Richard M CliffordFPG Child Development Institute

University of North Carolina at Chapel HillDecember 14, 2009

Bringing the parts together to create an integrated early care and education system

NC’s history of innovation and excellence in addressing the needs of young children◦ Smart Start◦ Child Care and the Quality Rating System◦ More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program

Legislative interest in bringing coherence to early childhood servicesGovernance Group Convened by DHHS, DPI, More at Four Task Force and NCPCReport to General Assembly in January 2003

Members from each of the organizing entities – DHHS, DPI, More at Four, and NCPCOther related expertsExternal consultants

The convening organizations agreed to continue work of the Governance Group to examine issues identified in the report to the GA.This report is the result of that work looking for a more effective and efficient organization of early childhood services in NC

Create a new Department of Child Development and School Readiness that consolidates existing early care and education programsBuild a collaborative, public-private, state and local governance partnershipIncreased responsibility and resources to local decision-makers based on evidence of local capacity

Provide a clear focus on child outcomes and program accountabilityIncrease coordination and effectiveness to maximize efficient use of resourcesBuild on the diversified delivery system in placeProvide for more responsibilities and resources to locals based on evidence of capacityCreate a unified data system to track services and effectiveness

Effective, Efficient and Accountable use of financial and other resourcesIncrease emphasis on high quality servicesStrengthen professional development system to provide highly qualified and stable staffEnsure a more equitable geographic an demographic delivery of services to children and families

Programs include center and home based child care and Head Start as well as school based programs and services for children with special needs from birth to kindergarten entrance.Also incorporates support programs including child care resource and referral, quality enhancement initiatives, technical assistance and licensing and program approval into the single structure

A new Department of Child Development and School ReadinessA modified North Carolina Partnership for children, with a newly constituted BoardLocal governing boards with responsibility for building a local early childhood system

State Board of Ed

Department of Public Instruction

Department of Health and Human

Services

Governor

Department of Child Development

and School Readiness

NC Partnership for

Children

Local Governing Boards(Linked to County Commissioners, Local Business Leaders, Local Government

Officials, Local Education Agencies)

Planning and Policy Committees

More at Four RICC & LICC Head Start Collaboration Others

Service Providers/Brokers – Head Start, Schools, Child Care, CCR&R’s, local DSS agencies, CDSAs and Nonprofits

Proposed Governance Structure Early Childhood Services in North Carolina

Division of Child DevelopmentMore at FourSmart StartHead Start Collaboration Interagency Coordinating CouncilPrograms for children with special needsAll DPI functions for children prior to K

Pay for and regulate early childhood programs in the systemSupport and regulate auxiliary services Provide quality enhancement and support servicesLicense, credential, and/or certify personnelConduct research, development, policy development and planning

Office of the Secretary

Research & Development(Includes Evaluation and Planning)

Program Operations

Head Start Collaboration

NCICC

More at Four/Pre-K ProgramsMore at Four, Head Start, Child Care, Public School, School-Age Care (Policy Development, Monitoring, Standards, TA)

Birth to Three ProgramsEarly Intervention, Early Head Start, Child Care (Policy Development, Monitoring, Standards, TA)

Payment PoliciesSubsidy, More at Four, Smart Start (TA, Policy, Monitoring)

Staff SupportLicensure, Certification, Professional Development, T.E.A.C.H., Criminal Record Check, Child Care WAGE$

Facility RegulationFacility Standards & Licensure, Monitoring

Quality Enhancement & Family SupportCC Resource & Referral, Facility Improvement, Parenting Ed.

Program Support

Administration and Management

Human Resources

IT Systems and Data Management

Financial Services

Department of Child Development and School Readiness

Continue its independent natureLegislatively mandated missionBoard appointed by House, Senate and GovernorFunded through DCDSR with funds designated in the budgetGovernance responsibilities related to local boards with funds flowing through NCPCStrengthens state and local fund development

Set Performance Targets for the overall early program in NC as well as for local governing boardsDetermine allocations and level of authority of local boardsCreate system to judge local capacityUse local data to examine locals performance

Continue to be private non-profit agencies with overall responsibility for early childhood services and programsDevelop a strategic plan based on needs and resourcesFind solutions to community needs and interestsPromote public engagement, community planning and fund development

Coordinate community programs and services Contribute to the financing of system delivery at the local levelLink with other systems and agencies at the local levelHold accountability for child, program and community results set by DCDSR and NCPCAllocate local, state and federal resources to the extent allowed under law

This was an attempt to provide a governance structure for more effective and efficient set of services for young children and their families in NCIt was not seen as a way of reducing state expenditures, but rather a way of making those expenditures stretch further since we are far from meeting the needs for early care and education in our stateThis was done 5 years ago and changes have occurred both in our state and in the federal government that would necessitate changes in these proposalsThanks for your interest in and commitment to improving services for our state’s youngest citizens.