VPI Funding in Early Childhood Special Education Classrooms Notice
Description:
This notice is to let you know of a strategy to use Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) funds to support students with disabilities. Any age-eligible student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) qualifies for VPI. This means that VPI funds can be used not only to support children with IEPs in inclusive VPI classrooms but may also be used to support instructional experiences in Early Childhood Special Education classrooms with age-eligible children. To promote maximum inclusion and the maximization of all VPI funds, we are encouraging you to explore how VPI funds may be used to better support children with special needs.
Supporting self-contained ECSE rooms with VPI funds is an excellent way to expand VPI programming in your locality. Every school division providing services to preschool aged children with IEPs, receives 619 special education funds. These 619 funds are to be used for the excess costs of providing special education and related services to preschool aged children with IEPs. By enrolling students with disabilities as VPI students, the cost to operate these rooms may be shared by state, local and federal funds.
Any classroom with at least one child funded through VPI is considered a VPI classroom, requiring they meet all VPI Guidelines. Many ECSE rooms already meet the expectations within the VPI Guidelines. We have outlined the most relevant requirements below:
- Operate school day, school year programing, either full-day or half-day
- 5 days a week
- 5.5 hours a day for full-day, 3 hours a day for half-day
- 990/495 hours a year or 180 days a year
- Use a Vetted Curriculum
- This does not have to be the same curriculum as other VPI classrooms in the program
VPI administrators have received similar communication and have been reminded that the VPI Spring Application, due May 15, is the only time to request VPI slots. Slots may be requested for three- and /or four-year-olds.
The VDOE will be hosting a webinar on April 18, 2024 at 1:00pm with ECSE Coordinator Dawn Hendricks and Associate Director Tiffanie Meehling to outline how VPI funds can be used to support ECSE classrooms. Please register for the webinar. It will also be recorded. If this sounds like a good fit for your program please plan to review the webinar and reach out with any questions you may have.