VPI Plus

As part of the federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG), the US Department of Education awarded the state of Virginia with a $17.5 million expansion grant annually to fund a project called Virginia Preschool Initiative Plus (VPI+). This grant will allow the Commonwealth to serve over 13,000 at-risk four-year-olds in new or improved high quality classrooms over four years. The new project is an extension of the existing Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI), a state-funded program that currently supports quality preschool programs for approximately 18,000 at-risk four-year-olds in the state. The mission of VPI+ is to transform its existing State Preschool Program into a national exemplar through adoption of effective best practices to improve quality, access and impact in high-need communities. VPI+ is working to increase preschool enrollment across the Commonwealth, and to develop a state-wide infrastructure of support that includes curriculum, professional development, and assessment. Thirteen school divisions were selected to participate in the VPI+ program across the Commonwealth.