POLICY MATTERS FOR SCHOOL READINESS Florida

1
POLICY MATTERS FOR SCHOOL READINESSFlorida

• Prepared for Floridas
• Policy Matters Steering Team
• May 21, 2007

2
Plan for the Day

• Present Floridas Policy Inventory Goals
• Summarize Floridas Political Context
• Discuss Themes/A-Has/Implications
• Prioritize Sub-Domains
• Begin to Identify Policy Changes and Policy
  Mechanisms

3
Phase IFlorida Policy Inventoryand
Goal-Setting
4
Purpose of Policy Inventory

• Designed to assess state policies across
• domains critical to Early Childhood
• Quality ECE Settings
• Professional and Workforce Development
• Informed Families, Informed Public
• Governance and Coordination
• Accountability and Results Orientation
• Adequate ECE Financing
• Education in the Early Grades
• Health, Mental Health, Oral Health

5
(No Transcript)
6
Considers Domains, Sub-domains Features
Domain Distinct policy area related to the
School Readiness result (e.g., Quality
Settings) Sub-domain Essential policy elements
within each domain (e.g.,
Regulations and Enforcement) Policy Feature
Different policy decisions related to the
sub-domain (e.g., Teacher Education Requirements)
7
Structure of Policy Inventory

• Based on a Policy Domain Framework
• Informed by research findings, state innovations,
  and promising policy and practice
• Lists approximately 100 policy features related
  to school readiness
• For each feature, identified current policy
  level among mutually-exclusive options listed
  from most to least ideal

8
ExampleScore for Sub-Domain I.B. 46
50
33
100
0
9
Conducting the Florida Policy Inventory

• Key FL stakeholders, led by the Policy Matters
  Steering Team, identified current policy levels
• July to November 2006
• Key FL stakeholders then identified short-term
  goal policy levels (3-5 years)
• December 2006 to March 2007

10
Floridas Policy Profiles

• Profiles compare current FL policy to
• National recommendations
• Short-term goals set by FL team
• Other Policy Matters states
• 8 policy profiles
• Each focused on one domain
• Present average policy scores by sub-domain
• Sub-domain analyses

11
Floridas Policy Profiles

• Are un-biasedthey do not reflect any single
  initiative, program, funding stream, state agency
  effort, or agenda
• Provide a comprehensive snapshot of the state of
  Floridas early childhood system
• Will be used as one of the primary data sources
  for decision-making later today

12
FloridasPolicy Profiles

• Floridas Current Policies
• compared to
• Floridas self-determined
• short-term goals

13
Domain I Quality ECE Settings
14
Domain II ECE Professional and Workforce
Development
15
Domain III Informed Families, Informed Public
16
Domain IV Accountability and Results Orientation
17
Domain V Adequate ECE Financing
18
Domain VI Governance and Coordination
19
Domain VII Education in the Early Grades
20
Domain VIII Health, Oral Health, and Mental
Health
21
Domain AnalysisParallel Lines, Incremental
Improvements

• Current policies and goal levels are parallel,
  with incremental improvements needed across the
  domain
• ECE Professional Workforce Development (Domain
  II)
• Accountability and Results Orientation (Domain IV)

22
Domain AnalysisBig Gaps, Big Improvements

• Current policies and goal levels are widely
  disparate, requiring a more radical approach to
  change
• Quality ECE Settings (Domain I)
• Governance and Coordination (Domain VI)
• Health, Oral Health, Mental Health (Domain VIII)

23
Domain AnalysisScattered Lines, Targeted
Improvements

• Current policies and goal levels sometimes
  intersect, requiring a more targeted approach to
  change
• Informed Families, Informed Public (Domain III)
• Adequate ECE Financing (Domain V)
• Education in the Early Grades (Domain VII)

24
Potential Policy Changes Become Even More
Apparent at theSub-Domain Level
25
Sub-Domain Analysis Largest Gaps(Big steps
needed to reach state-selected policy goal)

• Availability of Mental Health Services (VIII)
• Qualified Health Professionals (VIII)
• ECE Planning (VI)
• Facilities and Capital (I)
• Prevention and Health Education (VIII)
• Health System Supports (VIII)
• Training System (II)

26
Sub-Domain Analysis Smallest Gaps(Small steps
needed to reach state-selected policy goal)

• State-funded Programs (V)
• Revenue Generation (V)
• Accessibility of Primary Health Care (VIII)
• K-3 Learning Standards (VII)
• Regulations and Enforcement (I)
• Incentives for Quality (I)
• Family and Community Involvement in Governance
  (VI)

27
Cross-State Comparison of Current Policy Levels

• Florida is the black line.

