serving hendry, glades, collier and lee counties early learning coalition of southwest florida

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Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

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Page 1: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties

Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Page 2: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview• Who is the Early Learning Coalition?• What Does the Early Learning

Coalition Do?• How are we funded? • How can you be involved?

Page 3: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Who are we?Who are we?

Page 4: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Our Coalition Our Coalition VisionVision

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.

Page 5: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

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 Pre-Kindergarten

•We have contracted with a Local Agency to administer these programs - COMMUNITY COORDINATED CARE FOR CHILDREN

Page 6: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Community Coordinated Community Coordinated Care for Children, Inc (4C)Care for Children, Inc (4C)

• Established in 1969 by the Human Services Established in 1969 by the Human Services Council of United Way and the Orange Council of United Way and the Orange County (FL) GovernmentCounty (FL) Government

• 501(C)3 private, non-profit organization501(C)3 private, non-profit organization• Began serving SW Florida in July 2007 Began serving SW Florida in July 2007

through a contract with our Early Learning through a contract with our Early Learning CoalitionCoalition

• Provides Services for Children in partnership Provides Services for Children in partnership with the Coalition with the Coalition

Page 7: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Considered to be the “front door’ to all Early Considered to be the “front door’ to all Early Learning Programs. Links made between Learning Programs. Links made between parents and providers.parents and providers.

All Florida residents eligible to utilize All Florida residents eligible to utilize services to help them find child care, services to help them find child care, regardless of income level.regardless of income level.

Those meeting Income guidelines can also Those meeting Income guidelines can also access SCHOOL READINESS programs access SCHOOL READINESS programs (subsidies to help pay for child care)(subsidies to help pay for child care)

Early Learning Programs – Early Learning Programs – Child Care Resource and ReferralChild Care Resource and Referral

Page 8: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Early Learning ProgramsEarly Learning ProgramsSCHOOL READINESSSCHOOL READINESS

This program is in place to ensure that all This program is in place to ensure that all children are intellectually, emotionally, children are intellectually, emotionally, physically and socially ready to enter school physically and socially ready to enter school and ready to learn, fully recognizing the crucial and ready to learn, fully recognizing the crucial role of parents as their child's first teacher.role of parents as their child's first teacher.

Parents earning up to 200% of federal Parents earning up to 200% of federal poverty guidelines can qualify for financial poverty guidelines can qualify for financial assistance to help pay assistance to help pay for child carefor child care

Page 9: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

School Readiness ServicesSchool Readiness ServicesIn 2006-2007…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 programs

Page 10: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

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.

SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM FUNDING

Page 11: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

FY 2006-2007 School FY 2006-2007 School Readiness Services for Readiness Services for

ChildrenChildren

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

Page 12: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Early Learning Programs Early Learning Programs Voluntary Prekindergarten Voluntary Prekindergarten

Education 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

Page 13: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

The Voluntary Pre-kindergarten (VPK) The Voluntary Pre-kindergarten (VPK) Education ProgramEducation 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 School-year 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

Page 14: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Voluntary Prekindergarten Voluntary Prekindergarten Education ServicesEducation Services

In 2006-2007…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.

Page 15: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

FY 2006-2007 Voluntary Pre-K FY 2006-2007 Voluntary Pre-K Services for ChildrenServices for Children

As of 6/30/07

Collier Glades/Hendry Lee ELC-SWFL Total

Total Children Served School Year

1,593 17 117 3,345 5,072

Total Summer Enrollments

532 0 187 872 1,591

Total VPK Enrollment

2,125 17 304 4,217 6,663

Page 16: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMSEARLY LEARNING PROGRAMSThe Results Are Impressive!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:

Page 17: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Other ResultsOther 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

Page 18: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Demographics of our Demographics of our Coalitions Voluntary Pre-Coalitions Voluntary Pre-

Kindergarten childrenKindergarten 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

Page 19: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

OUR CHALLENGESOUR 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

Page 20: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

How can we improve?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.

Page 21: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

How Can Business and Private How Can Business and Private Individuals be Involved:Individuals be Involved:

Child Care Executive Partnership: a public/

private partnership that matches funding for

child care costs • 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

Page 22: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

If you are interested in enrolling your business in the Child Care Executive Partnership, please see me afterthe program

This is one of the few benefits where you can double your financial impact on employees with the $ for $match

Page 23: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

How Can Business and Private How Can Business and Private Individuals be Involved: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

Page 24: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

How $284 grows to $30,000How $284 grows to $30,000Your $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.

Page 25: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

Your $284 InvestmentYour $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!

Page 26: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

How Can Business and Private How Can Business and Private Individuals be Involved:Individuals be Involved: Professional Professional

Development Scholarship SupportDevelopment 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.

Page 27: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

How Can Business and Private How Can Business and Private Individuals be Involved:Individuals be Involved: Classroom Classroom Quality Enhancement Mini-GrantsQuality 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.

Page 28: Serving Hendry, Glades, Collier and Lee Counties Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida

On behalf of the Children of Southwest Florida, Thank you for your time and

attention today