Chandler Unified outlines expansion, licensing and braided funding plan for preschool and pre-K programs

Chandler Unified School District staff told the Governing Board they plan to expand and standardize the district’s preschool and pre-kindergarten offerings, with a stated goal of roughly 47 classrooms by the 2025–26 school year and all preschool classrooms licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The presentation by Dr. Herb Fletcher, Dr. Marshall and Dr. Edgar framed district efforts as a response to both national shortfalls in early childhood access and local demand. Speakers said Chandler serves about 1,000 young children in preschool and pre-K on a consistent basis and currently counted 941 enrolled on the day of the presentation; district demographers estimate roughly 16,000 children ages 0–4 live within CUSD boundaries.

District staff said they will continue using a braided funding model that combines tuition-based community education, Title I dollars, First Things First scholarships and federally-mandated special education funding to support classrooms and shared costs such as furniture and curriculum. Dr. Marshall described a push to make curriculum, furniture and professional development consistent across programs so that teachers and students receive comparable supports whether a child is in a community-education, Title I, special education or inclusive classroom.

Presenters described key program features and recent changes: adoption of a single, district-wide early-childhood portfolio/assessment approach (transitioning from Teaching Strategies GOLD to a district child outcome survey), new dual-language exploration classrooms at several sites, increased inclusion of students with disabilities in typical peer settings with itinerant special education supports, and a district early-childhood summit for staff training.

District staff said preschool (three-year-old) and pre-K (four-year-old) classrooms are staffed by certified teachers and paraprofessionals, operate under DHS ratios because they are licensed, and may be offered in part-day or full-day formats depending on individual students’ needs and funding streams. The team reported that 72 percent of current four-year-old pre-K students subsequently enroll in CUSD kindergarten.

Board members asked for evidence of program impact. Staff said Teaching Strategies GOLD data historically showed gains; the district now tracks entry and exit ratings through its childhood outcome survey and plans to align preschool assessment data with K–2 measures where possible, although staff noted gaps in being able to compare children who did not attend CUSD preschool because those children do not always provide prior enrollment data at kindergarten registration. Speakers also referenced prior SACE (state student identifier) tracking that showed higher kindergarten readiness among children who attended CUSD preschool versus children with limited to no prior early-learning experience, while noting that statewide collections (such as First Things First) that once provided broader longitudinal data are no longer capturing the same scope of information.

District leaders described outreach and placement priorities that informed where classrooms are located: drive patterns, parent preference for center-based versus school-based sites, principal buy-in, and Title I boundary rules (Title I-funded preschool seats are limited to students who reside inside Title I school boundaries). Staff said the district consults demographers, principals, community partners (including Head Start and the Little Explorers program), and neighboring districts when designing screenings and placements.

Presenters flagged risks and constraints: limited and declining federal and state pandemic-era funding (ESSER) that temporarily expanded access, and the cost of paying certified teachers relative to some private childcare providers. Board members and staff discussed using partnerships with community nonprofits, grants and private partners to grow enrollment and sustain programs, and identified the strategic aim of creating preschool options that attract families to Chandler and to CUSD K–12 programs for long-term enrollment.

The presentation closed with program ideas under consideration — modifying executive-function curricula, pre-K–5 curriculum alignment, evaluating site space for early childhood use versus central early-childhood centers, and exploring sustainability of funding models. No motions or votes were taken; staff were presenting options and seeking board input.

Ending

District staff said they will continue outreach and iterative planning and return with further details as funding, licensing and site-specific plans solidify. Board members asked for follow-up on enrollment projections, Little Explorers counts, and further data linking preschool participation to later academic outcomes.