REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
PRE-K OBSERVATION FORM STUDY
Deadline: 5 p.m. August 1, 2021
This Request for Proposal (RFP) invites St. Louis area early childhood providers to participate in a study to gain a better understanding of kindergarten readiness for St. Louis area students. Participating childcare providers will receive training and resources to implement the Pre-K Observation Form (P-KOF) at no cost.
Background
United 4 Children is working in partnership with the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) based in Kansas City, Missouri to share the Pre-K Observation Form (P-KOF) with St. Louis area early childhood providers. The P-KOF is an important tool for centers to use internally to assess Kindergarten readiness. This is a unique opportunity to collect Kindergarten readiness data across multiple sites in the St. Louis area to get a better picture of kindergarten readiness for St. Louis area students. The training and tool itself will be offered at no cost to study participants.
The Pre-Kindergarten Observation Form (P-KOF) is the preschool version of the Kindergarten Observation Form. It was developed in 2001 to help fill an information gap that still exists in many areas today: the preparedness of children to smoothly transition into kindergarten. Applied Survey Research (ASR), the Peninsula Community Foundation, and First 5 San Mateo conducted a scan of readiness frameworks and tools used around the country. The items included in the form were developed with significant local input from the fields of early childhood education, primary education, philanthropy, and research.
The tool was originally designed around the National Education Goals Panel’s five dimensions of kindergarten readiness, but later psychometric testing of large sets of data identified four factors of readiness: Motor Skills, Self-Regulation, Social Expression, and Kindergarten Academics.
Information Session
Please join United 4 Children and MARC to learn more about the P-KOF and for an opportunity to ask questions at a virtual information session at noon on July 20. Register to attend the information session here.
Eligibility
Early childhood programs that respond must:
- Be located in St. Louis City or St. Louis County
- Provide pre-K (children ages 3-5)
- Agree to have teachers and administrators attend a 1.5 hour virtual training in August 2021
- Conduct the P-KOF pre-test in October 2021
- Conduct the P-KOF post-test in May 2022
- Sign a data agreement to share student data with the Mid-America Regional Council
How to Respond
Any eligible childcare programs interested in participating should submit a one-page response to Bridgit Gale via email (galeb@united4children.org) by 5 p.m. August 1, 2021. Responses must include:
- Statement of interest – why is your organization interested in participating?
- Key Organization Information
- Legal name
- Address
- Name and title of the primary point of contact for this RFP
- Grade levels/ages currently served
- Total number of pre-K students served
- Overview of student demographics
Questions?
Please contact:
Bridgit Gale
Assistant Program Officer, United 4 Children
Phone: 314.531.1412 ext. 131
Email: galeb@united4children.org
