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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04292014 - C.73RECOMMENDATION(S): ACCEPT the update report from the Local Planning Council for Child Care & Development on their activities, as recommended by the Family and Human Services Committee. FISCAL IMPACT: None - report only. BACKGROUND: On April 14, 2014 the Family and Human Services Committee received a report from the Local Child Care Planning and Development Council regarding their activities over the past year. The Committee requested that this report be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for acceptance. The report is attached. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: None. CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: None. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 04/29/2014 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Dorothy Sansoe, 925-335-1009 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: April 29, 2014 David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: June McHuen, Deputy cc: C. 73 To:Board of Supervisors From:FAMILY & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE Date:April 29, 2014 Contra Costa County Subject:Referral #81 - LPC Activities ATTACHMENTS LPC Report Page 1 of 4 M E M O R A N D U M DATE: April 8, 2014 TO: Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V, Chair Supervisor Candace Andersen, District II FROM: Ruth Fernández, LPC Coordinator/Manager, Educational Services SUBJECT: Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development – Council Activities- Referral #81 CC: Contra Costa County Office of Education Dr. Joseph A. Ovick, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Pamela Comfort, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services RECOMMENDATION(S): ACCEPT written report of activities, accomplishments and challenges during fiscal year 2013-2014 for the Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development (LPC). The Contra Costa LPC is proud to report key accomplishment during the fiscal year 2013-2014. Projects and activities of the Contra Costa LPC align with legislative intent for Local Planning Councils to serve as a forum to address the child care needs of all families and all child care programs, both subsidized and non- subsidized in Contra Costa County (Ed code Sections 8499.3 and 8499.5). ACCOMPLISHMENTS:  Planned and implemented 2014 10th Annual Young Children’s Issues Forum—―Speak Out For Children: Educate and Advocate‖ held at the Pleasant Hill Community Center, in Pleasant Hill, CA. Over 230 preschool teachers and administrators, college faculty, community advocates, parents, public officers and school district administrators attended the event. Video recording of the forum is available on-line at: http://www.plan4kids.org/events.html  Updated goals for 2014-2017 Contra Costa Comprehensive Countywide Early Education and Care Plan. Previous countywide plan document to be fully revised and published by June 2014.  Received joint Assembly and Senate Resolution from the California Legislature for the 2014 Annual Young Children’s Issues Forum in recognition of the LPC’s 10th year anniversary of continued civic engagement, education and advocacy about children’s issues in Contra Costa County – Award Resolution presented on March 29, 2014. CHALLENGES:  50% reduction in annual state funding allocation for the Local Planning Council  35% reduction in annual state funding allocation for the AB212 Professional Development Program Staff Retention activities (2009-2014). An additional, 8.8% reduction to AB212 funding allocation has been announced by the California Department of Education for program year 2014-2015. Page 2 of 4 ACTIVITIES IDENTIFIED FOR REPORTING PERIOD (July 2013 – March 2014) Promote Access to Quality Child Care The LPC continues to convene quarterly meetings with all state-funded contractors in Contra Costa County. The State-funded Program Administrators Network meetings are held at the Contra Costa County Office of Education and are facilitated by the LPC Coordinator. The Contra Costa State Funded Program Administrators Network is committed to: a) problem solve, share, and test new ideas; b) share best practices and strategies; c) build consensus about local challenges and opportunities that Title V programs face in Contra Costa County; d) be a sounding board for discussion and collaboration amongst programs representing a variety of funding sources and program models; e) provide support for Directors of Title V programs, especially new Directors; f) leverage on free collaboration opportunities; g) make connections to local, state, nationwide resources and information; h) give input to the LPC about the needs that Title V programs face regarding staff's professional development, retention, and continuing education. LPC Coordinator continues to inform State contractors about the Voluntary Temporary Transfer of Funds (VTTF) opportunity and key timelines and eligibility requirements. The California Department of Education (CDE) directed each Local Planning Council (LPC) to establish a local fair and transparent policy regarding the voluntary, temporary contract fund transfer process established by California Education Code Section 8275.5. The primary intent of the VTTF process is to ensure to the greatest extent possible that state funds allocated for Contra Costa County child care services are spent within the county. According to CDE approved guidelines (http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/vttguidance.asp): Contractors who believe they will under or over earn their contracts within the contract year will indicate their willingness to participate to the LPC Coordinator, via e-mail or other means, giving an estimate of the amount of contract funding they expect to be able to temporarily release and transfer or accept. In order to facilitate the submission of transfer requests to CDE within the agreed upon time schedules, the LPC Coordinator will evaluate the potential ―fund transfer-receiving contractors‖ according to the following criteria:  Potential contract fund transfers must be between the same contract types, or may be between general child care and development contracts and California State Preschool Program contracts.  