Early Childhood Impact Fund: Collaborative for Children

Project Description

Collaborative for Children was chosen to expand its Centers of Excellence Program across Harris County. The purpose of Centers of Excellence (COE) is to create a cost-effective formula for statewide school readiness initiatives by providing a three-tier model of support and training for children, families, and child-care staff. Child-care centers in the Level 1 Model are the highest need, with 50% or more children receiving subsidies, and will obtain intense on-site and remote intervention along with a professional learning community and access to the Collab-Lab. The COE Level 2 Model provides services to centers that have less than 50% of children receiving subsidies and is more focused on teacher development, on-demand training, professional learning communities, and Collab-Lab visits. The COE Level 3 Model provides pop-up centers to shelters, apartment complexes, community parks, and large-scale events to connect families to resources that support social-emotional learning and STEAM activities.

PRIMARY PARTNERSHIPS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Collaborative for Children plans to share the news of the Harris County grant and its impact throughout the duration of the contract term. The marketing will be developed by Collaborative’s marketing team, and they plan to include press releases that will reach as many as 20,000 individuals throughout their social media and email networks. They plan to do social media engagement, website articles, online and partnership marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), highlight the contribution at their Collaborative for Children Annual Luncheon, feature ECIF in their annual report and other traditional media.

TARGET IMPACT

Collaborative for Children’s target goals are to empower early childhood teachers, families, directors, and community leaders who engage with children 0-5 years with proven skills and strategies to help them effectively develop proficiencies that allow children to regulate their behavior and emotions, form positive relationships, engage in group activities, and make cognitive gains that will ready them for kindergarten and life-long learning.

The key performance indicators of this program include:

  • Number of children in participating centers
  • Number of centers receiving Level 1 and 2 services
  • Number of community participants receiving Level 3 services
  • Number of children with progress toward kinder readiness by EOY
  • Number of Master Teachers showing increased mastery in SEL
  • Number of training and resource connections offered

WEBSITE LINK

USE OF EVIDENCE & PROGRAM EVALUATIONS

Collaborative for Children’s Center of Excellence (COE) model is based on research and lessons learned through communitywide collaborations.

The RAND Policy Research Corporation will be evaluating Early Childhood Impact Fund investments, including Collaborative for Children.

PHOTOS