California State Preschool Program-Quality rating and Improvement System Block Grant RFA 25-27

The California State Preschool Program (CSPP) Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) Block Grant is administered by the California Department of Education (CDE) through its Early Education Division. The primary objective of this grant is to enhance the quality of preschool programs under the CSPP by ensuring continuous quality improvement and rigorous evaluation of learning environments. With a total annual funding of $50 million, this grant seeks to create high-quality, developmentally appropriate preschool experiences that promote equity, inclusivity, and whole-child development. The grant supports a phased approach to refining California’s QRIS framework, aligning with the state’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) vision. It emphasizes professional development, classroom quality assessments, and program enhancements using research-based evaluation tools such as the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and the CLASS Environment tool. These initiatives aim to uplift interactions between educators and children, strengthen program accountability, and ensure preschool students, especially those from marginalized communities, receive high-quality early education. Eligible applicants include local consortia led by local educational agencies (LEAs), which coordinate various stakeholders such as First 5 county commissions, higher education institutions, childcare planning councils, and nonprofit organizations serving children ages birth to five. The funds must be used to support participating CSPPs in meeting and exceeding QRIS quality standards, with specific requirements to measure teacher-child interactions, classroom environments, and program governance structures. Applications for the grant must be submitted via the CDE’s Snap Survey platform, with a due date of March 14, 2025. The application process requires a detailed Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) outlining strategies for recruitment, assessment, continuous quality improvement, and equitable fund allocation. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate how they will implement program badging structures to highlight strengths in areas such as inclusion, multilingual support, and anti-bias education. Grant recipients must comply with stringent reporting and accountability measures, including quarterly fiscal reports and biannual programmatic evaluations. Funding is allocated based on county-specific preschool participation rates and must be spent within each fiscal year. Local consortia must ensure funds are used effectively for quality improvement, avoiding expenditures on direct childcare services, capital projects, or promotional materials unrelated to program improvement. The CSPP QRIS Block Grant is non-competitive and awarded based on program eligibility and adherence to the state’s quality rating framework. The funding structure ensures local flexibility while maintaining a commitment to enhancing early learning experiences statewide. For questions, applicants may contact the CDE CSPP QRIS Block Grant Team at QCC@cde.ca.gov.