The federal Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) was awarded to Delaware in December 2018. This $4.2 million grant is designed to better prepare all children to enter kindergarten ready to learn. The grant will help Delaware strengthen its early childhood system as well as greatly improve student transitions from early childhood programs to the K-12 school system. PDG B-5 has requirements that Delaware to complete a comprehensive, statewide birth-through-five needs assessment to determine the state’s current early learning needs and priorities. From this, the state will develop a strategic plan to enhance Delaware’s early learning system. The needs assessment and strategic plan will be executed during the 2019 calendar year.

Current activities

  • Research: DDOE’s Office of Early Learning has partnered with Ernst & Young Parthenon to conduct the needs assessment portion of the grant. Ernst & Young will use a design-research approach to learn more about what Delaware families need to support their children’s growth, development and learning from birth through kindergarten. Some of this research can be found in the PDG B-5 User Experience Needs Assessment document. Also, please consider when and where you can get involved and have input on the PDG/Strategic Plan.
  • Feedback: Families, we want to hear from you. What experiences can you share with us so that we can improve Delaware’s early childhood system? Read more about the process and get involved.
  • Data: Delaware’s early childhood state agencies are working together to determine how the state can best integrate birth-through-five data systems in order to accurately count the number of children receiving and awaiting services in the state.

Updates

Additional Resources

Delaware PDG B-5 application: Learn more about why Delaware applied for this grant, how the state will address the grant requirements, anticipated spending and more.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about PDG B-5 in Delaware.