2014 request for applications: rfa 101 amanda flanary governor’s office of early childhood
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2014 Request for Applications: RFA 101Amanda Flanary
Governor’s Office of Early Childhood
Goals and Objectives
• Review “Big Picture” for Community Early Childhood Councils• Introduce the vision for CECCs• Review the 2014-15 CECC Request for
Applications• Discuss strategies for submitting a high
quality application• Review what has and has not changed• Review critical dates
OUR GOAL: To have a highly effective Community Early Childhood Council in EVERY COMMUNITY
Increasing School ReadinessIt’s a COMMUNITY issue
Where are our children?• Head Start – Serves at-risk families at
100% federal poverty level 3s and 4s (Nationally funded to reach only 40% of eligible children)
• KY State Funded Preschool – Serves at-risk 4s up to 150% poverty level and 3s with disabilities
• Data suggest that as many as 50% of children are not in Head Start, Preschool or Child Care.
Improving School Readiness is a COMMUNITY issue.
A New Business Model
Children Enter Kindergarten Ready
High Quality Early Learning
EnvironmentsSupportive Families
Access to Data for Community
Planning
Participation in STARS
A great early childhood workforce
Families understand child health and
developmental needs
Common Kindergarten
Entry Screener
Scholarships & PD Plans
Families are engaged
Children have access to
appropriate services
Data is shared by early
childhood programs
A Business Model
Kentucky’s Early Childhood SystemHow CECCs fit in
Kindergarten Readiness Screener
TQRIS
Parent Engagement
Professional Development
P-20 Data Collaborative
Early Learning
Standards & Assessments
Improve School
Readiness
• CECCs are the “webbing” to the plan
• CECCs pull all the state systems together
• CECCs make it happen on the local level
• CECCs inform communities and promote change
2013 Application ProcessThe Results
Topic 2011-2012 2012-2013
Number of applications received 69 74
Counties represented 105 111
Councils that did NOT apply 16 5*
Counties NOT represented 16 9
Councils that did not apply last year but did this year
13 14
Comparison to FY2011-2012
* Note: Some Councils indicated that they intend to continue to operate in 2013-2014 even without funding
CECC Activities Over TimeActivity Summary 2010-11 to Current
FY 2010-11
FY 2012-13
FY 2011-12
Other
RTC
HANDS
First Steps
Advocate
Health Care Professional
Higher Education
Civic Organization
Library
Health Department
Cooperative Extension
STARS
FRYSC
Child Care Aware
Head Start
Child Care
School District
0 50 100 150 200 250
156
21
21
28
30
33
43
46
47
52
53
59
94
96
131
196
219
2013 Application ProcessCouncil Membership by Category
2013-2014 CECC Membership Type
Shift in CECC Strategy
New Priorities Last Year’s RFA
Focus on School Readiness Goal: Improve School Readiness• Improving Environments• Supporting Families• Increasing Access to Data
• Governor’s Office of Early Childhood• Early Childhood Advisory Council
Increased Collaboration• Ensure ALL children are ready for
Kindergarten
Required Members
Increase use of Data
• Child Care• Head Start• Public Pre-School
• Kindergarten Screener, child assessment, developmental screening
• Data driven decision making• Measuring results• Continuous improvement
Focused on Outcomes
2014 CECC PrioritiesResponsive, Intentional and Deliberate, Evolving
Increasing School Readiness
Increase Collaboration
Increase Use of Data
2014 Priorities
Responsive• Utilizing new information (Early Childhood Profiles)• Developing new resources (School Readiness
Definition, Parent Guides, RFA Toolkit)
• Improved Community Needs section• Development of a Strategic Plan• Focused on high-impact activities• Deliberate data and outcomes
Intentional & Deliberate
Evolving• Strengthening Collaboration (Required Members)• Building on a foundation of success
Observations from 2012-2013Refining the Process
Recommendations for CECC 2014-2015
• Required Components – Some applications were missing required components ; use the checklist• Detailed Descriptions – Be intentional and
thorough when preparing your application• Templates – Provides structure and order
to an application.• MOU Process – Process must be followed
to ensure timely funding.
