinators;
2. Financial support for the Family Support Network to provide a toll-free telephone referral service for professionals and families of children with disabilities;
3. A network of preschool coordinators that meet several times per year on a regional basis and an annual two-day Preschool Coordinators Meeting;
4. An update of the Profile of Services, including state maps, which describes the preschool program for children with disabilities in each LEA;
5. Support and staff for the N.C. Interagency Council who will be working with the legislature to try and obtain additional funding for early intervention services;
6. Various contracts to assist parents to serve on LICCs, to work with university B-K programs, and to serve as advocates through the BEGINNINGS program;
7. Contract with Partnership for Inclusion to offer technical assistance to LEAs in the areas of transition, inclusion, interagency concerns, designing developmentally appropriate environments, and kindergarten readiness;
8. Contract with the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NEC-TAC) staff at FPG to assist local school systems in providing quality preschool programs and to provide regional workshops based upon staff development needs;
9. Development of Project SUCCESS which links LEAs on a regional basis to their community partners and to each other and provides up-to-date information on state-wide programs and initiatives in early childhood; (This school year the emphasis is on the Memorandum of Understanding and Preschool Standards.)
10. Continued funding and support for seven emergent literacy training sites: Cabarrus County, Asheville City, Catawba County/Hickory City, Wake County, Granville County, Edgecombe County and Brunswick County to provide model demonstration sites and outreach activities for emergent literacy.
11. Continued involvement of the disabilities community in developing blended classrooms for the at-risk More at Four program; and
12. Continued involvement with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Public Instruction and the Division of Child Development to assist schools in obtaining the necessary technical assistance for the star rating system. (Three year timeline for implementation beginning fall 2002.)

Interesting Trends

• The number of inclusive exceptional children classes has increased from 337 last year to 343 this year. The number of self-contained classes went from 302 last year to 284 this year.
• The number of Title I classes serving children with identified disabilities is increasing. (From 453 classes to 473 classes)
• The percentage of LEAs that serve children in childcare and private preschool increased.
• Most all of the LEAs are serving children in Head Start programs. (109 out of 117 LEAs)
• The number of programs providing services in Smart Start funded classrooms has decreased since last year. (40 LEAs this year and 73 LEAs last year)
• 14 LEAs have blended programs and More At Four.

2002-2003 Preschool Service Delivery-Information Gathered from Federal Project Proposals of 117 LEAs

Approximate percentage of LEAs that reported special education and related services in the following settings:

Contracted services and/or direct placements occur in developmental day centers, United Cerebral Palsy Centers, university affiliated programs, private state approved programs and state-operated programs.

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Page Last Updated October 28, 2004

Women's and Children's Health Section | Division of Public Health
Department of Health and Human Services | State of North Carolina