Collaborative for Children

Preparing parents to be their child&#8217;s first and most important teacher: Creating safe and nurturing families is the first step to helping children thrive in the challenging world around them.&nbsp; We partner with parents and family members to help them create stable home environments that encourage the healthy development of young children and provide ample opportunities for learning.&nbsp; By offering parenting classes,<br />printed parenting tips, and resource materials, our certified Parent Educators empower parents with the skills they need to raise healthy, productive members of society.&nbsp; Since the majority of children spend most or part of the day outside of the home, we also help families with one of the most important decisions they have to make&#8212; selecting<br />a quality child care program.&nbsp; Our Child Care Resource and Referral helpline, featuring QualiFind, quality indicators, and readily-accessible online database provide parents with the support they need to make well-informed decisions for their family 24/7.<p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><br />

<p>1. COLLEGE BOUND FROM BIRTH REPLICATION</p><p>Expand College Bound into 2 new neighborhoods &#8211; developing basic </p><p>guidelines for replication (process for neighborhood selection and core </p><p>components that need to be in place prior to replication), fine-tuning </p><p>service delivery model and attracting funding for expansion</p><p>2. REPLICATING/EXPANDING QUALIFIND</p><p>Evaluate the costs and benefits of replicating/expanding QualiFind to other regions in Texas, considering how expansion could be funded and whether it could provide on-going revenue.</p><p>3. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE) SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT</p><p>Facilitate a process to improve the quality of early childhood education in the Gulf Coast region:</p><div>a.Leverage<br />the impact of public investments in early education systems (child care, Head Start and Pre-K);</div><div>b.Develop a pathway and incentives to expand the number of affordable, high quality ECE programs</div><div>c.Explore options to sustain high quality programs given high return on ECE investment</div><p>4. &#8220;GO TO&#8221; SOURCE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION</p><p>Become the &#8220;go to&#8221; source of information about early childhood education, expanding the use of technology to create differentiated, web-based information packages and suites for both professionals and parents.</p><p>5. STRENGTHEN SUSTAINABILITY (FUND DEVELOPMENT)</p><p>Strengthen financial position, building the fundraising program and establishing a 6-month cash reserve.</p><p>6. BRANDING AND COMMUNICATION</p><p>Build and expand awareness of an identifiable Collaborative for Children brand, one with high perceived value to funders, prospective Board members, and others, as well as develop easily shared messages about Collaborative for Children for Board and others to share what we do and why we do it in a concise and memorable way.<br />7.VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE GOALS</p><p>Expand Board to include 25-30 individuals. Develop meaningful engagement opportunities, including service on committees and short-term task forces.</p><p>8. STAFF LEADERSHIP</p>Develop a succession plan for staff leadership.<br />

<div>Through parenting classes, group meetings, and support services, we teach parents how they can help their children develop both cognitively and on a socio-emotional level. We also provide families with resources that help them compare the quality of local child care programs.</div>

For Child Care Resource and Referral, we track calls and online searches through our child care resource and referral service. For more intensive parenting services, we will track attendance at classes, compare pre and post-test results on class curriculum, and track parent knowledge of child development through Parents as Teachers research-based evaluation methods.

<div>In 2011, Collaborative for Children served 18,484 families through our child care resource and referral services; impacting 28,362 children. We also served 900 families through our parent education services; impacting 1,289 children.</div>

Improving Learning Environments for Young Children: The quality of care that a child receives during the first six years of life is critical to his/her future success.&nbsp; It is during these early years that biological and intellectual connections are being established at a rapid pace within the maturing brain. Since Texas has some of the nation&#8217;s lowest standards for early education, we partner with educators every day to improve<br />learning environments throughout Greater Houston. We provide Early Childhood Education teachers and directors hands-on training opportunities and leadership development, classroom resources and equipment, scholarships for continued formal education, and one-on-one coaching/mentoring to help educators maximize the growth of the young minds entrusted to them. <strong></strong><strong><p>&nbsp;</p></strong><p>&nbsp;</p><br />

