Cincinnati Preschool Promise Year & Evaluation Executive Summary

Cincinnati Preschool Promise Year 7 Evaluation Executive Summary Cincinnati Preschool Promise (CPP) is committed to ensuring children have equitable access to highquality preschool, preparing them for kindergarten and setting them on a path to long-term success.

To do this, CPP assists families with finding a high-quality preschool program and provides Tuition Assistance (TA) funding for 3- and 4-year-old children living at or below 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to attend. The CPP Provider Network is a blend of community-based and public preschools within the Cincinnati Public School (CPS) district boundary. This Year 7 Evaluation Executive Summary highlights key findings from the 2023-2024 mixed-method evaluation, which includes agency-level and student-level data from CPP, CPS, and partnering agencies. Findings show the impact of CPP programs on preschoolers, families, teachers, Providers, and the returns for Cincinnati. Note that preschool progress and KRA-R results represent Tuition Assistance recipients enrolled in CPP Community Providers and CPS Preschools. All other results represent CPP Community participants only.

CPP Tuition Assistance Promotes Positive Trends in Preschool Enrollment, Attendance, and Progress • 1,087 preschoolers received CPP TA in 2023-24 – the highest enrollment to date • 88.4% attendance rate for TA preschoolers, an increase of 5 percentage points since Year 1 (Chronic absenteeism decreased by 16 percentage points since Year 1) • Universal improvement on all domains of the Teaching Strategies GOLD® preschool assessment Preschoolers Attending CPP Tuition Assistance 2017-2024 1087

1100 1000

951

900

907

839

800

927

760

700

Note. Preschoolers included in count if enrolled with at least 1 day of attendance.

622

600

Preschoolers Meeting or Exceeding Expectations TS GOLD® - Fall to Spring 2023-24 (N = 963) Domain Social-Emotional Physical Language

Pre-Test Meeting or Exceeding

Post-Test Meeting or Exceeding

54.8% 67.8%

85.6%

59.3%

80.4%

Cognitive

53.7%

Literacy Mathematics

50.9% 44.0%

17.3% increase in preschoolers enrolling and receiving tuition to attend high-quality preschool since 2023

91.1% 83.1% 82.7% 76.4%

21.1-32.4 percentage point increase in preschooler assessment scores from fall to spring

Kindergarten Readiness is Higher for CPP Tuition Assistance Recipients • 62.6% of preschoolers who received CPP TA were Approaching or Demonstrating readiness on the overall Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Revised (KRA-R), a higher rate than nonparticipants including kindergarteners from similar school districts in Ohio • CPP participation was a statistically significant predictor of kindergarten readiness increasing the odds of Demonstrating readiness by 30.5% and being On Track for Literacy by 53.8%, and showing the greatest impact for Black, Hispanic, and preschoolers from high-risk areas Overall KRA-R Performance Levels Compared to School Districts with Highest Kindergarten Enrollment in Ohio (2023-24)

37.4%

39.1%

38.6%

37.8%

35.8%

31.3%

32.7%

31.2%

48.5%

49.7%

49.4%

52.6%

31.6%

32.2%

33.5%

32.5%

19.9%

18.1%

17.1%

14.9%

Dayton City

Cleveland Municipal

Toledo City

Akron City

Approaching

Emerging

26.8%

29.6%

28.7%

31.0%

CPP TA

Non-CPP

Total District

Columbus City Schools

Cincinnati Public Schools Demonstrating

Tuition Assistance Recipients Show Long-Term Academic Growth in Grades 1-3 • Former CPP TA recipients now in grades 1-3 showed growth in reading scores from fall to spring • Former CPP TA recipients in grade 3 outperformed similar peers (i.e., economically disadvantaged) on Reading and Math State achievement tests CPP TA Participants and Cincinnati Public Schools: Third Grade Ohio Achievement Levels (2022-23) English Language Arts Math 29.0%

28.2%

34.2%

24.2%

30.1%

22.4% 12.7%

15.0%

13.0%

16.6%

15.3%

11.1%

13.3%

19.1%

CPP TA

CPS Economic Disadvantaged

CPS District

15.7%

42.7%

13.4%

48.7%

11.5%

43.6%

10.9% 17.1%

21.2%

17.6%

14.8%

13.0%

7.8%

9.2%

14.5%

CPP TA

CPS Economic Disadvantaged

CPS District

13.8%

CPP Improves Preschool Quality and Increases Equitable Access to High-Quality Preschool • 20 QI Providers achieved a high-quality 3, 4, or 5 SUTQ star rating and converted to TA preschools in 2023-24 • 221 CPP Providers serve the 3- to 4-year-old population in Cincinnati and represent 4,181 quality and high-quality seats for children, an increase of 246 seats since last year • Together, Community and CPS TA Providers served 40% (n = 2,077 unduplicated) of the 3-to-4year-old population under 300% FPL (N = 5,246) in Cincinnati

