UPK Program Pilot Classroom Quality Grant

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Budget Process

Logistics

Q1. When are application packages due to EEC?

A. EEC has extended the deadline and requests that all packets be returned to us by the close of business on Friday April 6th, 2007. The sooner that completed packets are received, the sooner that funding can take place.

Q2. Our UPK contract forms arrived bearing the name of our program site, not our parent agency. Can we white this out and correct?

UPDATED REPONSE

A. You may not white out or alter legal documents. Please do not alter the program site name on the Standard Contract Form. We recognize that depending upon the structure of your agency, the other fiscal documents (Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification, Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing and Authorization for Electronic Funds Payment) may be in your parent agency’s name. We will note the relationship in our contract file.

Q3. I have not received my award package?

A. Award packages were sent to the individual sites selected in the grant award process. Check to see that the award package is not waiting for you at one of your sites.

Q4. Who should I contact with questions about my UPK Pilot Program Classroom Quality grant?

A. Nicole Yacovone at

Q5. Do I only need to send in documentation that is checked off as incomplete on the checklist I was sent?

A. Yes.

Indirect Rates

Q6. Is an indirect rate allowed?

A. No. All costs must be related to the provision of services as outlined in the RFR. Administrative costs associated with the implementation of the UPK pilot program should be identified through individual line items and described in the budget.

Full Day – Full Year

Q7. Can we use UPK funds to extend the year for children? The Head Start year is shorter than the school year and we would like to add weeks to our year.

A. Yes, funds may be used to extend the year but the applicant should also describe how full day and full year services will be provided – either by the grantee or through a partnership agreement with another agency.

Q8. Its nearing the end of the school year. When are full day – full year services required to begin? Can I use my funds to prepare now for start-up in September?

A. Funds received in FY ’07 are expected to support programming in this fiscal year. The benefits of program enhancement attained this year, however, certainly will be expected to support programming in FY 08. Programs newly implementing full-day/full year services should implement these services as soon as possible and services must be in place by the start of the school year in September 2007.

Timing

Q9. I’ve heard that funds can be applied retroactively to January 1, 2007. I’ve also heard that they can be applied to any time during FY’07 (back to July1.) What is the correct answer?

UPDATED REPONSE

A. As this is a grant, our main message is that the program needs to decide priorities, and make expenditure decisions related to this funding to best achieve the UPK Pilot grant priorities. If possible, we would hope that would involve additional bonuses to the Pilot teachers because we hoped that this additional funding would augment and not supplant salary increases. Thus, the statement, salaries are not an allowable expense to be retroactively paid for with these grant funds. On the other hand, if other program requirements were fully funded and if the teacher salaries were considered to be highly competitive, the program may decide to consider the portion of the salary increase for the Pilot Program teachers from January 2007 until June 30th 2007 as bonuses. The program might want to work with their budget and accounting resources regarding these decisions and document their expenses related to UPK. This documentation might include:

- Showing that salaries were already highly competitive, (even before EEC rates increases), the program might use, for example, a salary survey to show this, and,

- Clearly showing that other program requirements were fully funded, including the amounts already spent, providing support for spending the grant funds on salaries and bonuses. on these other requirements.

Once again, all funds must be encumbered and grant activities completed by June 30, 2007, and we will be looking for programs to explain their pilot funding expenditures based upon the needs of the program meeting the grant requirements.

Q10. We received a new standard contract form that changed the end date of the contract from June ‘08 to June ’07. Since we are not assured funding beyond June 30 2007, how can we plan for full year services if we don’t have a promise of funding beyond this time?

A. Subject to funding availability and budget language, EEC intends to provide continued funding to all UPK Classroom Quality Grantees who continue to meet eligibility in FY’08.

Q11. Since we completed our initial grant application, some changes have taken place in our program (teacher left, children moved on, etc.). Are we still eligible for the grant?

A. All grantees are expected to maintain eligibility for the period of the grant. If a program’s eligibility status changes (e.g., no preschool children are enrolled, the BA level teacher leaves, the program’s accreditation expires), they must report this change to EEC immediately and come back into compliance within 90 days or be subject to loss of funding.

Salaries

Q12. Can I use the funds to increase salaries for all teachers in UPK qualified classrooms under my agency?

A. UPK funding may, at the discretion of the grantee, be used to fund expenses beyond the selected classrooms/homes. However, funding must directly benefit the children in the two selected classrooms and all expenditures must be consistent with the allowable expenditures listed in the RFR. This is a quality enhancement grant and is not intended to be used for overall operating expenses. In your budget please explain and justify how any expenditures beyond the selected classroom/budgets are consistent with the goals of the RFR.

Family Child Care:

Q13. If a family child care provider experiences a change in enrollment during the UPK pilot grant period and no longer serves preK children, is the provider still eligible for UPK funding?

A. All grantees are expected to maintain eligibility for the period of the grant. If a program’s eligibility status changes (e.g., no preschool children are enrolled, the BA level teacher leaves, the program’s accreditation expires), they must report this change to EEC immediately and come back into compliance within 90 days or be subject to loss of funding.

Q14. How should funding be allocated to fcc providers? What if their enrollment of pre-k children changes during the grant period?

A. Please refer to the answers to questions 12 and 13 above.

Q15. Does the UPK budget page for each submission need to be signed by the Executive Director? The form does not show where to sign and it is not in the directions.

A. There is no signature required on this budget.

Other Fund Use-Related Questions:

Q16. Must funds be allocated only to the classrooms selected or can they benefit the program as a whole (including other sites)?

A. Funds must show a direct benefit to the identified UPK classrooms (programs will identify the classroom(s) that will be designated as UPK) yet the program also has the flexibility, to justify how funds may also benefit other areas of the program in terms of maintaining or increasing quality in accordance with the UPK goals and priorities.

Q17. Can UPK funds be used for transportation services?

A. Since UPK is not intended to fund new enrollments, there should not be a need for additional transportation. If the program is expanding the length of day or year and this change requires additional transportation, however, this would be an allowable use related to the grant priorities. Purchase of transportation-related equipment (booster seats, or the newly required HS 5-point seatbelts) for preschool children is an allowable expense if the program deems these necessary to meet and maintain UPK level quality services to preschool children.

Q18. Can UPK funds be used to purchase playground equipment?

A. Yes, but not for capital (non-movable) expenditures.

Q19. Can you clarify the difference between the types of fund uses? (“A”, “B” and “C” from page 4 of the RFR) and what would be the FY08 grant level if this grant moves forward?

A. One time funds (C) represent 20% of the FY07 grant budget, and A and B represent on-going funds. A and B would be the amount annualized if this grant is supported by level funding in FY08. As the FY07 grant is a prorated 6 month grant, projected FY08 grant amounts (entirely subject to appropriation) would be 80% of the FY07 grant multiplied by 2.

Q20. Can a program put more than 20% in the budget for one-time costs?

A. The budget should justify all costs a program feels would impact the quality of the UPK-designated classrooms (as well as any impact of the program) and these will be considered on a case by case basis.

Q21. What happens if a program goes into reaccreditation status?

A. Programs whose accreditation has expired would need to submit documentation that they are in the reaccreditation process in order to maintain UPK funding.

4/6/07