| Early Childhood
Education
DESCRIPTION:
In 2007-2008, First 5 Contra Costa will allocate a total of $2,376,817 to the following programs designed to improve the quality of child care in Contra Costa County:
THE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM offers child
care providers professional networking opportunities, support,
training resources, and financial incentives (financial stipends
and participation awards for completion of college coursework)
to increase their education and professional training, which
are significant indicators of high quality child care. The
PDP also provides tutoring, academic advising, special provider-only
college classes, and new B.A. and master's degrees at Cal
State East Bay to help providers reach their educational goals.
THE EARLY LEARNING DEMONSTRATION PROJECT provides grants and support to help child care programs enhance the quality of their programs and move toward or achieve national accreditation standards. ELDP sites receive training and staff support, funding for classes, facilities improvements, educational materials, and mentoring programs.
SPECIAL NEEDS INCLUSION programs are designed to make child care more accessible for children with special needs by increasing provider capacity through training and providing one-on-one support to help children thrive in licensed child care settings
PROGRAM SPECIFICS:
| PROGRAM
|
Community
Served
|
2007-2008 Allocation
|
Contractor(s)
|
| PDP
|
Countywide
|
$1,494,593
|
Contra Costa Child Care Council
Cal State East Bay
Contra Costa College
Diablo Valley College
Los Medanos College
|
| ELDP
|
80% are in areas with low-performing schools
|
$677,040
|
Contra Costa Child Care Council
|
| SPECIAL NEEDS
|
Countywide
|
$205,184
|
Contra Costa Child Care Council
|
RESULTS:
• Since 2001, over 3,700 child care providers have
participated in the Professional Development Program.
• Over half of providers surveyed last year said they
returned to school because of the PDP and 75% reported that
the program influenced their decision to remain in their current
job. Almost all agreed that the program helped them to provide
higher quality care.
• Last year alone, PDP participants received a total
of 5,000 hours of tutoring at community colleges and were
awarded 323 college scholarships.
• 50 child care sites have participated in the ELDP
since 2003. 30 have met national accreditation standards.
• Since 2004, inclusion facilitators have worked one-on-one
with 320 children with special needs and their child care
providers. Parents and providers have both reported universal
satisfaction with the service and most providers stated they
could care for additional children with special needs because
of the service.
• 450 child care providers have taken a course on caring
for children with special needs; all participants stated they
were more prepared and able to care for special needs at the
end of the class.
|