The requesting contractor must demonstrate the ability to over earn their existing contract amount within their existing licensed capacity. They must be immediately ready to serve additional child days of enrollment, or be already over-earning their contract maximum reimbursement amount.  The LPC Coordinator will contact the CDE Field Services Consultant and the CDE Fiscal Services staff for a preliminary assessment of the contractor’s standing and earnings status early in the process once agencies self-identify they are willing to participate in this voluntary, temporary agreement. Develop and Nurture a Trained Workforce  The LPC administers AB212 state funding through the Contra Costa County Office of Education with the goal to retain qualified staff at State-funded Programs in Contra Costa County. Funding allocation for fiscal year 2013-14 is $305,045.00.  During 2013-14 over 400 staff working at State-funded programs in Contra Costa County benefited from services provided by the AB212 Professional Development Program. Services offered to teaching staff, site supervisors and program directors include: CA Child Development Permit processing, Temporary County Certificate processing, professional growth and educational advising, coaching, mentoring, and Page 3 of 4 customized trainings and professional development opportunities.  The Contra Costa AB212 Professional Development Program – Component I - offers financial incentives to staff working at State-funded programs in Contra Costa County that meet program eligibility and participation requirements. A total of 75 applications for Annual Participation stipends have been received and may be funded based on certification of participation requirements. Stipend amount may range from $600 – $2,950 depending on type of incentive awarded to eligible participant. The AB212 Professional Development Program provides stipends for the following categories: 1) Annual Participation Stipend (stipend amount determined at end of year based on number of eligible applications received and funding availability – not to exceed $1,200) – participants complete a minimum of 3 approved college units toward degree completion. 2) Degree Completion Stipend - $1,000 – Upon certification of degree completion from an accredited educational institution. 3) Lost Wages Stipend – not to exceed $1,000 – Stipend determined by approved hours of a practicum course at an accredited educational institution. 4) Foreign Transcript Evaluations – up to $350 – Evaluation services of foreign transcripts are offered to eligible and active AB212 Professional Development Program participants. AB212 Center Based Professional Learning Communities Project – Component II Another component of the AB212 Professional Development Program is the Center Based Professional Learning Communities Project. This program component builds on the current state-wide effort towards a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) of Early Care and Education, the 2013-14 Center-Based Professional Learning Communities Project requires that programs applying for stipends incorporate information relevant to quality improvement elements. During program year 2013-2014, the Local Planning Council (LPC) approved two center stipends of $5,000 each to teams that will focus on categories which support the professional development related to the Quality Rating and Improvement Program. The team stipend is to support and encourage staff to collaborate together to engage in common and intentional professional development to help them address a specific area of improvement. Programs are encouraged to define the team size within the state-funded program, and to identify those who will be actively engaged in activities directly related to the funded goal. Foster and Promote Coordination and Collaboration with the Community A Road Map to Kindergarten Pilot Project in Collaboration with Community Services B ureau The Contra Costa Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development (LPC), the Contra Costa County Office of Education and Contra Costa County Community Services Bureau (CSB) agreed to partner in a pilot project to implement A Road Map to Kindergarten© training module as a professional development opportunity for teaching staff and as an additional program strategy that aligns with Head Start’s Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework. Staff members from Community Service Bureau’s Child Development sites participated in a series of seminars hosted regionally across Contra Costa County. The seminars titled: ―Transition to Kindergarten: A Pathway to School Success and Lifelong Partnerships‖ were aimed at: • Understanding the importance of successful kindergarten transitions • Becoming familiar with the steps outlined in A Road Map to Kindergarten© • Reflecting on ways in which A Road Map to Kindergarten© can be integrated into existing work within their agency • Understanding the conceptual and delivery framework of A Road Map to Kindergarten© Page 4 of 4 Participating CSB teachers had the opportunity to experience implementing A Road Map to Kindergarten© by integrating the knowledge gained through the seminars into their year-round family involvement strategies. Each teacher