Current policy levels at time of completing
Policy Matters Policy Inventory. These levels do
not reflect recent policy changes.
28
Domain I Quality ECE Settings
29
Domain II ECE Professional and Workforce
Development
30
Domain III Informed Families, Informed Public
31
Domain IV Accountability and Results Orientation
32
Domain V Adequate ECE Financing
33
Domain VI Governance and Coordination
34
Domain VII Education in the Early Grades
35
Domain VIII Health, Oral Health, and Mental
Health
36
Discussion Reflections on Phase I(Policy
Inventory)

• Surprises?
• Confirmations?
• Themes?
• Connections?
• A-Has?

37
Phase IIFloridas Political and Policy Context
38
Assessment of the Political Policy Context
Purposes

• Analyze unique capacity of political institutions
  (e.g., legislature, executive branch)
• Assess strengths, capacities, and potential of
  individuals, organizations, and resources
• Identify promising strategies for achieving
  politically and economically feasible policy
  change

39
Two Data Collection Efforts

• State Data on Florida Context
• Demographics
• Institutional powers
• Economic context
• Survey of Key Stakeholders
• Key stakeholder engagement
• Revenue generation
• Potential policy tools
• Policy strengths

40
State Data onFloridas Context
41
Florida Population DemographicsNotable
Indicators

• Florida is growing twice as fast as the nation
  overall (11.3 vs. 5.3 between 2000 and 2005)
• Florida has the highest percentage of residents
  age 65 and older (16.6 vs. 12.1 in nation in
  2005)
• Florida has lower percentage of residents under
  age five than nation overall (6.4 vs. 7.0 in
  2005)

Sources U.S. Census Bureau. (2006). State and
County QuickFacts. Retrieved November 20, 2006
from http//quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/1200
0.html. U. S. Census Bureau. (2005). Florida
American Community Survey. Retrieved November 20,
2006 from http//factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACS
SAFFFacts?
42
More Notable Indicators

• One out of four Florida residents (age 5) speaks
  a language other than English at home (25.4 vs.
  19.4 in nation)
• Median household income is below national median
  (42,433 vs. 46,242 in nation)
• Homeownership rates are high (70.1 vs. 66.2 in
  nation)
• Poverty rate is lower than nation overall (12.8
  vs. 13.3)

Sources U.S. Census Bureau. (2006). State and
County QuickFacts. Retrieved November 20, 2006
from http//quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/1200
0.html. U. S. Census Bureau. (2005). Florida
American Community Survey. Retrieved November 20,
2006 from http//factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACS
SAFFFacts?
43
Floridas Governorship

• Institutional Power of the Governorship
• Responsible for the budget, but legislature has
  unlimited power to change it
• Item veto power (special majority of legislature
  required to override)
• Limited appointment power in major functional
  areas (i.e., Corrections, K-12 education, Health,
  Transportation, Public Utilities Regulation,
  Welfare)

Source Beyle, T. (2005). Governors
Institutional Powers. Chapel Hill, NC University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved
November 29, 2006 from http//www.unc.edu/beyle/g
ubnewpwr.html.
44
Floridas Governor

• Personal Power of Governor Charlie Crist
• Elected with a comfortable majority (7 points)
• Steady progression in political career
• Early in term and can run again
• High approval rating (73 approval in March 2007)

Source Beyle, T. (2005). Governors
Institutional Powers. Chapel Hill, NC University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved
November 29, 2006 from http//www.unc.edu/beyle/g
ubnewpwr.html. Quinnipiac University (2007, March
29). Florida Governor Rides Wave of Voter
Approval, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds.
Retrieved 5/14/07 from http//www.quinnipiac.edu/x
1297.xml?Releaseid1038.
45
Floridas State Legislature

