Regional Alignment with ITRSC – ELRC Integration Assumptions (05-14-13)

Items in red represent requests for deliberation, decision or support

Assumption / SOAR Initiative, serving King County / North Central / Inland Washington Alliance for Early Learning, serving Northeast WA / Northwest / Olympic Kitsap Peninsulas Early Learning Coalition) / First 5 FUNdamentals, serving Pierce County / Investing in Children, serving South Central WA / Southeast / Southwest / Visions for Early Learning, serving Western Central WA
1. Regional Forum /
  • What is the goal/role of the coalition? Who is being held accountable?
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  • Working towards integration developing governance structure
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  • Yes. Change? Look at formalizing
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  • Good match generally-
  • It is a standing item on the monthly NWEL conference call.
  • We could improve the feedback loop with more reciprocity back to the IT project.
  • We might want to better coordinate meeting schedules
/
  • Our regional table is set:
  • Executive Liaison
  • Community Momentum
  • WaKIDS
  • Infant Toddler ISP
  • Love. Talk. Play.
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  • Check
/
  • Fuzzy around "associated initiatives, programs and agencies - what is our roll as a coalition?
  • How do we act as regional forum w/o competing w/ each other
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  • ELRC - is the regional table.
  • ITRSC initiative of ELRC.
  • Articulate relationship in guiding documents. Sept 2013
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  • Bigger than ELRC and ITC 9e.g. Early Achievers, WaKIDS.)
  • How do we connect, communicate and plan meetings?
  • Strategic membership within each initiative
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  • Coalition has functioned as ITRSC
  • Coalition functions as a policy guidance/ advisory board
  • Regular report/communication

Highlight Comments /
  • Coalition Grant Coordinating Role - We don’t know how to move forward with bumps in the road. For example, what is the role of coalition in opening the conversation regarding other initiatives? (e.g. Strengthening Families grant RFP did not direct people through the regional coalition or name a hope for regional coordination. It left the regional coalition in a weak position to coordinate. Hard to know how to move forward. It would have helped if the State had been more clear. It would also help if RFPs come through the coalition to increase collaboration. Coalitions can serve as a clearinghouse, but is it the coalition’s job to endorse / support one particular group vs. another? If that is the expectation – it has to be clearly articulated at community and state levels.
  • Technical Assistance – It would help to have TA resources through Thrive when coalitions encounter bumps in the road.

2. Fiscal Agency /
  • Multiple fiscal agents are fine
/
  • Fiscal agents fits service delivery aligns w/ geographic regional needs.
/
  • Yes, program specific. Shared leadership.
  • Agency with strongest roots!
  • Intentional partnerships.
  • Relationship based. Revisit annually.
  • Change: formalize timeline/work plan
/
  • Single fiscal agent – we are looking for a steady, long-term, meaningful relationship
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  • Same agency
/
  • Check
/
  • If RFP states "connection to regional coalition" --> RFP needs to be released through coalition to allow them to convene and initiate the conversations.
  • Sustainability -->portion of funding goes into coordination by the regional entity - ICC (EC to discuss what this model would entail)
/
  • Same
/
  • SELF & ESD 112
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  • King: Having a single FA in King county is impossible, need a clear articulation of expectations appreciate multiple fiscal agents.

Highlight Comments / Need for More Than One Fiscal Agent – In our region, with the number and complexity of organizations and players, we need to be able to choose the right fiscal agent for individual projects and another for functioning of the overall coalition. These might be the same in some instances and not others.
3. Prenatal to 3rd Grade Scope /
  • We need school districts to decide whether they will come to the table. Address transitions that occur across the continuum
/
  • Representations from broad scope of agencies. (Not relevant to have agencies serving beyond 3 yr. old on ITRSC) Intent to have diverse membership aligned with goals of each group
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  • Yes. Change: larger regional involvement representation.
  • Actualize the plan –
  • Summer retreat
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  • We are focused on prenatal – 3rd grade
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  • The Coalition action plan is aligned to the Early Learning Plan
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  • Beginning conversations about a common agenda (2013):
  • Collective impact,
  • Authentic and organic
  • Early learning contact list
  • (Liaisons 2-3) guide for superintendent and Principals)
/
  • Engage K-3, B-3, ESIT partners in ELRC.
  • Wakids as platform for recruitment.
  • Local lead agencies for all counties
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  • We have no prenatal representation
  • WaKIDS symposium has started this conversation
/
  • VEL's strategic plan aligns with ELP

Highlight Comments /
  • Change in Complexity of Scope - This poses biggest challenge - bringing two district systems together. The coalition can hold a space for conversation about pre natal --> 3rd but if k-12 does not join it is a doomed effort. Bob Butts suggest that some of the strategies in the Ready and Successful Schools Action Plan can help. Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction is also asking each superintendent to identify an early learning contact for their region. Coalitions are welcome to get the list from Bob if they like. WaKIDS steering committees are also a good place to connect.

