Transcript Slide 1

Early Learning Coalition of
Southwest Florida
Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties
Presentation Overview
• Who is the Early Learning Coalition?
• What Does the Early Learning
Coalition Do?
• How are we funded?
• How can you be involved?
Who are we?
Our Coalition
Vision
ALL children in Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee
communities will be healthy, eager, and
successful learners, supported by well-informed
parents, involved citizens, and collaborative
community partners.
Our Early Learning programs will have high
quality standards, comprehensive services,
seamless delivery system with diverse settings,
and well-educated, competent, and adequately
compensated staff.
YOUR EARLY LEARNING
COALITION
•The Early Learning Coalition of Southwest
Florida is the administrator of state and federal
funding for early learning programs
•These funds total approximately $40,000,000
dollars for our 4 county area
•The programs include resource and referral,
School Readiness and Voluntary PreKindergarten
•We have contracted with a Local Agency to
administer these programs - COMMUNITY
COORDINATED CARE FOR CHILDREN
Community Coordinated
Care for Children, Inc (4C)
• Established in 1969 by the Human Services
Council of United Way and the Orange
County (FL) Government
• 501(C)3 private, non-profit organization
• Began serving SW Florida in July 2007
through a contract with our Early Learning
Coalition
• Provides Services for Children in partnership
with the Coalition
Early Learning Programs –
Child Care Resource and Referral
Considered to be the “front door’ to all Early
Learning Programs. Links made between
parents and providers.
All Florida residents eligible to utilize
services to help them find child care,
regardless of income level.
Those meeting Income guidelines can also
access SCHOOL READINESS programs
(subsidies to help pay for child care)
Early Learning Programs
SCHOOL READINESS
This program is in place to ensure that all
children are intellectually, emotionally,
physically and socially ready to enter school
and ready to learn, fully recognizing the crucial
role of parents as their child's first teacher.
Parents earning up to 200% of federal
poverty guidelines can qualify for financial
assistance to help pay
for child care
School Readiness Services
In 2006-2007…
• 6,760 children served in our 4-county
area.
• 548 school readiness programs in
private and faith-based centers, family
child care homes, and school district
SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM
FUNDING
STATEWIDE Funding: approximately $490 million;
Our Coalition has a School Readiness Budget of
approximately $20 million dollars
Even with this budget, over 4,000 children are on
waiting lists for childcare in four-county area
These children are at risk - Even though their
parents qualify for assistance, there isn’t enough $$
to help them.
FY 2006-2007 School
Readiness Services for
Children
Collier
Glades/
Hendry
Lee
ELC-SWFL
Total
Total Children
Funded
1508
67
498
4,687
6,760
Waitlist
numbers for
7/24/07
1,630
4
132
2,359
4,125
Early Learning Programs
Voluntary Prekindergarten
Education
Florida Voters passed a constitutional
amendment in November 2002 to provide a
FREE, VOLUNTARY Program for all Florida 4
year olds.
First year of program was in the 2005-2006
School Year
The Voluntary Pre-kindergarten (VPK)
Education Program
Our Coalition has a budget of approximately
$20,000,000 for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten
(Statewide budget: approx. $388,000,000)
Summer program is 300 hours. The Schoolyear program 540 hours
PARENTAL CHOICE is critical component –
private, public and faith-based providers
Program is Voluntary and Free
Budget does NOT include dollars for
transportation
Voluntary Prekindergarten
Education Services
In 2006-2007…
…In our Second VPK year, we
enrolled over 6,663 children in 199
VPK Providers in the Lee, Collier,
Glades, and Hendry Communities.
FY 2006-2007 Voluntary Pre-K
Services for Children
As of
6/30/07
Collier
Total
Children
Served
School Year
1,593
Total
Summer
Enrollments
Total VPK
Enrollment
Glades/Hendry
Lee
ELCSWFL
Total
17
117
3,345
5,072
532
0
187
872
1,591
2,125
17
4,217
6,663
304
EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS
The Results Are Impressive!
