|
The Child Care Partnership Project The J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation Early Childhood Education Program |
|
|
Description In Idaho, the J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation (JKAF) is working to improve children’s chances for success in school by improving their early education experiences. Through its Early Childhood Education Program (ECEP), the Foundation resources are leveraging the involvement of stakeholders and the investment of resources from both the public and private sectors. The goal is to create the infrastructure for a statewide system of quality early childhood education (with early childhood education defined as encompassing learning and development from birth to 8 years old). The work focuses on putting four essential pieces of the early childhood education puzzle into place: quality early childhood environments, parent involvement, professional development for early childhood teachers, and coordination between families, schools, early childhood programs, and communities. Partners Partners from both the private and public sectors are engaged in working on the four focus areas: Promoting quality learning environments: Partners include Child Care Connections, Southeastern Idaho Community Action Agency, Mountain States Early Headstart, the College of Southern Idaho, and Idaho Head Start Association; Engaging parents: Partners include the Office of the Governor, Idaho Department of Education, Bank of America, Shoshone-Bannock Tribe, and United Way Success by Six®; Supporting professional development for early education teachers: Partners include the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children (IAEYC), and Idaho Head Start Association; and Demonstrating innovative models of coordination: Partners include the Boise County Juvenile Justice Department, the Madison School District, Gritman Medical Center, the Children’s School, Child Care Connections, and other community groups. History and Development In 1996, motivated by research highlighting the connection between early childhood education and later school success, the J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation began to examine Idaho’s early childhood education resources. They found that 40% of preschool teachers had only a high school diploma, over 30% of children entering elementary school lacked basic school readiness, and there were no state initiatives focused on early education. Business leaders and policymakers in the state were also recognizing the need to focus on early childhood education. Between 1995 and 1997, a business commission, the Governor’s office, and a coalition of Latino organizations all created separate education reform plans that included early childhood education strategies. The JKAF combined some of the ideas from the three plans to design a framework for a comprehensive early childhood education initiative. Once the framework was established, the Foundation convened public and private stakeholders from throughout Idaho to solicit their input and support. Participants included officials from Idaho’s Human Service Department, the Governor’s Office, Head Start, and the State Board of Education, as well as business leaders and service providers. With input from these stakeholders, the initiative was fine-tuned with the following goals and strategies:
Current Activities In each of the four focus areas of ECEP, the Foundation has used its resources to build partnerships, using the following strategies: Leveraging new funds: Sixteen "partnership grants" of up to $45,000 each, which require local matching funds, have been awarded to implement the PAT project. As a result, local resources from throughout the state have been committed to implement the model. Encouraging others to follow their example: The Foundation’s support of Parents as Teachers (PAT) has led other public and private entities to become aware of and support implementation of the model. Both the Bank of America and the Shoshone Bannock Indian Tribe have sponsored additional PAT sites. In 1999, there are 31 sites operating through Even Start, hospitals, schools, Head Start, early childhood programs, and community agencies throughout Idaho. Trained parent educators are providing home visits, facilitating group meetings, and connecting parents to resources in the community. Convening stakeholders: As part of an effort to promote its third focus area, professional development, the JKAF sponsored a conference on brain research and its implications for Idaho’s young children. Communities were invited to send teams that included a community leader (for example, a mayor), as well as three additional individuals from diverse early childhood settings. At the June 1999 conference, the teams developed action plans for encouraging appropriate application of the brain research findings in their communities through at least three local presentations. Twelve state legislators attended the conference, and most of them are working with their community teams to promote quality early childhood experiences. Providing funds to support collaboration: ECEP is demonstrating the possibilities and benefits of linking early education supports into a coordinated system through four demonstration projects. Each project has its own unique focus. For example, one project is focused on mediation and teaching conflict resolution principles to young children, while another is focused on language and literacy development. They are all, however, characterized by coordination between families, schools, early childhood education providers, and community resources. Resources The Early Childhood Education Program is funded by the J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Foundation, with other public and private funds adding to the impact in the field. Funding for each of the four components of the initiative is as follows:
Results The JKAF invested in the Early Child Education Program as a means to achieving their mission statement goal of improving education in Idaho. Projected outcomes, which focus on school readiness and student performance, have been established for each of the four focus areas. A formal evaluation by an independent source that will assess progress toward projected outcomes is currently being planned. Documented accomplishments after one year include an increase to 15 in the number of IAEYC-accredited programs, 83 trained and certified PAT parent-educators statewide, 54 teams who have completed training on the new brain research, and 32 TEACH scholarships. Sustaining and Replicating In an effort to make a sustained impact on young children’s behavior and development, the JKAF has placed great emphasis on engaging partners at various levels. For example, the 16 grants to implement PAT required a local match. As a result, there is broad financial investment and local ownership of the initiative. Likewise, the Start Smart brain research conference included participation by a number of decision-makers such as mayors and legislators. The time investment of these individuals will be helpful in sustaining action plans for young children in Idaho’s communities. The Foundation has also cultivated a relationship with the new Governor, who has become a strong supporter of the Foundation’s efforts in early childhood. Lessons Learned Move beyond preaching to the choir. Find ways of engaging nontraditional partners, particularly decision-makers, in your initiative. The brain research conference required inclusion of a community leader such as a legislator, mayor, police chief, etc., on each of the teams. Give partners credit. Acknowledging the contributions of partners is important to maintaining their involvement in the project. This is particularly true of the business community, where improved community relations may be considered an important benefit of involvement. Engage partners early. Stakeholders must be involved early in the process if they are to become invested in the outcomes. Developers of the ECEP believe that bringing stakeholders together early in the process was a key factor contributing to ongoing collaboration and investment by public and private sources. Contact Information Mary Lou Kinney |
||
|
||
