Illinois Race to the Top
Early Learning Challenge Fund
Williamson County Innovation Zone
CONNECT 4 SUCCESS
v Connecting Children to High Quality Programs
v Connecting Teachers to Communities of Learning
v Connecting Families to Information, Resources & Services
v Connecting Schools and Communities to Strengthen Families
Williamson County Early Learning Task Force
December 2013
Williamson County Innovation Zone
Vision
It is the vision of members of the Williamson County Early Learning Task Force that every child, age birth to five, will experience high quality early childhood education with strong family support and ready access to health care and family services and be ready to enter school
After seven (7) months of discovery and planning, members of the Williamson County Early Learning Task Force are pleased to submit this proposed plan detailing activities and innovative strategies designed to build a strong and sustainable early childhood system in the county. It is important to note that what is included in this plan is work that will be embedded and lead the way for a larger vision for the southern Illinois region. As we move forward in implementing the proposed activities, they will be integrated with the ongoing work of the southern Illinois early learning community. We have included strategies that will depend on RTT- ELC funds for piloting and/ or testing and others that are based on proposed policy changes and utilizing current and newly leveraged local funds. The purpose of including both is to demonstrate the Task Force’s comprehensive vision for children in the county and clearly identify the approach we feel is necessary to best achieve the state’s long-term vision that every child birth to five is experiencing high quality early education with strong support from family, and ready access to health care and social services. For members of the Task Force and the larger Southern Illinois Coalition for Children and Families, this is only the beginning. And you know what they say ….. good beginnings never end!
About Williamson County
Williamson County is a rural county, encompassing 444 square miles, in southern Illinois. According to the 2010 census, the population of the county is 66,662. Of this, 4,859 are children ages birth through five years of age. With an average of 775 births per year, we expect this number to decrease slightly over the next three years. The county is a contrast of “haves” and “have not’s”. Marion, the largest community in the county, is growing in population and economic base with new business developments along the Rt. 57 and Rt. 13 corridors. Carterville, a smaller town, serves as a bedroom community to the city of Carbondale (home to Southern Illinois University) and is growing because of its increased availability of affordable and quality family housing and newly built schools. In contrast, the town of Herrin has experienced closure of its largest manufacturer (Maytag) resulting in the loss of employment for over 700 individuals. The rippling impact the closure has had on other businesses in the community can still be felt several years later and the community is struggling to re-invent itself. Other smaller towns such as Johnston City and Crab Orchard are struggling to keep their small towns alive. The strength of the county continues to come from its people, deep rooted in tradition and faith, committed to working together for the common good, and a genuine desire to improve and maintain the quality of living for southern Illinois children and families.
Williamson County Children
Review of available data does not paint a positive picture for the children in Williamson County. Median income for families with children has decreased 9% from 1990 to 2011 and child poverty rates have increased during the same time period. The number of children on the medical assistance program has increased by 43% in the last six (6) years. The county’s child abuse and neglect rate is 17.2 per 1000 children, (almost double than the state’s average of 8.3 per 1000) and the percentage of children in substitute care has seen a 46% increase between 2003 and 2012. (Source: Voices for Illinois Children Kids Count 2013)
At a time when children and families need increased access to high quality programs and services, the number of preschool state funded slots has seen an 11% decrease in the last three years and a Head Start site closed because of enrollment struggles. Several child care centers are also struggling maintaining full time enrollment, mostly due to the disconnect between their need to fill full time slots and parents part time work schedules which are becoming increasingly more common due to the Affordable Care Act. This enrollment struggle has resulted in unstable funding and increased difficulty in achieving and maintaining the quality these programs desire and children need. Community leaders welcome the opportunity to “turn things around” with the proposed innovation projects and build systems that support a brighter future and better outcomes for the county’s children.
The discovery and data collection phase of this work provided guidance to the Task Force on the desired innovations and strategies needed to help make our vision a reality.
Strengths
The local early childhood system assessment identified several areas of strength that will affect our ability to achieve success in local system building.
Existing program capacity is a clear strength and provides a foundation on which to build the county’s early learning system. As per the 2010 census and IECAM (Building Blocks Assessment) there are 4859 children ages birth- five in the county. Of these, 1640 are children ages 3-4 years of age and 803 are age 5. If an estimated “half” of all the five year olds are already in school, the estimated total number of preschool aged children is approximately 2041. The total number of programs slots is 1391. With spaces available for an estimated 68% of all preschool age children, the “slot gap” for Williamson County is much less than other counties around the state.
Commitment to Quality is strong and demonstrated by the fact that 30% of the child care center programs have a current QRS rating and also are accredited. These programs have already demonstrated their commitment to continuous quality improvement by reapplying, or are now beginning their readiness assessments for the new ExceleRate system. SIUC Head Start also has a current QRS rating and the Williamson County Early Childhood Cooperative has a strong infrastructure and long history of providing high quality early learning programs.
The ability and stability of leadership in the region is also a strength. There has been very low turnover at the administrative level in all sectors of early childhood. (Child care centers, licensing, CCRR, Pre-K, Head Start, E.I. and special education). The experience (an average of 25+ yrs. in most programs and positions) and knowledge of these leaders has been invaluable to moving forward with a new collaborative vision. Balancing this valued experience, the innovation zone planning process has brought creative new leaders to the table. They bring not only new ideas, but added capacity to help sustain the work in years to come.
