Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners

July 2009 Albert Wat, M.A. Chrisanne Gayl, M.P.P. cross the nation, local and state K-12 leaders are finding that collaborating with community-based providers such as Head Start programs, child care centers and faith-based organizations canA help them develop and implement high-quality pre-k programs that meet the needs of young children and their families in a comprehensive way.

This report provides lessons learned on the ground – gleaned from interviews with officials from around the country – about how to implement these partnerships most effectively as well as recommendations to help policy makers facilitate collaboration.

Table of Contents 1 Introduction 11 Overcoming Barriers 18 Conclusion to Collaboration: 2 What is a Five Critical Steps 18 Appendix A: Pre-K Collaboration? Resource List 17 Recommendations 4 Benefits of for State and 19 Appendix B: Collaboration Federal Policy Action List of Interviewees

9 Recognizing Barriers to 20 Endnotes Collaboration Introduction

Support for publicly funded pre-kindergarten has some challenges, such as the lack of resources and increased tremendously in recent years as parents, expertise or the inability to meet the comprehensive educators and policy makers have come to recognize needs of children and their families. the many benefits of high-quality early education. As of 2008, 38 states and the District of Columbia Collaboration also allows public school systems to invest in pre-k programs, and many school districts are avoid “reinventing the wheel” and instead to build upon doing so on their own with local and federal funds.1 the work of community-based programs and to enhance families’ pre-k choices. The existing early education Between 2002 and 2008, state-funded pre-k enrollment system is very diverse, with one third of all state-funded rose more than 50 percent,2 and state appropriations pre-k children enrolled in non-public school settings, increased from $2.9 billion in 2005 to $5.2 billion in such as child care centers, Head Start programs 2009.3 Nationwide, as of 2008, more than 2.1 million and faith-based providers.10 Collaborations with three and four year olds were enrolled in publicly community-based programs ultimately enable school funded early education, with state-supported pre-k ac- administrators to expand access to and increase the counting for about half of all children served.4 Pre-k is quality of all programs, no matter where they are housed. now the fastest growing sector in public education.5 This report 1) provides school administrators and School administrators are motivated by several factors policy makers with an overview of the benefits and to expand early learning opportunities. Decades of challenges of establishing collaborative pre-k programs, research show the positive effects of high-quality pre-k 2) highlights promising practices from communities on children’s cognitive, social, physical and emotional undertaking these efforts, 3) suggests concrete steps development.6 These gains generate significant savings to develop successful partnerships and 4) offers policy because children need fewer higher-priced interventions recommendations to help state and federal officials such as special education and grade retention.7 Further, facilitate collaborations. The information and insights high-quality pre-k has been spotlighted as critical to were obtained from interviews with national, state intensified national efforts to close achievement gaps and local education leaders as well as a review of among children from different backgrounds. publications and Websites from state and national K-12 organizations. This research focused on the experiences In spite of this growth in funding and support, less of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, than 30 percent of the nation’s three and four year olds Oklahoma and Tennessee, which together illustrate are served in publicly funded early education.8 Many how states with differing policy and educational contexts principals, superintendents and school board members can develop and implement collaborations. are seeking ways to provide more and higher-quality early learning opportunities for children. For education leaders with a traditional K-12 perspective, collaboration often presents both new opportunities One strategy embraced by some K-12 officials is to and new difficulties, from establishing relationships include community-based programs (e.g., child care with early care providers to developing a shared centers, Head Start, faith-based organizations, family definition of “school readiness.” While implementing child care homes, other non- and for-profit entities) a pre-k program in partnership with community-based in their pre-k systems.9 These leaders find that organizations may require more time and effort, this “collaborations” – partnerships with community-based strategy ultimately benefits all stakeholders: public early learning and care providers – can help address schools, private providers, families and children. What is a Pre-K Collaboration?