• Above national average on professionalism of
  legislature (FL 4.0 natl avg 2.8)
• Lawmakers are full-time (spend approximately 80
  or more of their time on the job)
• Professional compensation
• Large staff (approx. 8.9 staff per legislator)
• Eight-year term limit

Source National Conference of State
Legislatures. (2005). Full- and Part-Time
Legislatures. Retrieved November 29,2006 from
http//www.ncsl.org/programs/press/2004/background
er_fullandpart.htm. National Council of State
Legislatures. (2006). The Term Limited States.
Retrieved November 29, 2006 from
http//www.ncsl.org/programs/legman/about/states.h
tm.
46
Floridas Commissioner of Education

• The Office
• Appointed by the State Board of Education
• Governor appoints all 7 voting members of the
  State Board
• Serves at the will of the State Board of Education

Source. Education Commission of the States.
(2006). Models of State Education Governance.
Retrieved May 7, 2007 from http//www.ecs.org/clea
ringhouse/76/72/6772.htm.
47
Floridas Children Youth Cabinet

• Vehicle for interagency collaboration to provide
  coordinated and comprehensive services for
  children and youth
• 15 members Governor (Chair) 9 agency heads
  (including Secy of CFS, Dir. of AWI, Secy of
  Health, Cmsner Of Ed.) 5 children and youth
  advocacy leaders (Governor appointees)
• Will develop a strategic plan by 12/31/07

48
Floridas Economic Context

• Per capita revenue (2004) from
• No personal income tax
• Corporate income tax 83 (ranks 28th)
• Property tax 1,064 (ranks 20th)
• State and local general sales tax 1,035 (ranks
  9th)

Source National Conference of State
Legislatures. (2007). Ranking of 2004 State-Local
Revenue and Expenditure Data. Retrieved May 2,
2007 from httpwww.ncsl.org/programs/fiscal/cb02ta
xsrank.htm.
49
Floridas Investment in Children

• State spending (2005-06)
• Per child enrolled in Pre-K 2,163
• Per child enrolled in K-12 9,739
• /

Source National Institute for Early Education
Research. (2007). The 2006 State of Preschool
State Preschool Yearbook. Retrieved May 2, 2007
from http//nieer.org/yearbook
50
Survey of Key Stakeholders in Florida

• Web-based survey
• Wide net cast
• Sent to 426 email addresses
• Responses collected for two weeks
• 15 Response Rate (n 64)

51
Survey Respondents
N77, some respondents had more than one role
Other includes researcher, foundation, public
policy, and other
52
Leadership

• Champions within Government
• Key legislators
• Agency officials
• Champions outside of Government
• Dave Lawrence
• Florida Childrens Campaign
• Childrens Services Councils
• Opponents
• Private providers associations
• Legislators
• Uncertainty over who are the champions and
  opponents

53
Stakeholder InvolvementTop Two Barriers
54
Collaboration

• 32 thought formal collaboration happens somewhat
  or very frequently
• 45 thought informal collaboration happens
  somewhat or very frequently
• 74 want much more collaboration

55
Making Systemic Change

• Most important facilitators
• Leadership from Governor
• Common core values
• Consolidated regulations and funding streams
• Leadership from agency directors
• Paid staff positions that coordinate
  collaborative efforts
• Most important barriers
• Funding
• Competing priorities

56
Potential Funding Sources

• High Potential
• Investment from the business sector
• Medium Potential
• Advocacy for increased federal funding
• Allocation of existing public general revenue
• Alternative revenue sources
• Low Potential
• Generation of new public revenue
• Need advocacy voices and elected officials who
  support early childhood

57
Potential Policy Tools

• High potential
• Legislation
• Cabinet council
• Administrative practices
• Medium potential
• Regulations
• Low potential
• Court intervention

58
Top Issues

• Generating Momentum
• Voluntary Pre-K
• Quality and Quality Rating Improvement System
• Childrens Cabinet
• Health/Mental Health
• Preferred Priorities
• Funding
• Quality and Quality Rating Improvement System
• Childrens Cabinet