CPP Provides Essential Supports and Benefits to Teachers, Providers, Children, and Families • 100+ teachers from CPP preschools were supported by the Teacher Promise Grant and Staff Support Fund this year • CPP Plus Programs: 144 preschoolers received the Peanut Butter & Jam music program and showed improvement in observed learning and behavior across 10 domains of measurement according to 90.5% of surveyed teachers and Providers CPP improves program quality and sustainability; program recognition and respect; educator retention and professional development, kindergarten readiness, and more: “Our program has benefited from participating in CPP by supporting the center with quality improvement, staffing wages, student academic success. CPP has helped with program growth and family involvement and family events for kindergarten readiness, with speakers to talk to parents about how they also can help get their children ready for a successful kindergarten transition. – CPP Provider The collective benefits from participating in the CPP Provider Network and receiving CPP support have created a positive, nurturing, and enriching environment for everyone involved. Our program has seen significant improvements in quality and service delivery, our teachers and staff are more skilled and motivated, and our families have greater access to high-quality early childhood education and support services. This program has been nothing but awesome! – CPP Provider

CPP Amplifies Teacher and Family Voices • Evaluation surveys and Advisory Panel meetings with parents, teachers, and providers give voice to the experiences and needs of the CPP community • CPP collaborates with local and state leaders and community members to increase understanding of and advocacy for the issues impacting preschools and families and the benefits of high-quality preschool • Research suggests high-quality preschool can yield a $4-9 dollar return per $1 invested (National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs)

• • • •

Impact of CPP Tuition Assistance – Insights from Teachers and Providers allows children with the greatest need to enroll in high-quality preschool reduces financial stress for parents and Providers helps parents maintain employment provides funding for quality improvements, learning activities, and materials, among other positive impacts that are crucial to preparing children for success in kindergarten and beyond.

CPP Years 1-7 Impact Highlights 2017-2024 • More than 11,500 preschoolers have received CPP TA to attend preschool since 2017 • 107 high-quality TA Providers have joined the CPP Provider Network, totaling 147 in 2024 • 122 programs have achieved a high-quality rating with CPP’s support since 2017, substantially increasing the number of high-quality seats available within the CPS footprint • Since 2018, CPP has supported more than 375 teachers from CPP preschools with grant funds that have increased teacher retention, pay, benefits, and professional development • 1,499 preschoolers participated in the Extended Learning Session during 2020-2023 summers • CPP TA preschool attendance has increased over the past 3 years reaching 88.4% this year • Preschoolers have demonstrated improvement from fall to spring on the TS GOLD • Since 2018, CPP TA recipients enrolled in CPS kindergarten have been Approaching or Demonstrating on the KRA-R at a higher frequency compared to non-CPP participants enrolled in CPS kindergarten and KRA-R district averages from similar Ohio school districts • CPP TA participants who live in high-risk neighborhoods have shown better KRA-R overall and language and literacy performance compared to similar peers not participating in CPP • CPP funding has translated to support for preschoolers and other young children through teacher education, quality improvement, classroom materials, and facilities improvements, among other benefits for partnering preschools Summary of Recommendations • Continue Programs and Supports that Increase Preschool and Provider Enrollment and Access to High-Quality Preschool o Increased Preschool Attendance Improves Kindergarten Readiness and School Success o Preschool is an Important Time to Optimize Children’s Social-Emotional Health; Continue Partnering with Local Agencies to Connect Providers and Families to Needed Services o Continue Teacher Promise Grants and Staff Support Funds that Support Retention and Sustainability o Continue to Raise Awareness About the Benefits of Investing in Child Care and Education • Explore Opportunities to Streamline Information Sharing Across Local Early Education Agencies • Maintain Focus on Systems-Level Factors, Evidence-Based Practices, and Policy Solutions that Drive Equitable and Sustainable Early Care and Education See the full 2023-24 CPP Evaluation Report for additional results - https://cincy-promise.org/.

Note that INNOVATIONS’ unique data access as an independent evaluator may result in minor reporting differences between INNOVATIONS and CPP.