WI FORCES FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS

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WI FORCES FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS

• A Wisconsin Project Funded by the Trust for Early
  Education

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OUR PURPOSE

• To provide quality early learning
  opportunities and universal services for
  four-year-old children through community-based
  public - private partnerships in a wide range of
  settings including the home.

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THE RATIONAL

• All children need access to quality early
  learning experiences.

Lets put our heads together and see what life we
will make for our children. Tatanka Iotanks
Sitting Bull, Lakota
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RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE IMPORTANCE

• Research shows the benefit for low income
  children
• Chicago Public School Preschools
• Perry Preschool Study
• Abecedarian Project

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Cost Savings

• Early education saves society future monies
• For every dollar invested, 7.10 dollars are
  saved in future spending.

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Later Success in Schools

• Children with preschool achieve greater success
  during school years
• Higher reading and math tests at ages 8,12, and
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• Reduced special education placements
• Reduced occurrences of grade retentions
• Higher rates of high school graduation
• Reynolds, Perry Preschool and Abecedarian

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Later Success in Society

• Children with preschool achieve greater success
  outside of school years
• Lower rates of juvenile arrests
• Reduced arrests for violent offenses
• Increased employment rates and high wages
• Increased numbers of homeowners
• Reynolds and Perry Preschool

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RESEARCH SHOWS NEED FOR ALL

• Research shows the need and/or benefit for all
  children and their families
• Brain development and childrens growth
• Close gaps in services and achievement
• Supports parents, especially those that work
• Improve the quality of providers and teacehrs

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SUPPORTS BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

• The brain develops most rapidly during the
  first years of life

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HELPS TO CLOSE GAPS

• Schools provide special education for children
  with disabilities
• Head Start address the needs of young children in
  living in poverty
• Low income families can access child care
  subsidies
• Some families can afford private preschools
• Some school districts have four year old
  kindergarten
• All children can not access these services

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SUPPORTS FAMILIES

• 70 of the young children have working parents
• Child care for two children costs 34 of median
  income
• Some children already in child care have to be
  transported to also receive special education
  and/or Head Start

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IMPROVE TEACHER QUALITY

• High turnover rates of child care teachers
• Child care teachers earn less than
• half of their counterparts in the public school
• Percentage of child care/community teachers with
  BA is decreasing, while those with only high
  school is increasing
• Early childhood educators need specific training
  and education

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COMMUNITIES EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS

• Services to four year olds brings unique
  opportunities to work together to
• maximize existing services
• best serve children and families

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SCHOOLS RECOGNIZE THEY SHOULD WORK WITH COMMUNITY

• Child care centers can not survive
  financially without four-year-olds
• State staffing ratios for infants are 325 higher
  than for four-year-olds
• Infant fees are only 30 higher than fees for
  four-year-olds

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PARTNERSHIPS BECOME BEST PRACTICE

• Maximize child care, Head Start, and school for
  four-year-old kindergarten funds
• Bring resources and best practices into one
  service delivery service approach
• Provide array of services to meet varied needs of
  families

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COMMUNITIES EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS.

• LaCrosse was first mid-sized city
• Many others are following Wausau, Portage,
  Madison, Janesville, Green Bay, Eau Claire, and
  others
• Milwaukee had a long history and began to expand
  approaches

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FORCES FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS

• FOCUS GROUPS
• Lessons Learned

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INDICATORS OF COMMUNITY APPROACHES

• Focus on quality for children and their families
• Bring all stakeholders to the table
• Collaborative planning
• Use of different funding streams

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INDICATORS OF COMMUNITY APPROACHES

• Shared governance and accountability
• Community-based and housed in a variety of
  settings
• Comprehensive program and services for all
  four-year-olds
• Staffing patterns that allow for teaming and
  support a career ladder

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CREATING COMMUNITY APPROACHES

• Coordination
• Cooperation
• Collaboration
• TO
• Community Based
• Public - Private Partnerships

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COORDINATION and COOPERATION

