Early REACH

Project Description

Early REACH (Raising Educational Access for Children in Harris County) programming works with high-quality child-care centers to add 800-1,000 new child-care slots that are in, or near, child care deserts and have a high social vulnerability index. This is a pilot program using a contracted slots model to increase providers’ capacity to provide high-quality child care. The focus is on children with the least access to care: infants, toddlers, and three-year-olds, families with low incomes, and families in high-poverty areas. Additionally, Early REACH will assist the staffing of child-care environments by requiring a living wage for classroom staff and supporting good working conditions to reduce teacher turnover. Early REACH also creates strong, durable small businesses by building entrepreneurial practices to support the sustainability of child care.

PRIMARY PARTNERSHIPS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Harris County, Baker Ripley, and United Way of Greater Houston collaborate to optimize the outreach of Early REACH to families and providers. A joint marketing and outreach plan implements multiple strategies to keep stakeholders informed and navigate the application process. These include flyers and fact sheets, email blasts, webinars, office hours, family information sessions, sign up fairs and press conferences.

Additionally, an Advisory Committee is established to support ongoing needs and assist with the program. The committee began convening in August 2023. Through the Early REACH website and social media platforms, the community can remain engaged with Early REACH. Social media accounts include: Instagram, Facebook, and X.

TARGET IMPACT

KPIs that will be measured are:

  • Number of providers participating
  • Expanded classroom spaces created
  • Classroom space fill rate
  • Current number of children served
  • Cumulative number of children served
  • Number of teachers participating
  • Number of directors participating

Goals are as follows:

  • Create 800 - 1,000 child care slots
  • Increase quality provided in participating child care programs
  • Reduce the number of high qualities child care deserts across Harris County
  • Reduce teacher turnover by providing a living wage and increasing quality of the workplace

Short-term Impacts

Long-term Impacts

  • Create 800 - 1,000 new child care slots in Harris County for infants, toddlers, and three-year-olds who would not otherwise have care
  • Stabilize child care businesses who operate high quality programs
  • Recruit and retain child care staff in programs
  • Increase the number of families who can access subsidized child care
  • Support families’ ability to find and maintain work
  • Support child development
  • Demonstrate the efficacy of using contracts to increase and sustain the supply of child care
  • Create a proof point for long-term sustainability with Gulf Coast Workforce Board subsidy dollars

WEBSITE LINK

USE OF EVIDENCE & PROGRAM EVALUATIONS

A third-party evaluation will be conducted by Brazelton Touchpoints Center. The approach used for this evaluation will be a community-based participatory research model that includes both quantitative and qualitative data. The evaluation will be both exploratory and summative. During the evaluation process, the evaluators will focus on the quality improvement initiatives being implemented through the Early REACH pilot. In addition to the evaluation of quality improvement initiatives, there will be a third party evaluation analyzing the child-care center, family, and market impacts and cost-effectiveness of the contract slots model.

PHOTOS