that participated in A Road Map to Kindergarten© seminars received a set of guides in order to put into practice the strategies learned through their participation in the seminar. The LPC is committed to supporting on-going dialogue and formative assessment practices for the teachers participating in this pilot using a Professional Learning Community contextual framework. Teachers are also required to reflect on their experiences and to complete pre- and post-implementation surveys themselves about their experiences with implementing the Road Map. The intent of this partnership is to collect qualitative data from the teachers implementing A Road Map to Kindergarten© and from the families receiving and using the tool. The LPC provided CSB teachers with a questionnaire that would be administered to parents as a pre/post assessment tool of parent attitudes, competencies, and comfort level about preparing their children for kindergarten. Evaluation Tools and Outcomes A pre and post survey questionnaire was given to teachers prior to the implementation phase and will be given to them again at the end of the implementation phase. What we want to know from teachers… • What did teachers learn and gain from the seminars and the on-going professional development provided through the pilot? • Was the professional development received valuable for their individual professional growth? • Did they find A Road Map to Kindergarten© to be a valuable tool towards achieving the parent and family engagement goals for the families in their program? What we want to know from parents… • What did parents know about children’s school readiness skills and competencies when they began the program and after they completed the program? • Do parents feel prepared and confident in their ability to nurture their child’s learning, development and preparedness to transition to Kindergarten? • Have parents experienced any changes in their interests and/or attitudes about their involvement in school related activities? **Data collected from pilot will be analyzed and summarized into a report by the end of June 2014. Advise Sponsoring Entities on Local Issues and Priorities in Child Care and Development The LPC will be identifying local funding zip code priorities for Contra Costa County by May 30th, 2014. Proposed zip code priorities for child care services to be submitted to the Family and Human Services Committee for approval in May 2014. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY LOCAL PLANNING COUNCIL FOR CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT Comprehensive Countywide Early Education and Care (ECE) Plan PRIORITY GOALS 2014-2017 GOAL 1. Access to Quality Child Care Objective 1.a Insure that all subsidized spaces currently available in Contra Costa County are utilized. Insure state funds are utilized with maximum effectiveness within the County. (e.g. Voluntary Temporary Transfer of Funds) Objective 1.b Advocate for adequate funding to support quality child development programs in identified priority areas. (See Contra Costa Needs Assessment Report) Objective 1.c Collaborate with the Contra Costa Child Care Council (the local resource and referral agency) in their activities and advocacy to promote expansion of quality child development programs. GOAL 2. Develop and Nurture a Trained ECE Workforce Objective 2.a Coordinate and collaborate with local quality improvement initiatives to retain and advance the Early Education and Care workforce in Contra Costa County. Objective 2. b Encourage maximum utilization of professional development resources in Contra Costa County to meet the needs of the ECE workforce by facilitating the use of multiple funding sources. (e.g. CARES Plus, AB212, Race-to-the-Top –Early Learning Challenge Grant, and Preschool Makes a Difference) Objective 2.c Promote ongoing relevant and quality professional development for the ECE workforce through partnerships with other organizations and training institutions such as: WestEd, California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN), Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), Contra Costa Child Care Council, UC Davis UC Extension Program, First 5 Contra Costa, Professional Associations, Community Colleges, and Higher Education Institutions. GOAL 3. Foster and Promote Coordination and Collaboration With the Community Objective 3.a Provide leadership and when possible facilitate ongoing communication mechanisms to cross-pollinate information and resources among key stakeholders in the ECE local system including but not limited to: CCCOE, LPC, Child Care Council, First 5 Contra Costa, Local School Districts, Community Services Bureau, Department of Health Services, Community Foundations, and others. (e.g. Contra Costa Early Childhood Leadership Alliance-ECLA) Objective 3.b Plan and coordinate the Annual Young Children’s Issues Forum as a vehicle for ongoing civic engagement, advocacy development and education about relevant and comprehensive children’s issues that relate to access and affordability of quality child care, an educated ECE workforce, parent education, and systemic issues. Objective 3.c Support and promote the development of educational campaigns on quality early education and care services and the economic benefit of child care for the public and the local economy. (See LPC Economic Impact Report of Child Care in Contra Costa County) Goal 4. Advise Sponsoring Entities on Local Issues and Priorities in Early Education and Care Objective 4.1 Insure that cities and county departments, local school districts and state legislators are fully informed about local child care needs and priorities, and view the LPC as a local resource for planning and coordination of services that address county specific child care needs.