Idaho preschool development birth through five (PDG-B-5) - idaho's PDG B-5 systems-building grant will help idaho move from a set of strong but fragmented early childhood initiatives to a coherent…

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded Idaho State University $10.602 million on December 31, 2025, under the Preschool Development Grants (PDG) program (CFDA 93.434) to lead a statewide systems-building initiative integrating fragmented early care and education services for children birth through age five across Idaho.

Idaho State University, designated as the state entity managing the award, is executing this project in partnership with state agencies, Head Start and Early Head Start grantees, foster and kinship care services, local school districts, faith-based organizations, tribal governments, business leaders, and community-based partners. The primary components include reviewing and updating the statewide early care and education needs assessment and strategic plan, and promoting outcome strategies to advance PDG program priorities. Four critical strategies organize the work: Idaho's Early Learning Collaborative System, family and community engagement, early care and education program sustainability, and early care and education quality enhancement. Embedded projects include Ready! for Kindergarten, Strong Families/Strong Educators, a child care management system, child care roundtables and seminars, business and economic leadership engagement, higher education scholarships for early care and education professionals, support for the Child Development Associate credential, an emerging early childhood education leaders project, positive behavioral supports, developmental monitoring outreach, access to quality early care and education furniture and equipment, and enhancement of outdoor early learning spaces.

Performance runs through December 30, 2026, with work occurring in Idaho. Sub-recipients supporting collaborative implementation and coordination include Boise State University (sub-award dated February 10, 2026), the University of Idaho (February 6, 2026), the University of Montana (February 4, 2026), and the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children (January 27, 2026).

Idaho preschool development birth through five (PDG-B-5) - idaho's PDG B-5 systems-building grant will help idaho move from a set of strong but fragmented early childhood initiatives to a coherent statewide early care and education (ECE) system that maximizes seamless access and choice for families with children from birth through age five. The project will be administered by idaho state university (ISU), designated as the state entity responsible for executing and managing the award, in close partnership with state agencies, head start and early head start grantees, foster/kinship care services/systems, local school districts, faith-based organizations, tribal governments, business leaders, and community-based partners. In addition to tracking and evaluation efforts, the two primary components of the idaho birth-through-five systems integration project include: 1) reviewing/updating the statewide ECE needs assessment and strategic plan, and 2) promoting outcome strategies to advance PDG B-5 program priorities and critical elements. Idaho has identified four critical strategies to enhance this systems-building work including: 1) idaho's early learning collaborative system, 2) family and community engagement, 3) early care and education program sustainability, and 4) early care and education quality enhancement. Embedded in these four critical strategies are the following projects that engage cross sector implementation through strategic partnerships: 1) ready! For kindergarten®, 2) strong families/strong educators, 3) child care management system, 4) child care roundtables and seminars, 5) business and economic leadership engagement, 6) higher education scholarships for ECE professionals, 7) support for the child development associate credential, 8) emerging ECE leaders project, 9) positive behavioral supports, 10) developmental monitoring outreach, 11) access to quality ECE furniture, equipment, materials, and supplies, and 12) enhancement of outdoor early learning environments.