High Quality Early Learning Programs result in:
• Fewer children being held back a grade
• Children more likely to graduate from high school
• Children less likely to become involved in crime and
delinquency
• Future Adults that are less dependent on welfare
• For every $1 spent on early learning, a return of $7
is generated due to factors sited above.
Strongest results have been shown for at-risk
and low-income children
•
National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J:
Other Results
• Children tested as they are admitted to
Kindergarten in Public Schools to assess the
results of Pre-Kindergarten
• Results after just the First Year clearly
showed that children who participated do
BETTER in learning assessments than
children who did not participate in VPK
Demographics of our Coalitions
Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten
children
•
•
•
•
19% are English Language Learners
8% identified with Disabilities
43% qualify for free or reduced lunch
RCMA (Redlands Christian Migrant
Association) programs and children included
in SW Florida coalition – many of these
children live in extreme poverty
OUR CHALLENGES
• By 2013 all lead teachers of VPK must have a
bachelor’s degree certified in early childhood
education. Efforts to change to AA.
• The pay for teachers, and in particular early learning
teachers is not very appealing
• Lack of Transportation – means children who need it
most, may not be receiving
• Waiting list for School Readiness Programs (working
poor assistance) of over 4,000 children
How can we improve?
The Entire Community Needs to be Involved:
• More $$ could help get more children into school
readiness programs
• More Children enrolled in school readiness can
mean more parents can go to work, thus lower the
number on welfare
• Investing in early learning helps prepare children for
future school success
• Quality program help strengthen the future work
force
• More $$ could help us save money as a society:
For every dollar invested in quality care for
children, more than $7 is realized by society.
How Can Business and Private
Individuals be Involved:
Child Care Executive Partnership: a public/
private partnership that matches funding for
child care costs
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•
•
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Helps businesses hire and maintain loyal and reliable
employees by offering $$ for child care assistance.
For every dollar raised in our community, we can
receive a dollar match.
These funds go under utilized most years
Cultivate Florida’s future work force by reducing the
need for social service programs as children grow
If you are interested in enrolling your business in the
Child Care Executive Partnership, please see me after
the program
This is one of the few benefits where you can double
your financial impact on employees with the $ for $
match
How Can Business and Private
Individuals be Involved:
SPONSOR A CHILD
• Over 4000 children are on the waiting list
for school readiness programs
• A donation of just $284 will:
– Allow a child to enroll in an early learning
program for a year
– LEVERAGE AN ADDITIONAL $4,448 in
State and Federal Funds
– Enhance and expand services to families
who need your help
How $284 grows to $30,000
Your $284 dollar donation, with it’s match
Of federal and state funding will become a
total of:
$4,732 and provide services for a child for
one year.
Your $284 Investment
Studies show for every $1 spent, a
savings of $7 is incurred :
(welfare, school retention, drop out
rates, juvenile crime, etc.)
Your investment, with it’s match to
over $4,000….Becomes $30,000 in
the future!
How Can Business and Private
Individuals be Involved: Professional
Development Scholarship Support
• At a minimum, all VPK Teachers must have a Child
Development Associate Degree.
• Tuition Costs to teachers for this degree is
approximately $500.
• State and Coalition professional development
scholarships are very limited.
• Contributions to the Dr. Wanda Slayton Memorial CDA
Scholarship Fund will help our teachers achieve their
education goals and prepare our children to be
successful in school and in life.
How Can Business and Private
Individuals be Involved: Classroom
Quality Enhancement Mini-Grants
• Children learn best in a literacy-rich environment with
age-appropriate materials and a variety of hands-on
learning centers and experiences.
• The Coalition offers Mini-Grants to teachers to
improve the classroom environment, purchase high
quality early education resources and emergent
literacy materials.
• Contributions to the Coalition’s Mini-Grant Program
will ensure that teachers have the resources they need
to help children reach their highest potential.
On behalf of the Children of Southwest
Florida, Thank you for your time and
attention today