59
Strengths of Political Context

• Changes in leadership
• New Governor
• New climate of openness and bi-partisanship
• Governance
• Childrens Services Councils
• Early Learning Coalitions
• Children and Youth Cabinet
• Greater collaboration
• Greater awareness of the importance of early
  childhood
• Strong advocates

60
Analysis of Floridas Political andPolicy Context

• New windows of opportunity to address the need
  for formal collaboration, establishing common
  priorities, short- and long-term planning, and
  better system-wide data
• Gubernatorial leadership and culture
• One of the strongest governorships in the country
• Children and Youth Cabinet
• Staffing and efficacy also rely on Governors
  Executive Office

61
Analysis of Floridas Political andPolicy Context

• Pressure for tax relief is high while state
  revenues may be declining
• Policy Inventory points to both big ticket
  (e.g., facilities, compensation) and small
  change possibilities (e.g., family involvement
  in governance)

62
Discussion Reflections on Phase I (Inventory)
and Phase II (Context)

• Surprises?
• Confirmations?
• Themes?
• Connections?
• A-Has?

63
The Rest of Todays WorkWhere Were Going

• Goal Generate specific policy changes and
  companion policy mechanisms
• Process 1. Prioritize sub-domains
• Polling Technology
• 2. Brainstorm Policy Changes
• Fishbowl one sub-domain
• Identify potential policy mechanisms
• Gauge feasibility of changes (if time)

64
Warming Up to Polling Technology
65
Polling QuestionDid you have breakfast this
morning?

• 1 Yes
• 2 No
• 3 I dont remember

66
Polling QuestionIf you had a dream dinner for
3, who would you choose as your dinner
companions? (select 2)

• 1 Alexander Hamilton
• 2 Susan B. Anthony
• 3 Martin Luther King, Jr.
• 4 Maria Montessori
• 5 Princess Diana of Wales
• 6 your grandfather

67
Polling QuestionAre you comfortable with this
technology and ready to move on with the agenda?

• 1 Yes
• 2 No
• 3 Not sure

68
Phase IIIFloridas Policy Priorities and
Policy Mechanisms
69
Prioritizing Sub-Domains

• When voting, consider
• Sub-domain analyses
• Current policy/goal gaps
• The strengths (and challenges) of current policy
• Strengths (and challenges) of political and
  policy context

70
The 31 Sub-Domains

• Domain I Quality ECE Settings
• Regulations and Enforcement
• Incentives for Quality
• Facilities and Capital
• Domain II ECE Professional/Workforce Development
• Qualified ECE Professionals
• Adequate Compensation
• Training System

71
The 31 Sub-Domains

• Domain III Informed Families, Informed Public
• Family Information and Involvement
• Family Education and Support
• Public Relations
• Domain IV Accountability/Results Orientation
• Instructional Assessment
• Program Accountability
• Data on ECE System

72
The 31 Sub-Domains

• Domain V Adequate ECE Financing
• State-funded Programs
• Subsidy Policies
• Child Care Tax Provisions
• Family Leave
• Revenue Generation

73
The 31 Sub-Domains

• Domain VI Governance and Coordination
• Governance Entities
• Family and Community Involvement
• ECE Planning
• Alignment with Other Systems
• Domain VI K-3 Education
• Kindergarten
• K-3 Teacher Certification
• K-3 Class Size
• K-3 Learning Standards

74
The 31 Sub-Domains

• Domain VIII Health, Oral Health, Mental Health
• Health Insurance
• Accessibility of Health
• Accessibility of Mental Health
• Prevention and Health Education
• Qualified Health Professionals
• Health Support Systems

75
Electronic PollingVote for Top 3 Sub-Domains

• Select the three (3) sub-domains that you feel
  should be prioritized for immediate next steps
  (next 1 to 3 years)
• Refer to the Voting Guide for how to cast your
  votes (each sub-domain has been assigned a
  number)
• The polling technology will prompt you for each
  response

76
Polling QuestionWhich 3 sub-domains should be
prioritized for policy change in the next 1-3
years?

• See voting guide for selection numbers.

77
After LunchIdentifying Policy Changesand More
Polling Technology

• Please meet back here
• at 145 p.m.

