MREA released today a map of the 169 school districts that were eligible to submit applications for Early Learning Phase II scholarships to facilitate program planning and to ensure availability of services to children during the year. This type of scholarship is designed to enhance program services and serve more children in the community.  These school districts and the Four Star Aware Programs located within the district boundaries were invited to apply for these Phase II Funds.  View the interactive map

The state distributed $10 million of the $23 million available in early learning scholarship funding in Phase II scholarships.  Phase II scholarship amounts ranged from $5,668 to $1.57 million on a calculation primarily based on kindergarten free and reduced lunch eligibility percentages.  View a list of eligible districts and dollar amounts.

Survey says…

About one-third of MREA’s superintendents responded to a recent MREA survey about Phase II scholarships.  Half of those responding were eligible for Phase II Scholarships.

• 81% of those eligible thought that the enhancements in early learning program, which would be made possible by the Phase II dollars would be important and valuable for their early learners and families. 14% were not sure.
• When asked to suggest improvements to Early Learning Funding, the overwhelming response of all superintendents was to expand early learning funding statewide to be equitable to all children, and not differentiate by zip code.

Additionally there was not a lot of enthusiasm expressed for this application and scholarship approach.  75% of the superintendents of districts that were eligible reported that the application alone took 5-10 or more staff hours to complete and rated the process from difficult to extremely difficulty to complete.  School districts and other applicants will learn later this fall whether they will receive all of part of their applied for funding.  All 4 Star Rated programs within a school district could apply for all or part of the funds available.

What about Pathway I?

Early Learning Scholarships Pathway I scholarships are awarded directly to families who meet eligibility requirements including having a child between the ages of three to four as of September 1 of the current year, and who meet other eligibility requirements as outlined in Minnesota 2013 Session Law Article 8, section 124D.165.

Eligible families will receive an Early Learning Scholarships Pathway I award, and the scholarships funds will be paid to the early childhood program that the family chooses. Scholarships to families may be used in any early childhood program participating in the Parent Aware Quality Rating and Improvement System.

The Parent Aware participating programs a family may choose include Head Start, school district prekindergarten and preschool programs, and child care programs. Pathway I scholarships “follow the child” and are awarded to the family for up to 12 months.

Pathway I Early Learning Scholarships will be awarded to eligible children residing in the three poorest identified counties in each of the 13 Governor’s Economic Development Regions as well as those counties that were in the pilot program in 2012-13. View a map of the Pathway I Early Learning Scholarships

Learn more about Early Learning Scholarships – Phase I and Phase II