Office of School Readiness

“Preparing Children for Lifelong Learning”

Downloads - Click on any of the following to download:
Operating Guidelines 2009-2010
Operating Guildelines 2009-2010 - Appendices
2009-2010 First Class Pre-K Programs
Alabama 4-Year-Old Performance Standards
First Class List of Approved Early Childhood Curricula
Department of Human Resources (DHR) Minimum Standards
2009 Office of School Readiness Annual Update

Mission:

The Mission of the Alabama Office of School Readiness is to provide effective, high quality, early childhood experiences that prepare Alabama’s Children for school success and lifelong learning:

Vision:

The Vision of the Alabama Office of School Readiness is that effective,high-quality, early childhood experiences are accessible to ALL of Alabama’s children.

Goals:

The goals of OSR are to (1) fund programs that provide quality preschool experiences to four-year-old children in Alabama that prepare them for school, (2) provide quality training to Pre-Kindergarten teachers and administrators that help them better meet needs of four-year-old children, and (3) increase local and state-wide collaboration among early care and education providers, advocates, and parents.:

History

The Office of School Readiness (OSR) was created by Alabama Legislation in the 2000 Legislative session. It was created to establish collaborations at the state and local levels that will provide Alabama's four-year-old children with effective early childhood experiences and prepare them for school. The goal of the office is to achieve universal pre-kindergarten in Alabama by enhancing existing and establishing new pre-kindergarten programs.

In 2000-2001, OSR funded eight pilot pre-kindergarten programs in DeKalb, Escambia, Hale, Lawrence, Lee, Mobile, Montgomery, and Talladega counties. These counties were selected by a group of five state Commissioners based upon the existence of on-going successful collaboration between programs at the local level. We currently have 215 programs.

OSR works in collaboration with several local and state agencies. It advocates, provides technical assistance and teacher training, and funds quality four-year-old classrooms that are taught by certified teachers. Classroom staff are required to collaborate with local early care and public school system professionals, obtain professional development training, involve parents in classroom activity, assess child outcomes, and ensure that children receive health screenings and physical examinations.

Why High Quality Pre-K?

Children who Participate in High-Quality Pre-K:

Demonstrate higher academic achievement
Are less likely to repeat a grade
Less likely to require special education classes
More likely to graduate from high school
More likely to enroll in college
Less likely to participate in criminal activity during their juvenile or adult years
Less likely to be victims of child maltreatment or neglect
As adults, are less likely to be unemployed
More likely to have higher earnings than similar students who do not participate in Pre-K
Less likely to depend on public assistance, become teenage parents, or endanger their health by smoking

First Class Requirements

1.   Programs shall operate at least 180 days each year and at least 6.5 hours a day.

2.   Each classroom shall meet DHR Child Care Licensing Standards.

3.   Each classroom shall have no more than 18 students with a 9:1 student to staff ratio.

Programs can apply for a waiver to allow up to 20 children (10:1 ratio) or less than 18 children(>9:1) per classroom if they can document that the waiver will not adversely affect the students and will not affect the program’s ability to meet other standards. (e.g. children with involved disabilities)

4.   Each classroom shall have a lead teacher with at least a B.A. or B.S. in
      Child Development or Early Childhood Education. Assistant teachers shall have a
     CDA.

The lead teacher may be granted a waiver for the B.A./B.S. requirement if he or she has an A.A./A.S. and is making significant annual progress towards a B.A. in Child Development or Early Childhood Education.

5.   Each program shall have signed parental contracts with the legal guardian of each
      child and shall demonstrate parent or guardian participation for at least 6 hours each
      year.

6.   Each program shall utilize curricula approved by the Office of School Readiness.

7.   Each child shall be assessed based on OSR assessment requirements.

8.   Each teacher shall have at least 40 hours per year of OSR approved Pre-K
      professional development.

9.   Each child shall receive a health screening including physical health, developmental
      delay, vision, hearing, and dental before the 10th week of school.

10. Each classroom shall have an appropriate environment as indicated by a set score
       on the OSR approved program environment assessment.

Procedure: In order for programs to be certified as meeting these standards, they must allow OSR monitors and technical assistants to conduct standard assessments, review documentation, and observe each classroom.

OSR Definition of School Readiness:

School Readiness is a condition whereby children enter school with:

An enthusiasm for learning,
An ability to function in a social setting,
Age-appropriate communication and problem solving skills,
Age-appropriate physical and emotional skills, and
Optimal health