<p>1. COLLEGE BOUND FROM BIRTH REPLICATION</p><p>Expand College Bound into 2 new neighborhoods &#8211; developing basic </p><p>guidelines for replication (process for neighborhood selection and core </p><p>components that need to be in place prior to replication), fine-tuning </p><p>service delivery model and attracting funding for expansion</p><p>2. REPLICATING/EXPANDING QUALIFIND</p><p>Evaluate the costs and benefits of replicating/expanding QualiFind to other regions in Texas, considering how expansion could be funded and whether it could provide on-going revenue.</p><p>3. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE) SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT</p><p>Facilitate a process to improve the quality of early childhood education in the Gulf Coast region:</p><div>a.Leverage the impact of public investments in early education systems (child care, Head Start and Pre-K);</div><div>b.Develop a pathway and incentives to expand the number of affordable, high quality ECE programs</div><div>c.Explore options to sustain high quality programs given high return on ECE investment</div><p>4. &#8220;GO TO&#8221; SOURCE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION</p><p>Become the &#8220;go to&#8221; source of information about early childhood education, expanding the use of technology to create differentiated, web-based information packages and suites for both professionals and parents.</p><p>5. STRENGTHEN SUSTAINABILITY (FUND DEVELOPMENT)</p><p>Strengthen financial position, building the fundraising program and establishing a 6-month cash reserve.</p><p>6. BRANDING AND COMMUNICATION</p><p>Build and expand awareness of an identifiable Collaborative for Children brand, one with high perceived value to funders, prospective Board members, and others, as well as develop easily shared messages about Collaborative for Children for Board and others to share what we do and why we do it in a concise and memorable way.<br />7.VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE GOALS</p><p>Expand Board to include 25-30 individuals. Develop meaningful engagement opportunities, including service on committees and short-term task forces.</p><p>8. STAFF LEADERSHIP</p>Develop a succession plan for staff leadership.

Collaborative for Children improves early learning environments by facilitating professional development and mentoring for childhood education teachers and directors, offering scholarships for continued education in the field of early childhood, and providing early childhood programs with classroom materials and equipment.

We track the number and progress of teachers participating in our intensive quality improvement projects. Other outcomes are measured by tracking the number of teachers obtaining Child Development Associate credentials, completing college coursework, obtaining college degrees, and earning significantly higher ratings on nationally recognized early childhood environment rating scales that assess the learning environment in their classrooms. We also track the number of equipment grants made to programs participating in intensive quality improvement projects. As a result, thousands of young children throughout our community are in the care of higher quality early childhood education programs and well-equipped teachers who have the resources to ignite an early love of learning.

<div>In 2011, 6,300&nbsp;Early childhood educators were trained and/or coached; 1,300 scholarships were given to help educators continue their training in early childhood; 300 educators completed the 120 clock hours required to receive their Child Development Associate credential; adn 520 educational resource and equipment grants were outfitted to classrooms in need of materials.</div>

Fueling Community Awareness and Action &#8211; Knowledge fuels action, which is why we are committed to educating the community about the critical early years of a child&#8217;s life.&nbsp; As a member of the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition and the local One Voice collaboration, we work closely with our partners to advocate for state and national policies that raise the standards for early education in our community.&nbsp;

<p>1. COLLEGE BOUND FROM BIRTH REPLICATION</p><p>Expand College Bound into 2 new neighborhoods &#8211; developing basic </p><p>guidelines for replication (process for neighborhood selection and core </p><p>components that need to be in place prior to replication), fine-tuning </p><p>service delivery model and attracting funding for expansion</p><p>2. REPLICATING/EXPANDING QUALIFIND</p><p>Evaluate the costs and benefits of replicating/expanding QualiFind to other regions in Texas, considering how expansion could be funded and whether it could provide on-going revenue.</p><p>3. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE) SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT</p><p>Facilitate a process to improve the quality of early childhood education in the Gulf Coast region:</p><div>a.Leverage the impact of public investments in early education systems (child care, Head Start and Pre-K);</div><div>b.Develop a pathway and incentives to expand the number of affordable, high quality ECE programs</div><div>c.Explore options to sustain high quality programs given high return on ECE investment</div><p>4. &#8220;GO TO&#8221; SOURCE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION</p><p>Become the &#8220;go to&#8221; source of information about early childhood education, expanding the use of technology to create differentiated, web-based information packages and suites for both professionals and parents.</p><p>5. STRENGTHEN SUSTAINABILITY (FUND DEVELOPMENT)</p><p>Strengthen financial position, building the fundraising program and establishing a 6-month cash reserve.</p><p>6. BRANDING AND COMMUNICATION</p><p>Build and expand awareness of an identifiable Collaborative for Children brand, one with high perceived value to funders, prospective Board members, and others, as well as develop easily shared messages about Collaborative for Children for Board and others to share what we do and why we do it in a concise and memorable way.<br />7.VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE GOALS</p><p>Expand Board to include 25-30 individuals. Develop meaningful engagement opportunities, including service on committees and short-term task forces.</p><p>8. STAFF LEADERSHIP</p>Develop a succession plan for staff leadership.

By participating in community events, leveraging the media, and using interactive mediums to spread our message, we work every day to help parents, educators and community decision makers understand the connection between quality early experience and a child's chances for lifelong success or failure. As a member of the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition, the local One Voice collaboration, and the Greater Houston Partnership, we also work closely with our partners to advocate for state and national policies that raise standards and increase resources for early care and education in the community.