Suggestion: Write questions in the margin of your copy of the RFA
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsTimeline of Critical Dates
April May JuneMarch
2014
March 17, 2014RFA AvailableResources and Checklist April and May, 2014
Statewide Technical Assistance
May 15, 2014Applications due
July
JulyAward notifications
March 23- April 3, 2014CECC Regional Trainings
April 15, 2014Intent to Apply Due
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsRestrictions and Guidelines
• Fiscal Agent – Must be quasi -governmental or non-profit agencies• Administrative Cost – Must NOT exceed
5% of total award• Reporting – Required to submit an end of
year report (Template Provided).• Multiple Applications– If received for the
same service area, both applications are disqualified.• New Templates – Work Plan, Members
list, Budget
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsRestrictions and Conditions – MOU Process
Memorandum of Understanding
Step 1 MOU Mailed to Fiscal
Agent
Step 2MOU Signed by Chair or Fiscal Agent return
ORIGINAL to GOEC
Step 3GOEC signs and sends to Finance for review
Step 4Once approved by
Finance, GOEC receives Effective Date
Step 5GOEC requests CECC to submit an invoice for
FULL AMOUNT
Step 6Invoice approved by
Finance
Check Mailed to CECC
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsMandatory Requirements
• Conflict of Interest – Every member MUST fill complete and return every year• Required Members – Representatives of
Child Care, ALL Head Start and ALL School Districts• Ready Kids Conference– We encourage
CECCs to send 2 members to the Conference June 16- 18, 2014
EXAMPLE: If a CECC has a 4 county service region which has 6 school districts and is served by two Head Start Agencies, the CECC MUST have representatives from ALL school districts and ALL Head Start agencies as members of their council
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsApplication Cover-page and Project Summary
• Template found in the Appendix and in RFA Toolkit
• Strongly suggest using the templates
• Project Summary – Tell us what you have done, not your mission statement. BE CONCISE
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsSummary of Previous Activities
• Focus on what you have LEARNED not what you have done
• Include how strategies have changed to respond to needs
• Identify outcomes of previous activities
• Demonstrate progress toward goals
• Not applicable for new or re-established CECCs
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsCommunity Needs
• Data provided by Early Childhood Profile
• Analyze data on the profile
• Identify patterns and where data relates to other data
• Identify areas of MOST NEED• All of the data on the profile is meant to
be actionable
• May need additional data for more detail
• ALL PROJECTS SHOULD BE TIED TO AN IDENTIFIED NEED
Governor’s Office of Early ChildhoodUsing Screener Data to Support School Readiness
• Combine Screener results with additional EC related data
• Displays data on a County level with a State Summary
• Provide a easy-to-use tool with actionable data elements
• Informs Councils and Communities on their efforts to improve School Readiness
• Created in partner ship with• Governor’s Office of Early Childhood• Kentucky Department of Education• Early Childhood Advisory Council• Kentucky Center for Employment
Workforce Statistics• Cabinet for Health and Family Services
2013-2014 Kindergarten Screener ResultsTerminology and Variables
Variables
Every child is eligible for kindergarten once they meet the age requirement. Schools must be ready to meet the needs of all eligible students.
• When the screen was conducted (15 days prior to 30 days after)
• Who conducted the screen (kindergarten teacher, councilor, assistant teacher, etc.)
• Where the screen was conducted (classroom, recruiting event, etc.)
• Social Emotional screen variables (who filled out, how much guidance)
• Some cohort differences between data sets
• School Districts detailed data on screener results
Terminology
• Ready• Not Ready
Early Childhood Profiles2013-2014 Kindergarten Screener Results
Early Childhood ProfilesHighlights Section
Data Provided• Preschool and Head Start Enrollment• Families receiving CCAP funds• Definitions of Preschool and Head
Start eligibility • Third grade assessment results
Patterns • Coverage – Are you reaching all
children?• Are families taking advantages of
services (CCAP, HANDS)• Contrast screener results with
Assessment results• Note large variances. How can we do
better?• Not an apples to apples comparison
Early Childhood ProfilesHighlights Section
Data Provided• Demographic information• Services to families (TANF, KCHIP,
subsidies First Steps)• Early Care and Education Workforce
outlook• CECC Contact Information
Patterns • Access to coverage – notice gaps or
struggles • Are families taking advantages of
services • How effective are partners reaching
at-risk populations• Compare screener results to levels of
access to eligible families
Early Childhood ProfilesHighlights Section
Data Provided• Rated vs. not rated centers• STARS participation• Number of centers and capacity• Certified vs. Registered centers
Patterns • Coverage – Are you reaching all
children?• Are children in high quality rated
centers• How many licensed centers vs.
certified centers?• How to increase participation?
