dallas county family empowerment pilot
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Family Empowerment PilotDallas County
Story of Impact2015-2016
How Dallas is Building Brains & the Future
The first five years of a child’s life are crucial to their development and future success: an estimated 90% of brain development happens during these years. Children start building the crucial brain connections that lay the foundation for their physical, social, emotional, literacy, numeracy, language, and communication skills at an early age. Despite this reality, in 2014 nearly 18,000 kindergarteners in Dallas County did not enter kindergarten ready. Research has linked this kindergarten readiness standard to a child’s future academic success and even their chances of graduating from high school.
The Early Childhood Family Empowerment Action Network (ECFEAN), chaired by LeAnn Kite Hampton, is comprised of over 40 organizations aligned with a common goal: equipping and empowering families of Dallas’ youngest learners to support their children’s development and help them enter school ready to succeed. ECFEAN engages families as their children’s advocates and first teachers in a language they understand, with the help of trusted messengers and networks. The work of the Network increases awareness of and demand for quality early learning, one of five key strategies of the Commit! Partnership and Early Matters Dallas to increase Kindergarten Readiness to 80% by 2025.
We believe by equipping and empowering parents as brain builders, this will increase a child’s development, readiness for school, and success in life. Research shows that children who were rated one standard deviation higher on attention span-persistence at age four had 49% greater odds of completing college by age 25. These executive function skills can be developed through daily activities such as: asking a child to identify the owner of a shirt and then sharing how one knows that or working with a child to count the number of fruit in a basket.
+14 percentage point increase in brain-building activities done with child
+17 percentage point increase in population of parents who read to their children at least three times a day
+16 percentage point increase in population of caregivers who believe they are their child’s first teacher
+19 percentage point increase in population of caregivers who believe babies begin learning the moment they’re born
1 Calculations based on number of parents who answered questions about frequency of brain building activities in same child age group across both surveys.
Our Opportunity
Impact
51% of surveyed parents believed it okay for their child to enter
Kindergarten behind, believing the child would catch up once starting school
57% of Kindergarteners entered school ready in
Dallas County in 2014
Year 1 Partner & Member Organizations
How Pilot Partners Shared Vroom
Daily Parenting Moments
All of the collective moments in this framework are meant to
influence daily parenting moments. Because every moment can be a brain
building moment.
• Libraries incorporated Vroom into weekly “story time” programs with community parents, highlighting a relevant tip of the week.
• One parenting group shared a weekly tip and challenged attendees to try the activity with their children. The following week, parents would share their and their child’s responses and reactions to the activities.
• One childcare provider included Vroom reflection response activities when completing monthly parent check-ins.
• A local cultural institution shared specific Vroom tips their staff could highlight with families. These tips typically aligned with specific units, events, or information being shared with families at that time.
• Area health clinics developed "Vroom corners" in patient rooms and waiting areas to engage families with Vroom resources.
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All of the collective
moments in this framework
are meant to influence daily
parenting moments.
Beccause every moment
can be a brain building
moment.
About VroomScience tells us that our children’s first five years are when they develop the foundation for all future learning. Vroom turns shared moments into brain building moments. It translates groundbreaking science into everyday language and pairs it with accessible, actionable tips that encourage back and forth interaction between parents and children. Whether it’s mealtime, bathtime, or any time in between, there are always ways to nurture children’s growing minds.
The Vroom ApproachThe Vroom approach is simple: meet parents where they are, in places they already go, through trusted individuals and networks in their lives. The goal is to support parents throughout their daily journey with affirming, reinforcing messages about brain building by taking advantage of the communities parents are already a part of. Vroom takes the limited time busy parents have and makes it doable (and fun) to have a positive impact on their children’s brain development. To do this, Vroom is leveraging mobile and digital technology, household brands, entertainment channels, and
trusted messengers that parents rely on.
“Vroom is a great supplement to our
organization’s efforts and the community
efforts around early childhood that already exist.”
–Vroom partner
“I really like this app because the tasks and tips are simple. I like the fact that I’m sent a daily reminder and have easy access to them. Most of all, I like that it tells you HOW it helps with brain development.”
