Davis School District outlines preschool expansion, funding mix and eligibility for state high‑quality grant
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Summary
District preschool administrator Amy Garlick told the board the district now operates 39 preschool classrooms across 20 elementary schools, serves more than 1,100 preschool students, relies primarily on IDEA funds (about 78% of the program budget), and holds 120 state grant spots for high‑need children.
Amy Garlick, the district preschool administrator, presented the Davis School District’s early childhood portfolio and growth at the board workshop. She described program models, staffing, funding sources and assessment tools used to monitor progress.
Garlick said the district operates 39 preschool classrooms located in 20 elementary schools, including 28 inclusive classrooms where roughly half of the students have disabilities and half are tuition-paying typically developing peers. She reported total preschool staff of 189: 39 special educators, 28 prekindergarten instructors (required to hold a CDA or bachelor’s), 110 paraprofessionals, 10 related-services providers and two support staff. "In total, that's a 189 preschool staff that work together to provide exceptional early learning experiences for our children across Davis School District," Garlick said.
On funding, Garlick said the preschool program is "primarily supported through state IDEA funds" and that this source accounts for about 78% of the program budget. She said the district also receives federal IDEA funds, the state high-quality preschool grant, tuition revenue and Medicaid funds; because IDEA funding is paid a year in arrears, current allocations do not yet reflect the year-to-year growth in students served.
Garlick described the district’s participation in the Utah School Readiness Program (the state grant) and said the district is holding 120 slots for students eligible under the state grant this school year; foster children and English-language learners qualify automatically, and other risk factors are considered through a grant eligibility process. She explained the district’s Davis Essential Preschool Skills assessment is administered three times per year (beginning, middle and end of year) to monitor growth in areas such as alphabet knowledge, oral language, phonological awareness, fine and gross motor skills, math and social-emotional development.
Board members asked questions about attendance and drop policies; Garlick said the district tries to retain students and that a child who misses eight sessions may be dropped but is welcome to return when ready. The presentation also covered outreach plans, coordination with Head Start, and a January 22 parent literacy night the department will co-host with Head Start.
Next steps: staff will continue to manage capacity, report assessment results to the state as required, and work to expand slots as funding allows. The board thanked Garlick and her staff for their work.
