Because collaborative partners in a countywide pre-k program may have different revenue sources and program costs, county collaborative team efforts to coordinate pre-k financing can be complex. The first step in creating collaborative contracts and budgets is for collaborating programs to determine the total cost for each collaborative classroom to have the resources needed to meet quality standards, state regulations and policies, and federal requirements. Several steps are necessary to efficiently determine classroom and program costs.

Applicable programmatic regulations and policies, including WVBE Policy 2525, HeadStart Performance Standards and regulations, and WV Child Care Center Licensing, must be used to determine the total cost of each classroom. Next, partners must analyze the resources available to cover the costs.

All children enrolled in WV Universal Pre-K, including those enrolled in collaborative classrooms, are enrolled in WVEIS. Therefore, school aid funding is generated for each eligible child enrolled by October 1st of each school year. Funding generated through community classrooms should be invested into those programs providing quality early education services and local infrastructure to support WV Pre-K classrooms. In pre-k collaborative child care programs, WV Pre-K is an enhancement to the regular program during the designated WV Pre-K hours. Since WV Pre-K is part of a free public education, parents/guardians shall only be charged for those hours outside the WV Pre-K designated time. In addition to the resources provided through school aid funding, community programs participating as partners should continue using federal and state funding available for these services such as Head Start and Child care Development Fund monies supporting eligible children.