–Vroom parent
PILOT OVERVIEW3 About the Dallas County Pilot
5 Implementation & Strategy
DATA FINDINGS & RESULTS6 Evaluation Overview
7 Impact Created
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE8 Plans for Year Two
The Brain Building BasicsThe five Brain Building Basics are:
Even before babies can talk, they’re showing you what they’re interested in. Look into their eyes, or at what catches their eye, and begin brain building!
Powerful brain building moments are created when you let children lead the way, and you follow by responding to their words, sounds, actions and ideas.
It may not seem like it, but the sounds and gestures young children make are their way of communicating with you! So talk out loud together and keep chatting as your children grow, engaging them in learning about the world around them.
Back and forth interactions between you and your children are one of the most important ways to help their brains develop. So be sure to take turns while you’re talking, playing or exploring with your children.
Make the moment last longer by building on what your child says, or asking follow-up questions that expand your child’s thinking and learning. When you stretch the conversation with questions like, “What do you think about that?” or “How does that make you feel?” you’re stretching the brain building moment too!
Vroom CommunitiesThe Vroom Partners in Dallas County began sharing Vroom with families in the Summer of 2015. One of the first communities to pilot Vroom after its initial launch in Seattle, Dallas is now among over 28 states and cities committed to sharing Vroom and the science of brain building with families.
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Implementation and StrategyPartner SelectionLearning about early brain development from multiple trusted messengers would increase the likelihood of families embracing Vroom, the science behind it, and brain building activities. Dallas-based organizations in the same geographic space were encouraged to apply in order to create a “surround sound approach.” These geographies were identified based on demonstrated need, will, and level of partnership in the area. Organizations reaching diverse families across Dallas County and demonstrated varied levels of parent engagement also participated. Incorporating partners with both deep and light involvement in the daily lives of families further enhanced the strategy.
Learning NetworkDuring the pilot, partners met monthly to share updates, identify concerns and learn from each other. Partners also documented details such as frequency of and approach to sharing Vroom regularly during the pilot. This information was used to problem solve, optimize efforts and identify effective practices.
On the Ground EffortsMany partners introduced Vroom to families at back-to-school, orientation, or registration events held in late August and early September. These introductions to Vroom were often accompanied by screenings of the Vroom videos and demonstrations of the daily tips. Following introduction and pre-pilot survey collection, partners employed various methods to share Vroom throughout the pilot. In some cases, Vroom tips were integrated into program curriculum, tips and activities of the week were chosen and shared with families, and parent ambassadors were selected.
County-wide Media EffortsPartner efforts in sharing Vroom were complimented by numerous media efforts throughout the pilot. In September an ad campaign on DART buses and trains ran for over four weeks and brought in over three million impressions. Through the months of October and November social media campaigns—on both Google and Facebook—ran. Written pieces about Vroom were also featured in The Dallas Morning News, the North Dallas Gazette, and on local “Mommy” blogs.
Reach
1,500 Vroom Tip Card Sets distributed to local families
3,765,000 Estimated impressions from media campaigns
2,500 Facebook ad engagements
2,854 Dallas Daily Vroom downloads
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Evaluation Participating ParentsAcross the 25 organizations and sites that participated in an evaluation designed to measure
parents’ understanding of child development in the earliest years, as well as interactions with
their children, over 1,600 parents completed the pre-pilot survey at the beginning of the
school year. How parents were selected to complete surveys varied by organization. While
some organizations collected surveys and data from every eligible parent/caregiver enrolled
in their programs, others selected small cohorts of participants.
At the pilot’s close in March 2016, post-pilot surveys were collected from parents who
completed pre-pilot surveys and eight focus groups—six parent (in English and Spanish) and
two partner—were conducted. 554 parent post-surveys were successfully matched to their
pre-pilot counterparts and responses were matched and analyzed.