4. Regional Description /
  • Use the by line (e.g. SOAR, The king County Early Learning Coalition)
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  • We developed our name to represent our region
/
  • "Inland Northwest Early Learning Alliance."
  • Local map on brochure.
  • Website,
  • Facebook.
  • Bring leadership for further guidance.
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  • This is clear.
  • We may want some new branding and logos to closely link the counties to the larger coalition.
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  • The coalition name makes it easy to identify the location (Olympic-Kitsap Peninsulas), the IT region does not
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  • Check
/
  • Early “childhood” regional coalition
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  • Create SEWA brand, visual representation w/ counties.
  • Distribute widely
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  • Southwest Washington Early Learning Coalition
  • Website?
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  • Consider better geographical name. Visions for EL (Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston Counties)

Highlight Comments /
  • Naming Considerations – We should take care to note that our focus is on theneeds of the "whole" child, focusing on development as well as learning. We want to avoid the rigidity of having a geography-based name, though we could have a tag line like “serving children in X, Y & Z counties.) We count on becoming known by the work we do not our name, though we can consider ways to convey that in our brand to support cultivation of support among funder, legislators and stakeholders.

5. Membership and Partnership /
  • How to bring collective action? How do individual coalitions connect with other coalition groups?
/
  • Common membership exists currently.
  • Voting protocols being decided at NCELC
/
  • Yes.
  • Change revisit.
  • Change to include intentional connection to I/T.
  • Summer retreat
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  • This is good now, but we are looking at some new models for overlap between the coalition and the ITRSC
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  • The Steering Committee is comprised of fiscal agent, regional coordinator, coalitions and IT consultants
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  • Check
/
  • Commitment of collaboration "agreement" needs to be written into charter
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  • Bring in CCA Partners from Adams/Asotin.
  • Engage rural counties - increase representation.
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  • WE have capacity challenges
  • We lack K-3 members
  • Some counties are more engaged in regionalization than others
/
  • Looking into stronger membership. Look at required / recommended membership for infant toddler RC

Highlight Comments /
  • Diverse Representation - Ensure diversity of membership within coalitions and across coalition and ELAC representation is addressed.

6. Communication Protocol /
  • How do individual coalitions connect/ communicate with other coalitions groups?
  • Proactive engagement during the planning phase (state ask for coalition input and utilizes it)
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  • Coordinator.
  • New ELAC representative ITRSC has standing agenda item during NCELC meetings.
  • In development: coalition website, linked to Wakids, link to LTP.
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  • Yes/No. Change:
  • Intentional engagement of state partners.
  • Resources needed - funding for state level engagement.
  • Present proposal for resources needed. Suggestion: statewide study groups reports back to coalition through Thrive.
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  • We’re looking to enhance communicate through branded email
  • We’re looking to better link our websites.
  • We could use TA for this
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  • IT Steering Committee reports are given monthly at coalition meetings
  • Department of Early Learning was given Steering Committee dates in the RSM
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  • Check
/
  • Establish and agree on protocol - how do we respond and communicate when funding opportunities arise?
  • Must go through your regional entity
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  • Complete Website development, include ITRSC
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  • Needs to be created in more detail
  • Large infrastructure (a ”hub”) would help
  • Where is contact info listed for SW Washington?
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  • Expansion of website w/ ITRSC updates. Regular reports.

Highlight Comments /
  • Robust Communication Systems and Methods- We need funding and support to formalize communication and facilitate easy up and down flow of information. We could use some centralized communication functions to which we can connect our SharePoint and other sites. We could also use some technical support for how online hosting and communication works. We need to consider how we can foster communication among communities within coalitions and among coalitions as well.

7. Coordinated Decision-Making /
  • What are the rules of the road for "super highway" (I.e. what is coming back from state level vs. just what is coming from local. Who is holding the state accountable?)
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  • Being developed
/
  • Formalize decision making for I/T involvement.
  • Review and revise system level documents
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  • In place
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  • Coalition decision-making process is included in our charter. The IT Steering Committee follows this, but plans to also articulate that in the new RSM
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  • Check
/
  • Decisions are made based on their fit and connection with shared strategies
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  • Coordinate ELRC/ITRSC meetings / decision-making.
  • Clarify ELRC / ITRSC Decision Making guidelines
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  • Informal – Fist of five
  • Bigger decision – more formal
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  • Program vs. Policy (see #1)

Highlight Comments /
  • N/A

8. Action Plan /
  • Yes.
/
  • Being developed
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  • Reviewed annually incorporate I/T into process.
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  • Infant Toddler work is among several priorities identified by NWEL
/
  • The Coalition Action Plan contains activities for the Community Momentum grant, and the IT project and is aligned with the Early Learning Plan
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  • Check
/
  • Revisit AP to ensure broad, shared strategies are all inclusive
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  • Initiative Action Plans and regional action plans should inform / align. Whether funded by Thrive or local partners
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  • We are in practice stage, implementing the work
  • $$ shows where there is value. If regional collaboration is valued, money will back it.
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  • Add Infant Toddler work to strategic plan (VEL's)

Highlight Comments /
  • N/A

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Regional Alignment with ITRSC/ELRC Integration Assumptions (Generated by Regions at Statewide Meeting 05-14-13)