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsStrategic Plan
• Clearly explain how you plan to address your needs addressed in the Community Needs
• Your opportunity to express your plan• Outline how your plans address needs
• Identified Need• Proposed Activity• Identify Outcome• Measure Progress• Show effect on School Readiness
• Include timelines and due dates• Include partners necessary to conduct
successful activity
Address community needsLook for patterns in the data
http://kidsnow.ky.gov/School%20Readiness/Pages/profiles.aspx
County vs. State resultsResults by domain3rd Grade Assessment Note strengths and opportunities
http://kidsnow.ky.gov/School%20Readiness/Pages/profiles.aspx
Address community needsLook for patterns in the data
Case StudyCognitive and General Knowledge
Develop your Strategic Plan•Describe need identified in the analysis of
the data•NEED: Cognitive and General
Knowledge•OUTCOME: Increase the number of
children that screen “Ready” in Cognitive and General Knowledge by 15% by 2015
Strategies to achieve outcome•Building Strong Families• Professional Development
Questions to ask yourself•What have we done in the past?•What was successful/what wasn’t?•How can we do better?•What are other partners doing?
Case StudyINCREASE COGINITVE AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Develop your Strategic Plan
Building Strong Family Engagement• STEM Days• bornlearning Academies
Resources• Puzzles for families • Blocks and other shape based toys
Professional Development• Training• Kentucky Science Center •Ages & Stages Questionnaire
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsCase Study
Case StudyINCREASE COGNITIVE AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
STEM Day• Provide puzzles and blocks for families• Find a technology partner• Print fliers• Recruit vendors• Train screeners on ASQ
Professional Development• Organize training• Hire a certified trainer• Provide space• Develop printed material
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsCase Study
Case StudyINCREASE COGNITIVE AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Develop your Strategic Plan
How will outcomes be measured?
How is the target population?
Can we plan to make it work?
What resources can we utilize to ensure success?
Who else has resources you could use to achieve your outcome?
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsCommunications Plan
• Communication and awareness is critical to a CECC’s success
• Promotes collaboration among partners• Increases parent awareness
Why a communications plan?
Strategies to complete
• Governor’s Office of Early Childhood provides messaging via e-blasts
• Tell us how you plan to disseminate these messages to your partners
• Report back to us how messages were used• Electronic, social media, printed, other• Councils that do not have an electronic
presence still must complete the plan
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsBudget
• Narrative should clearly describe how CECC plans to use funds to support activities identified in the strategic plan
• Budget template provided in Appendix
• Applications should be submitted using the template
• Clearly tie expenditures to activities identified in the narrative
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsRequired Components
• List of members (ALL MEMBERS – including all School Districts and All Head Starts
• Letters of Commitment Verifies required members
• Conflict of Interest forms Filled out by ALL members
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit online templates
Applications will not be considered until all components are received.
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsSubmission of Application
• Should not exceed 20 pages• Does not include cover-page or required forms or
RFA appendices• Times New Roman or Arial font (12 pt)• Double-spaced• Text in charts or graphs may be single spaced• Graphs and charts should not be used in excess• All margins 1 inch
• Applications must be post marked no later than MAY 15, 2014
• Any received after this date will be deemed non-responsive
• Mailed and hand delivered• 1 original and electronic copies on a CD or a USB
drive• Within 10 business days of May 15, 2014 GOEC will
provide applicants notification of receipt of application
2014 CECC Request for ApplicationsScoring and Evaluation
• Applications will be reviewed by multiple independent reviewers
• Refer to Appendix D for scoring criteria
• Reviewers will utilize Appendix D to score applications
• Final score will represent a composite of independent reviews
Thank you!
Questions/Answers
Governor’s Office of Early Childhood125 Holmes St.Frankfort, KY 40601502-782-0200
http://kidsnow.ky.gov