Survey Respondents
11%79%
Ages of Children Captured by Survey Respondents
N = 815
Younger than 1 1 year old
2 years old 3 years old
4 years old 5 years old
10913%
699%
9011%
9612%
26332%
18823%
“Thank you! The app gives us
quality time with our child and now he’ll be more ready for Pre-K”
–Vroom parent
Hours Worked
0
1-20
30-39
21-29
40+
65%
10%
6%
7%
11%
Spanish as primary language
(438 out of 554)
first time parents
(62 out of 554)
Age Range
19 years or younger
20-29 years
30-39 years
40-49 years
50 years and over
2
182
284
61
4
Education Level
Graduate degree (Masters, Doctorate)
College degree (Associates, Bachelors)
Some college
High school diploma
Some high school
Primary or middle school
1
50
71
151
195
73
Have Smart Phone
Yes
No46684%
7313%
153%
No response
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% of Respondents Who Agree or Strongly Agree with Brain Building Statements
Vroom Usage Increased Brain Building Activity Between Parents and Children Across All Age Groups
Additional Data Findings
• 17 percentage point increase (83 caregivers) in those who
reported reading to children more than three times a day.
• 11 percentage point increase in parents/caregivers who talk about sights and sounds to children younger than two, more than four times a day.
• 19 percentage point increase (72% to 91%) in agreement with statement “I am my child’s first teacher” across
caregivers who earned less than high school diploma
(compared with 13 percentage point increase of those
with diploma or better—85% to 95%).
Impact Created
“My daughter can learn more than what she is just doing at school and what I know. She’s learning because of Vroom.”
–Vroom parent
Babies begin learning themoment they are born — & even before they are born
I am my child’s first teacher
74%
77%
93%19 percentage point increase
16 percentage point increase93%
0%
0%
20%
25%
40%
50%
Pre-Pilot Survey
Younger than 2 2 to 3 Years 4 to 5 Years
Post-Pilot Survey
60% 80% 100%
49%
N=76 N=192
26%
12%
N=181
Plans for Year TwoThe Dallas County Vroom Pilot successfully reached over 2,800 families through 40 sites and organizations. The goal for Year Two is to expand Vroom’s reach to 4,500 caregivers and their children. To reach this goal, efforts are being made to recruit partners that interact with families across diverse settings and levels of engagement. Building upon the existing efforts of partners in the Pilot Year, we aim to engage new partners who are trusted messengers in faith communities, parent groups, public agencies and local businesses. We also hope to extend deep activation of Vroom in four target geographies (up from two geographies during the Pilot Year).
How to Join Year TwoAs Partners, organizations will share Vroom as well as collect pre- and post-pilot surveys from parents, attend Science of Vroom trainings, participate in regular learning network meetings, and participate in focus groups and other evaluation frameworks.
As Members, organizations will share Vroom as well as attend Science of Vroom trainings and participate in regular learning network meetings (no evaluation requirements).
As Ambassadors, organizations will share Vroom as well as attend Science of Vroom trainings. (These organizations will not participate learning network meetings).
To learn more about the pilot and join the effort in year two, contact Kimberly Manns at Kimberly.Manns@Commit2Dallas.org.
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“One of the parents, Maria, is using the Vroom phone app with her 3 1/2 year old daughter Sofia. She shared that it is really
helping Sofia learn more. In the car they do the naming car colors game and counting
other cars. Sofia is initiating this on her own now, saying ‘look there is a red car.’
She also likes the setting the table activity and will now set the table by herself. She
will count the silverware and get a big cup for her father and a small cup for her. She
also likes the dressing activity and will pick out her own clothes every morning. Maria recommended the app to her friends and
will continue using it after the pilot.”
“I’d like to say something... I heard about Vroom from my (sister-in-law?) and I saw
it online, but I never dreamed I would get to hear someone personally talk about it.
Thank you for coming physically to explain it and share it with us. I came from Grand
Prairie because I think this is very valuable. There is nothing more important than our
children’s development...”
Special Thanks
A special thank you to the following philanthropic investors, whose financial support makes this impact possible.
Bezos Family Foundation
The Dallas Foundation
Durham Family Foundation
Esping Family Foundation
Harry Bass Foundation
M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation
Mike and Mary Terry Family Foundation
Rainwater Charitable Foundation
Rosewood Foundation
The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
Wells Fargo
Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas
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