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Funding for School Readiness Assessment

In December of 2012, Colorado was awarded a Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge fund grant to help accelerate the state’s plans to improve school readiness for Colorado’s children. A portion of the RTT Early Learning Challenge Fund has been designated to provide resources and supports for districts with implementation of school readiness plans and assessments in kindergarten. Grant funds will provide districts with a percent of subscription costs of school readiness assessments.

Districts that implement school readiness assessments and plans in 2013-14 will have subscription costs funded using the following schedule:

  • Year 1: 100%
  • Year 2: 60%
  • Year 3: 30%
  • Year 4: 15%

Districts that implement school readiness assessments and plans in 2014-2015 will have subscription costs funded using the following schedule:

  • Year 1: 100%
  • Year 2: 60%
  • Year 3: 30%


Application

Districts may apply for funds to purchase Teaching Strategies GOLD, the first approved school readiness assessment, subscriptions for the 2013-14 school year beginning on Monday, May 6. Applications will be due on May 31. The application will allow districts to request funds to cover 100% of subscription costs for kindergarten students for the 2013-14 school year. The negotiated price for the subscriptions is $8.95 per child. Applications for the 2014-15 school year will be released in early 2014.

Because districts will contract directly with Teaching Strategies for the kindergarten subscriptions, CDE recommends that districts consult local procurement rules and processes. Keep in mind that many districts already have contracts in place with Teaching Strategies.

A webinar with information on the application process was conducted on Tuesday, May 7. Listen to the application process webinar.

Apply for grant funding (PDF).