• Focus on quality for children and their families
• Bring all stakeholders to the table

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PARTNERSHIPS

• Start with Advisory Councils or Boards
• Diverse membership leads to understanding and
  respect for diversity of service
• Adjust for Different levels of Planning
• Create the foundation for the vision
• Resolve fundamental questions
• Define the desired approaches
• Insure ongoing problem solving and governance

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LESSONS LEARNED NEW APPROACHES

• Delivery Models
• Staffing Patterns
• Program Standards Curriculum

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SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS

• Families and their children have options from
  a variety of settings
• Community Sites
• Community Site/School Teacher
• School District Building
• At Home Support

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• Community Sites
• Child care, Head Start, or private preschool
  settings provide services
• Licensed four-year-old kindergarten
• teachers employed by site
• Parent Outreach
• Wraparound care available
• Additional school 4K funding supports

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• Community Site/School Teacher
• Child care, Head Start, or private preschool
  settings provide services
• School District Teacher
• Two and a half hours per day
• Four or Five days a week
• Parent Outreach
• Wraparound care provided by child care or private
  preschool

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• School District Building
• School District 4K Teacher
• Two and a half hour program,
• Four or five days a week
• Parent Outreach
• Potential for wraparound services or
  transportation to
• Child care
• Head Start

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• At Home Support
• Parent outreach ensured in all programs
• For children not in classes, parents receive
  curriculum ideas developed by collaboration
  and/or supported by agencies that offer family
  support services

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LESSONS LEARNED SHARING RESOURCES

• Funding Mechanisms
• Transportation
• Space and Equipment
• Professional Development

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LESSONS LEARNED BENEFITS

• BENEFITS TO
• Children
• Families
• All community partners
• Public Schools
• Other community agencies

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BENEFITS TO CHILDREN

• Cant be turned away from services
• Receive preschool experience with licensed early
  childhood teacher
• Early assessment and identification will provide
  early intervention

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BENEFITS TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

• Fewer transitions between locations for parents
  and children
• Wrap-around services in one setting provide
  increased opportunities

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BENEFITS TO FAMILIES

• Families have options in locations and schedules
  or to keep their child at home
• Financial barriers to preschool are lifted
• Families are introduced to public school teachers
  earlier
• Provide opportunities for parent education,
  family fun nights, nutrition services, family
  literacy and English as a second language classes

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BENEFITS TO ALL COMMUNITY PARTNERS

• Learn and support one another
• Developed common standards expectations
• Shared staff development resources allows all
  staff to receive training
• Paved the way when seeking additional funding
• Provided a level of services not possible for any
  one agency to do by themselves

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BENEFITS TO PARTICIPATING CHILD CARE OR HEAD
START

• Public school special education staff and
  services supported the staff and provided direct
  services to children with disabilities
• School funding used by community agencies for
  staff salaries, supplies, equipment, remodel, or
  expand their facility

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BENEFITS TO PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

• Allowed districts with limited space to still
  bring in 4K funding
• State revenue brought into district
• The community sees schools as collaborative not
  territorial
• Reduced some transportation costs for children
  already in community setting
• Engagement with the community for all young
  children - not just targeted
• The transition into kindergarten is easier for
  children and families
• Children come into school more prepared
• Special services more accessible and provided
  earlier

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CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS

• Moving to True Partnerships
• Many voices raise many opinions
• - Views and voices may still be missing
• Collaboration
• Integrity of services depends on ability to
  successfully work together
• Policy and budget constraints
• Opposition from groups
• Concerns over loss of business
• Concerns over future loss of leadership

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EARLY CHILDHOOD PUBLIC - PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

• Are an AFFORDABLE solution!

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• It takes a lot of effort to change our
  approaches!
• But our children are worth it!

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JOIN THE FORCE
Interested in learning more? The Forces for
Fours Team will share references, bibliographies,
or other materials. We can also make
presentations to your group. Jill
Haglund 608-267-9625 jill.haglund_at_dpi.state.wi.us