PARTNERS FOR OUR YOUNGEST CITIZENS

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Ready for School Ready for Life
Speakers Bureau 2010
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FACTS

• In South Hampton Roads, 12 of children enter
  kindergarten NOT ready
• A child that enters kindergarten behind all too
  often
• remains behind throughout school and into life
• becomes a financial burden on our society
• will not be part of the highly-skilled workforce
  we need to compete in the 21st century

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FACTS

• Nationally, 49 of children who do not know their
  alphabet when they enter kindergarten are from
  middle class or higher (Pre-K Now)
• Lack of school readiness is not a class issue
• High-quality early care and education rivals the
  cost of college tuition

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Middle-Class Pinch
Average Monthly Expenses for a Middle-Class
Family of 4 with 2 Young Children
(infant/preschooler)
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FACTS

• 90 of brain growth happens by the age of 5
• High-quality early care and education is linked
  to future success- 16 annual return on
  investment
• 25 of all Kindergarteners retained in VA live
  here in South Hampton Roads
• Virginias investment to date in early childhood
  has been minimal

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Brain Growth Versus Investment
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SOLUTION

• High quality care and education for all of
  Virginias youngest citizens, ages birth to 5
• Early care and education is an essential part of
  our overall educational system
• Should not be thought of as an add-on program for
  those children but as necessary for ALL
  children

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Early Childhood Development System
Early care and education opportunities in
nurturing environments where children can learn
what they need to succeed in school and life.
Comprehensive health services that meet
childrens vision, hearing, nutrition,
behavioral, and oral health as well as medical
health needs.
Early Learning
Health, Mental Health and Nutrition
Family Support
Early identification, assessment and appropriate
services for children with special health care
needs, disabilities, or developmental delays
Special Needs/ Early Intervention
Economic and parenting supports to ensure
children have nurturing and stable relationships
with caring adults.
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HOW IT ALL STARTED

• A non-profit created by business and community
  leaders to address the issue of school readiness
  in South Hampton Roads
• Awarded 500k state grant that required 250k
  cash match to jumpstart our work
• Vision All children enter kindergarten ready to
  succeed in school and in life

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OUR ROLE

• Maximize the potential of every child in our
  region and ensure access to high-quality early
  education by
• Raising awareness about the importance of the
  early years
• Advocating for greater public-private investment
  in our youngest citizens
• Working with the five communities of SHR to
  improve the current system

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Suzanne Puryear Lisa Robertson Dr. Robert
Rubin Dr. Alvin Schexnider Bert Schmidt Marcy
Sims Lisa Smith Dr. David Stuckwisch Dr. Nancy
Welch Carole Whitener Harry Young
Paul O. Hirschbiel Jr. (Chairman) Jane Batten
(Vice Chair) Lisa Howard (Secretary) Jim
Metzger (Treasurer) David Bernd Barry
Bishop Bruce Bradley Dr. Fran Butterfoss Jim
Dahling Dr. Deborah DiCroce
Chuck Harris Mike Hughes Tommy Johnson Rusty
Jordan Jr. Dr. Katharine Kersey Mary Louis
LeHew Angelica Light Gary McCollum Dr. Juan
Montero Dr. Lydia Patton
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OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

• Led development of action plans to improve early
  childhood systems in the five communities
• Launched a two-year regional multi-media public
  awareness campaign
• - Raise awareness on the current state of early
  childhood and the importance of 0-5
• - Build groundswell and army of advocates
• - Position SBSHR as resource for parents
• - Gifted campaign to statewide coalitions

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OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

• Piloted quality rating improvement system (QRIS)
• - Market-driven approach to increase quality and
  improve consumer awareness
• - Consumer Reports of child care for parents
• - Creates consistent early learning standards in
  the state
• - Measures five areas teacher qualifications,
  interactions, structural components, learning
  environment and family partnerships

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WHATS NEXT?

• SBSHR received 4.6m in grants to fund four new
  initiatives to help children arrive at school
  prepared for success
• The Batten Educational Achievement Fund of The
  Norfolk Foundation provided 4.1m in grants
• The Norfolk Foundations unrestricted funds
  provided another 585k to support the QRIS

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WHATS NEXT?

• Early Learning Challenge Grants
• 2.5m invested through The Batten Educational
  Achievement Fund of The Norfolk Foundation
• Each of the five communities have the opportunity
  to apply for 500k over 5 years in matching
  grants to implement action plans
• Early Learning Council formed in each community

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WHATS NEXT?

• Quality Improvement Initiative
• Over 1m invested over two years
• Implement Virginias QRIS in 28 centers
• Implement quality improvement initiative in 10
  family child care homes
• Participants can receive scholarships, mentorship
  for quality improvement, early learning materials
  and facility upgrades
• Child outcome assessment conducted to link
  quality with readiness of children

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WHATS NEXT?

• Launch multi-media public awareness campaign in
  September 2009
• Introduce QRIS
• Link quality childcare and school readiness
• Drive parent demand for QRIS-rated facilities
• Spread message through print, television,
  internet and billboards

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WHATS NEXT?

• Universal Newborn Screening Tool and Referral
  Service
• Reach all parents at time of their childs birth
• Develop screening/referral service for families
• Support the health and development of all young
  children from the start
• Partner with EVMS /CINCH as the action arm to
  look at the current system

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WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Adopt-A-Center to sponsor quality improvements
• Join forces with Smart Beginnings South Hampton
  Roads to advocate for public support of a strong
  early education system
• Influence public policy and action to increase
  public investment to ensure a smart beginning for
  all children
• Work with your community to implement action plan
• Examine family-friendly business practices