78
Fishbowling

• 8-10 people will participate in the exercise the
  remainder of the group watches
• Allows the process to be simulated with the whole
  group so that it can be replicated later
• Permits input from full group

79
Generating Policy Options

• What We Need
• 8-10 volunteers to participate in fishbowl
• Instruction page
• Worksheet 1 (Policy Change Brainstorm) first
  column

• What the Goal Is
• To generate a list of potential, specific policy
  changes that will move FL closer toward the goal
  policy levels within the sub-domain

80
Review each individual feature in sub-domain

• Identify specific policy change that will
  achieve goal level
• Write down in Column 1

81
Review all features in sub-domain as a group

• Identify specific policy changes that could
  achieve some or all goal levels
• Write down in Column 1

82
Consider broad policy initiatives that would
encompass these features and more

• Identify specific policy changes that could
  achieve some or all goal levels
• Write down in Column 1

83
Polling QuestionDo you have any policy options
to add to those identified by fishbowlers?

• 1 Yes, do not move on
• 2 No, move on
• 3 Not sure, Im confused

84
Narrowing the Policy Options

• Goal Narrow list to 3-5 options.
• Can any be combined?
• Removed?

85
Polling QuestionAre you comfortable to move
on, focusing on these 3-5 policy change options?

• 1 Yes, move on
• 2 No, do not move on
• 3 Not sure, Im confused

86
Different Mechanisms to Achieve Policy Change

• there are different means
• to the same end.

87
Potential Policy MechanismSpecial Commission

• Advantages
• Validates goals
• Provides venue for negotiation
• Can build bridges between disparate stakeholders
• Results in recommendations that have been
  through a transparent buy-in process

• Disadvantages
• No (or little) authority to make actual policy
  changes
• Priorities and equity of process dependent on
  membership, leadership, and staff

88
Potential Policy MechanismLegislation

• Advantages
• Sustainable
• Highly visible process good for less
  controversial issues
• Can directly address equity issues

• Disadvantages
• Long implementation process
• Highly visible process not a good tool for
  particularized benefits
• Requires extensive consensus

89
Potential Policy MechanismAdministrative
Practices

• Advantages
• Allows for better coordination of govt efforts
• Implementation is not costly
• Generates quick and definitive action

• Disadvantages
• Often inflexible
• Can inhibit innovation
• Cost of enforcement can be high
• Can be overturned easily
• Low visibility

90
Other Potential Policy Mechanisms(list is not
comprehensive)

• Financial incentives/disincentives
• Contracts to non-governmental entities
• Rules and regulations
• Executive order
• And more

91
Identify Potential Policy Mechanisms

• What We Need
• Fishbowlers
• Worksheet 1 (Policy Change Brainstorm) second
  column
• Willingness to think strategically and outside
  the box

• What the Goal Is
• To generate more than one means to reach a
  desired end
• To link each specific possible policy change with
  more than one policy mechanism

92
Linking Policy Change with Policy Mechanisms

• Goal To identify 3-5 policy change policy
  mechanism combinations
• Which policy mechanism best fits each specific
  policy change?

93
Polling QuestionCan we move on, focusing on
these 3-5 policy change mechanism
combinations?

• 1 Yes, move on
• 2 No, do not move on
• 3 Not sure, Im confused

94
Scoring Policy Change Feasibility

• What We Need
• Fishbowlers
• Worksheet 2 (Policy Change Feasibility)
• Gut instinctsdont dwell on being too scientific
• An attitude of fun!

• What the Goal Is
• To score each policy change policy mechanism
  combination
• To establish a rank order of your highest-scoring
  1 to 3 policy change options

95
Polling QuestionDo the policy change rankings
accurately reflect todays process?

• 1 Yes, move on
• 2 No, do not move on
• 3 Not sure, Im confused

96
Next Steps and Wrap-Up

• Replicate this small group process with the
  remaining two sub-domains
• June 7, 2007, 10am 4pm, Hyatt Orlando Airport
• Identify which policy change could be facilitated
  with input from the TC team
• TC team will create the corresponding Action
  Tool
• Final Policy Matters meeting Monday, October 29,
  2007

97
Polling QuestionHow do you feel now?

• 1 Enthusiastic about moving forward
• 2 Tired, but still invested in this work
• 3 Woefully confused about what were doing and
  why
• 4 Other