The local CCRR’s capacity for facilitation and support has been key to the success of many local collaborative efforts. A most recent example is the facilitation of the Southern Illinois Council for a Quality Early Childhood Workforce. Formed as a result of a formal professional development dialogue last Spring, the group includes representatives from diverse sectors of the field and is working to develop a 3 year regional plan for early childhood professional development.
The county has many existing strong programs and services for children and families including family support agencies, libraries, churches, the Health Department, food resources, family advocacy center, parks and health resources. In addition, there are three community based Pre-K programs located in child care centers in the county.
Last, but not least, the existing coalition has already demonstrated strong leadership. The Coalition is viewed positively by members of the community and has been successful in its previous endeavors. Its many partners have helped build a strong foundation of working relationships that are built on trust, a common vision, and readiness to do the work.
Weaknesses, Gaps, Barriers and Constraints
Building on the above mentioned strengths, the proposed plan addresses the following weaknesses and gaps.
Working families and those that are rurally isolated have limited access to Pre-K and Head Start. Although Head Start does offer transportation, they are encountering cost barriers when transporting children from the rurally isolated communities and administrative challenges in finding qualified drivers for their busses. Pre-K does not provide transportation and only one center has the resources to transport children to the school based programs.
There is a lack of consistent developmental and social emotional health screening utilized by all early childhood programs.
Anecdotally, early childhood professionals are reporting increases in children with challenging behaviors/social emotional health concerns. Requests to the early childhood mental health specialist for observations, possible referrals and technical assistance continue to increase. Not surprising, guidance and behavior workshops were among the most needed topics identified by teachers and staff in the last two CCRR training needs assessment.
The number of young children living at or below 200% of poverty is increasing. Parents living at or below the poverty line often have less access to parenting resources. When a family is struggling financially, their focus is in putting food on the table and a roof over children’s heads. Overworked, and overtired, other parenting skills sometimes suffer. Families have needed to “follow the work” to communities far from extended family who traditionally provided important networks of support.
State and local budget challenges of recent years have reduced the amount of available funding to support the work needed to achieve the results desired. This demands that we work smarter and in new ways so that children do not have to suffer for poor adult choices and misplaced priorities.
Despite the strong spirit of collaboration, the standard “silos” of the early childhood field still exist. Programs plan their own professional development and enrollment processes are not coordinated. Services and programs need to be better aligned, avoid duplications and make best use of available resources to provide a broad continuum of high quality child care options to meet the developmental needs of young children and their families.
Target Population
While it is our intent that all children in the county be served, for the purpose of the innovation zone, the target population(s) which will be used for outcome measurements include:
a) Children living in poverty or deep poverty (100% of poverty or less) or
b) Children who have a disability and receiving services or those not yet identified, not currently served or
c) Homeless children or
d) Children who are rurally isolated*, a target population not included in the list provided by the Illinois Early Learning Council but identified by members of the Task Force as critical to address
Total # children currently served 3-5 year olds – 2443 (IECAM 2011) / # Children 3-5 Poverty/ severe poverty840 (IECAM 2011) / # with Disability/ IEP
EI- 77
Special Ed / # Homeless children served 3-5 yrs. of age / # Rurally
Isolated
ISBE funded Pre-K – Cooperative / 544 / 211 / 119 / 4 / 89
Head Start-Marion / 180 / 161 / 23 / 14 / n/a
Licensed Child Care -14 / 497 / n/a / n/a / 30 / n/a
License exempt Centers-4 / 53 / n/a / n/a / n/a / n/a
Licensed Home Providers-36 / 117 / n/a / n/a / 7 / n/a
TOTAL / 1391 / 372 / 152 / 55 / 89
License Exempt Home Providers -134 receiving payments
Sources: Williamson County Early Childhood Programs, SIUC Head Start, CCRR Telephone Survey of Child Care Centers and IECAM 2012 n/a= data not available
78e
* Rurally isolated- outside a city or town
The overall goals of the proposed work mirrors those of the state’s Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant. Through better coordination and alignment of services these goals include:
1) By December 2016, increase to at least 65% the percentage of Children with High Needs who have at least one year of participation in a high-quality (Gold Circle of Quality or Higher) Early Learning and Development Program prior to kindergarten entry.
2) By December 2016, increase to at least 40% the percentage of Children with High Needs who have two years or more years of participation in a high quality Early Learning and Development Program prior to kindergarten entry.
3) By December 2016, increase to at least 10 % the percentage of Children with High Needs who receive five years of high quality early learning services before kindergarten, including home visiting services or early care and education in the infant and toddler years’, operating at the Gold Circle of Quality or higher.
To move forward in making this vision a reality, members of the Task Force has developed a plan designed that builds on the county’s strengths. The plan coordinates and connects community assets and existing resources, making the important linkages needed for a comprehensive early childhood system. The plan includes innovations that connect children with high quality programs and teachers with high quality professional development and support. Families are connected to information, resources and services and communities are connected to support and strengthen families. Each focus area has a key goal and proposed innovations designed to build a strong foundational infrastructure upon which additional programs, services and initiatives can be built.
Connect Children to High Quality Early Learning Programs
Goal # 1: As a result of comprehensive outreach and a well-coordinated screening and referral system, the children of highest need will be enrolled in high quality early education and receive appropriate intervention services as needed to increase their potential for school success. Service priority will be given to high risk, “hard to reach” populations as identified by the Illinois Early Learning Council.
-Innovation 1(A) Coordinate a county-wide screening effort which includes regularly scheduled screening of all children and a central repository/ database for tracking of screening history, results and innovations.