We track the number of families with young children reached through community events and materials dissemination. We also track progress toward the goal of developing strong support and engagement from the business community regarding early education state budget items and identification of local support for budget-neutral legislation that 1)stipulates qualifications for trainers of early childhood workers and directors, 2)increases the training hours required of early childhood workers and directors, and 3)changes policies in the administration of the Early Childhood Education subsidy system to better serve its users. We also track the number of meetings, conversations and letters to federal Senators' and Representatives' offices on the importance of the Early Childhood Education Development Block Grant to positive child development.

<div>Through advocacy effors with our partners* during the 82nd Legislative Session, we helped increase the state's minimum training requirement to become a child care worker from 8 to 24 hours of pre-service training. Our advocacy efforts helped establish qualifications for the first time for those who train child care workers. 10,400 families were reached through our participation in 30 community events, including the Houston Zoo Boo adn the Houston Children's Festival. </div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>*Partners include One Voice Texas, the Greater Houston Partnership and the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition.</div>

Preparing for children to arrive at school, on track, and ready to learn starting at birth: Our neighborhood-based College Bound from Birth program offers a full range of services that improve the quality of child care programs, strengthen families, and facilitate access to healthcare, all to prepare young children for academic and life success beginning at birth. We partner with community organizations to implement our College Bound from Birth program, which currently serves in Houston's economically disadvantaged Sunnyside/South Park neighborhoods. Through a comprehensive approach of working with low-income families beginning when their children are very young, the Colleg Bound program includes four key components: 1) Early Childhood Education, 2) Family Support, 3) Access to Healthcare and 4) Community Engagement.

<p>1. COLLEGE BOUND FROM BIRTH REPLICATION</p><p>Expand College Bound into 2 new neighborhoods &#8211; developing basic </p><p>guidelines for replication (process for neighborhood selection and core </p><p>components that need to be in place prior to replication), fine-tuning </p><p>service delivery model and attracting funding for expansion</p><p>2. REPLICATING/EXPANDING QUALIFIND</p><p>Evaluate the costs and benefits of replicating/expanding QualiFind to other regions in Texas, considering how expansion could be funded and whether it could provide on-going revenue.</p><p>3. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE) SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT</p><p>Facilitate a process to improve the quality of early childhood education in the Gulf Coast region:</p><div>a.Leverage the impact of public investments in early education systems (child care, Head Start and Pre-K);</div><div>b.Develop a pathway and incentives to expand the number of affordable, high quality ECE programs</div><div>c.Explore options to sustain high quality programs given high return on ECE investment</div><p>4. &#8220;GO TO&#8221; SOURCE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION</p><p>Become the &#8220;go to&#8221; source of information about early childhood education, expanding the use of technology to create differentiated, web-based information packages and suites for both professionals and parents.</p><p>5. STRENGTHEN SUSTAINABILITY (FUND DEVELOPMENT)</p><p>Strengthen financial position, building the fundraising program and establishing a 6-month cash reserve.</p><p>6. BRANDING AND COMMUNICATION</p><p>Build and expand awareness of an identifiable Collaborative for Children brand, one with high perceived value to funders, prospective Board members, and others, as well as develop easily shared messages about Collaborative for Children for Board and others to share what we do and why we do it in a concise and memorable way.<br />7.VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE GOALS</p><p>Expand Board to include 25-30 individuals. Develop meaningful engagement opportunities, including service on committees and short-term task forces.</p><p>8. STAFF LEADERSHIP</p>Develop a succession plan for staff leadership.

Our goal is to improve kindergarten readiness, third grade reading scores and, ultimately, high school completion and college participation rates among youth living in Houston's most underserved neighborhoods, beginning in the Sunnyside and South Park neighborhoods in south Houston. Through a neighborhood-based network of mental health, wellness, parenting support, and child care improvement services, College Bound is improving the quality of child care, increasing the number of young children who have early literacy and math skills, improving health outcomes, and building parental confidence and abilities.

In order to ensure that the program is successfully preparing children for kindergarten, evaluation tools are in place to track school readiness.&nbsp; These include pre-assessments and post-assessments, which each child in the pre-kindergarten classroom completes in their final year before moving on to kindergarten.&nbsp; In addition, an adopted state-approved pre-kindergarten curriculum for child care centers has been established, which further ensures that the children are learning all the information they need to be prepared for entering kindergarten. Various assessments and outcome indicators are also utilized in the educational (birth-third grade), family, health care and community involvement components to provide feedback and information on the impact of the program in both the short and long term.

<div>In 2011, our investments helped build stronger educational foundations for 70,000 young children, preparing them to arrive at their first day of kindergarten on track.</div>