With the FY15-16 budget just finalized and passed by the House, Senate and signed by the Governor with a few days to spare, our localities and school divisions can begin making any adjustments to their plans for the coming year. We hope that localities and school divisions will take a serious look at their allocation of Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) slots and ensure that as many at-risk four-year-olds as possible in their community can attend preschool.
You may recall that during the GA Session, we learned that due to change in the formula allocation 31 communities would lose funding for preschool slots for at-risk four-year-olds this coming fall. This includes 13 communities that would lose enough slots for a full classroom or more. While some communities do not have the local matching funds or space to use all of their VPI slots, we did not see the logic behind penalizing communities who were using all of their slots by taking some away. Along with our partners at JustChildren and FirstCities, and many local advocates, we helped make the case that no locality should be allocated fewer slots than they actually used.
And with your help, we were successful! The final budget includes funding and language enabling localities to continue to access used VPI slots this coming fall on a prorated basis up to $1 M and in the second year of the budget allocates $3.6 M for communities with currently filled slots.
Since this news comes later than usual in the budget planning cycle for school divisions, we need your help spreading the word that school divisions will still be able to access this funding this fall AND that there is funding included in the budget to expand VPI to serve more at-risk children across the Commonwealth. If you live in these communities please send your school administration officials and school board members the following messages.
1. Our community has the opportunity to continue to access state funding to serve as many preschoolers in VPI that we did last year! I hope that we can plan for same number of children to be enrolled in VPI this fall. Applies to:
Amelia |
Cumberland |
Nelson |
Smyth |
Arlington |
Dickenson |
Newport News |
Suffolk |
Bedford County |
Falls Church |
Norfolk |
Surry |
Bland |
Hampton |
Norton |
Waynesboro |
Brunswick |
Highland |
Petersburg |
West Point |
Buena Vista |
James City |
Portsmouth |
Wythe |
Carroll |
Lynchburg |
Prince Edward |
|
Charles City |
Martinsville |
Pulaski |
|
Clarke |
Montgomery |
Scott |
2. Good news- our community can continue to expand enrollment in VPI for at-risk four-year-olds by accessing funding for even more enrollment. Applies to: (Listed in order of opportunities for expansion of VPI)
School Division |
Addtl slots for FY15 not used in FY14 |
School Division |
Addtl slots for FY15 not used in FY14 |
School Division |
Addtl slots for FY15 not used in FY14 |
School Division |
Addtl slots for FY15 not used in FY14 |
Prince William |
(1,513) |
Colonial Heights |
(46) |
New Kent |
(24) |
Orange |
(9) |
Fairfax County |
(1,215) |
Caroline |
(43) |
Patrick |
(24) |
Tazewell |
(9) |
Chesterfield |
(796) |
Shenandoah |
(42) |
Richmond County |
(24) |
Poquoson |
(9) |
Henrico |
(573) |
Northampton |
(41) |
Middlesex |
(22) |
Essex |
(8) |
Virginia Beach |
(425) |
Prince George |
(39) |
Southampton |
(22) |
Greensville |
(8) |
Richmond City |
(304) |
Albemarle |
(38) |
Rockbridge |
(21) |
King William |
(8) |
Loudoun |
(301) |
Bristol |
(37) |
Roanoke County |
(20) |
Washington |
(8) |
Chesapeake |
(297) |
Hopewell |
(37) |
Alleghany |
(19) |
Botetourt |
(7) |
Spotsylvania |
(250) |
Hanover |
(36) |
Emporia |
(19) |
Lee |
(7) |
Frederick |
(203) |
Henry |
(36) |
Russell |
(17) |
Lunenburg |
(7) |
Alexandria |
(152) |
Louisa |
(36) |
York |
(17) |
Northumberland |
(7) |
Winchester |
(134) |
Danville |
(34) |
Covington |
(17) |
Craig |
(6) |
Manassas City |
(131) |
Franklin County |
(33) |
Charlotte |
(16) |
Giles |
(6) |
Charlottesville |
(116) |
Fredericksburg |
(32) |
Powhatan |
(16) |
Isle of Wight |
(6) |
Stafford |
(107) |
Fauquier |
(31) |
Westmoreland |
(16) |
*Madison |
(6) |
Accomack |
(98) |
Galax |
(31) |
Augusta |
(14) |
Amherst |
(5) |
Roanoke City |
(71) |
Staunton |
(30) |
Campbell |
(14) |
*Greene |
(5) |
Warren |
(64) |
Salem |
(29) |
King & Queen |
(13) |
Colonial Beach |
(5) |
Dinwiddie |
(56) |
Goochland |
(28) |
Mecklenburg |
(12) |
Fluvanna |
(4) |
Manassas Park |
(54) |
Pittsylvania |
(26) |
Buckingham |
(11) |
Rappahannock |
(4) |
Buchanan |
(51) |
Harrisonburg |
(26) |
Nottoway |
(11) |
Williamsburg |
(3) |
Fairfax City |
(51) |
Culpeper |
(25) |
Rockingham |
(11) |
Floyd |
(2) |
Wise |
(49) |
Radford |
(25) |
Mathews |
(10) |
Lancaster |
(2) |
King George |
(48) |
Appomattox |
(24) |
Grayson |
(9) |
Franklin CIty |
(1) |
Gloucester |
(24) |
If you have any questions about maximizing Virginia Preschool Initiative funds in your community please contact Emily Griffey at Emily@vakids.org or (804) 649-0184.
Read More Blog Posts
