Involving the local SRAC in the creation of the distribution plan is advised. The ISD should also partner with the local Resource Center (RC) to build capacity for CBOs to serve as GSRP sites in future years. GSRP subrecipients must minimally have one of the following quality ratings in the Great Start to Quality (GSQ) system: Enhancing Quality, Enhancing Quality-Validated, Demonstrating Quality. Refer to the Flexibility Waiver for new partners as this may be waived within the first year of operation. Head Start partners requesting a Head Start Performance Waiver should refer to the waiver for more information.
State funding is appropriated for GSRP using the state fiscal year from October 1 to September 30. Until the State Aid Act is signed by the governor each year, allocations for ISDs are tentative. As such, ISDs should consider the following points when making plans for contracting with subrecipients, enrolling children, or beginning programming.
- Any expenditures not utilizing carryover, thus dependent on new funding, are at risk of not being reimbursed if the GSRP appropriation is reduced.
- Communication with subrecipients and families should carefully clarify that any programming for the upcoming year is dependent on the inclusion of GSRP in the State School Aid Act.
- When working with subrecipients to determine start dates, ISDs should balance caution of risk with likelihood of continued GSRP funding levels.
Legislation requires each ISD to distribute at least 30% of its total allocation to CBOs. Each ISD reports to the department in its GSRP Program Implementation Plan (PIP) a detailed list of subrecipients by provider type, including private for-profit, private non-profit, community college or university, Head Start grantee or delegate, local government, and district/PSA or ISD. From the total amount of program funding the ISD awards for the operation of classrooms, the ISD must indicate the amount awarded to CBOs. A percentage is then calculated. ISDs unable to distribute 30% of their allocation to CBOs must demonstrate to MiLEAP the specific steps required, as detailed below, have been taken to meet the requirement and submit an action plan to increase the percentage in the future.
Funds awarded to Head Start agencies, even when the Head Start agency is the ISD, contribute to the total percentage distributed to community-based partners.
Public School Academies (PSA) and Community Education PreKs are considered LEA subrecipients. If an open-to-the-public PreK is operated by an LEA, this is also considered an LEA subrecipient. Review the MiLEAP child care license to confirm whether an LEA or a community agency is the licensee. LEA programs are only counted as community-based providers when they are Head Start grantees or Head Start delegates.
A PSA must include pre-k in the charter to be eligible for GSRP funding. The PSA should contact the authorizer to have pre-k added prior to being awarded funding.
Faith-Based Organizations (FBO), Montessori, and Nature Based PreK programs are considered CBOs and as such also contribute to the total percentage distributed to community-based partners. Non-traditional CBOs can make strong GSRP partners as they are often well-connected to community agencies that support families. Refer to the Faith-based, Montessori, and Nature Based guidance documents for more information.
Existing subrecipients that have met the variety of quality and administrative benchmarks required of the grant should be able to expect consistency of funding awarded. That is, the ISD may ‘hold harmless’ existing, strong GSRP partners and should look to additional community partners and competition between all partners when distributing increased funding.
The ISD must have a written process to distribute GSRP funding that will be fair to all current and potential early childhood partners. The document will reflect policy and procedures to follow each year, with specific consideration of allocating funds to community partners.
The policy must describe minimally one ISD notification made to licensed centers which serve PreK children and are not current subrecipients. The ISD must work with stakeholders to determine the most effective timing and method for notification(s). The notification must include information regarding:
- The center's eligibility to participate;
- Information regarding GSRP requirements; and
- A description of the subrecipient application and selection process.
An exception to this requirement is provided for a licensed center which is not a current GSRP subrecipient and for which the ISD has documentation on file that the current licensee administration has declined partnership with GSRP.
Additionally, an approvable process addresses the following:
- Are there current subrecipients that struggle to fill their spaces?
- For current subrecipients, how does the ISD weight classroom quality and grant compliance in hold-harmless determinations?
- Are there areas of high-need that require additional funding? If so, how will need for services be balanced with quality of programming?
- How are subrecipient decisions regarding program options and services addressed? (For example, Part-day, 4 day School-day, vs. 5 day Extended Program, transportation, etc.)
- Are there administrative issues that would prohibit a program from being funded? (For example, licensing, fiscal capacity, pattern of late or incomplete reporting, disqualification of CACFP, etc.)
- Are there specific local issues that will impact the distribution of funding or that could be addressed through the distribution plan?
- How does the ISD partner with the Resource Center and others to build the capacity of local community agencies to take part in GSRP in future years?
Planning for the subsequent grant and academic year considering that the ISD will receive contact information for each licensed childcare center located in the service area of the intermediate district or consortium by March 1 of each year:
- What is the timeline for subrecipient selection and notification of funding?
- In what ways and at what time will the ISD reach out to notify each licensed center that serves PreK children located in the service area of the intermediate district or consortium that is not a current subrecipient to make them aware of the opportunity to become a part of GSRP?
- In these notices, how will the ISD provide information regarding GSRP requirements and a description of the subrecipient application and selection process for community-based providers?
- How does the ISD give the potential partners contact information for someone who could answer questions during the subrecipient selection and distribution process?
- What programs in the community are prepared either to increase the number of children served or to begin a GSRP?
- What is the process for the competitive request for proposals?
- What factors will be considered in selecting subrecipients?
- How will fairness across all eligible entities (LEAs/CBOs) be assured?
- How and when will the ISD share the requirements the potential partner would have to meet to apply and those that would have to be met if chosen? An example would be staff credentialing requirements. Applicants would not have to have compliant staff to apply. They would however have to agree that, if chosen to receive funding, appropriate staff would be hired.
- What is the timeline and process for the ISD to collect pertinent information from potential partners?
- What is the objective review process to rate/rank proposals?
- What stakeholders make up the team that reviews proposals and makes funding distribution decisions?
- How and when does the ISD inform potential community partners of the factors the ISD will consider in making its decisions to award funding?
- How and when does the ISD communicate to those being awarded funding?
- What is the timeline and process for how the ISD will communicate with those applicants not being awarded funding for the grant year and give feedback as to why the decision was made?
7. What process will an entity not awarded funding, or an entity awarded a reduced level of funding, have to appeal the decision locally and how will they be informed of that process? The essential question for an appeal should be whether the ISD provided the process to award funding in writing and followed its process with fidelity.
8. How will the ISD provide to the public and to participating families a list of community based GSRP subrecipients with a GSQ quality level of at least enhancing quality?