Whether motivated by local initiatives or legislative or court mandates, K-12 administrators around the To learn more about general models of collaboration, country are finding that pre-k collaborations provide read “Community Tools for Promoting Sustainable children and families more and higher-quality pre-k Collaborations,” available on the Children’s Learning Institute Website: www.childrenslearninginstitute.org. options. These officials build partnerships with Head Start programs; private, for- or nonprofit child care centers; faith-based organizations; and/or family child allow a publicly funded, half-day program to offer a care providers to pool resources (e.g., space, trans- longer day, ensure alignment of standards across portation, personnel) and offer more comprehensive programs, provide more comprehensive services (e.g., early learning and care services. health screenings and services, parent involvement activities, referral to other social services), serve a At a minimum, collaborations involve school districts more economically diverse group of children, and/or subcontracting with qualified private providers to enhance professional development opportunities deliver a pre-k program. Other partnerships build for pre-k teachers in all settings. Specific examples upon this basic framework to integrate core operations throughout this report illustrate the strategies like professional development and curriculum, share employed by collaboration partners and the decisions the cost of implementation, expand services and/or they made to create an enhanced pre-k program. improve quality. For instance, a collaboration could

State Profile: Maine

One Maine school district is collaborating with Head Start In addition to space, each school provides support staff (e.g., to organize three school-based pre-k classrooms, serving nurse, cafeteria workers), computers, classroom supplies and 51 children. While Head Start is the partner, about 40 percent materials, and transportation. Federal Head Start regulations of the children served in the collaboration have families require buses to have safety restraints and a monitor. The who earn more than Head Start’s income eligibility level. partners split these costs, with the district providing properly Nevertheless, all of the children attend the same classes outfitted buses and Head Start paying for monitors. and receive the same comprehensive services that typical Head Start programs provide. The Head Start program relies Head Start also pays teaching staff but at a higher-than-usual on other funding sources, such as United Way, to serve the salary, so their compensation is more closely aligned with Head Start-ineligible children. The organizers believe that those of other K-12 teachers in the district. Since Head Start the resulting diversity of children, with different backgrounds teachers may not hold state-required certifications, the dis- and strengths, creates a more supportive environment for trict pays for any coursework they need to become certified. cognitive and social development.

2 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners The Elements of Pre-K Collaboration

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A solid pre-k collaboration leverages partners’ expertise These core features and structures are held together by a and resources to support three core elements: number of supportive elements. A vehicle for convening and 1. Basic program features such as duration, target communicating helps partners and other stakeholders build population, location and budget, relationships and devise a common vision and set of goals 2. Quality standards related to curriculum, classroom for early education. This network also provides opportunities environment, staffing (including compensation and supervi- for shared planning and decision making and for exploring sion), assessments and professional development, and the appropriate mix of funding sources. A partnership 3. Comprehensive and supportive services, including agreement formalizes these arrangements and clarifies the family involvement; before and after care; transportation; roles and responsibilities of all parties in the collaboration and screenings, referrals and other interventions (e.g., health, special needs, mental health).

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 3 Benefits of Collaboration

While jointly planning and delivering pre-k programs One resource mentioned by many interviewees was can be a complex process, those who have implemented professional development. Collaborations allow this strategy report clear benefits for all stakeholders. partners to create opportunities to share best practices Through collaboration, schools and communities can and maximize the use of their training budgets. maximize resources, improve and expand services, minimize barriers to implementation and provide • In one Maine school-based collaboration, the Head higher-quality programs.11 A former superintendent Start agency, which has more experience with young from an urban district in New Jersey admitted that children, provides staffing and professional development he did not want to collaborate initially because he for all pre-k staff. At the same time, in order to “thought that the district could do a better job… and participate in this collaboration, Head Start teachers didn’t want to be responsible for programs that are must attain state early childhood certification, and the housed in centers.” With experience, however, he district provides financial assistance for them to do so. concluded, “Public schools are in no better position to run a comprehensive pre-k program than private • A school in Massachusetts places pre-k children who providers… Mixed delivery is the way to go.” need full-day special education services in community- based settings. The principal and her partners meet This section reviews the main benefits interviewees regularly to plan professional development for all sought to realize through collaborations with pre-k teachers – in schools and in the community. community-based early learning and care providers Often, workshops are organized by district specialists and how these partnerships were constructed to best and teachers and are funded by both the school and serve the needs of all stakeholders. the community-based programs. In addition, private providers in the collaboration have access to the Share Resources and Expertise district’s early intervention specialists and other pre-k Each partner – whether a public school, child care teachers to observe classrooms and provide coaching center or Head Start program – brings a set of assets as needed. to the collaboration. For example, public schools may have more professional development capacity. • Public school teachers from one Oklahoma school Child care centers may have better facilities for young district, who work in child care centers, are given children and greater experience with developmentally co-planning time with their center-based colleagues appropriate practice. Head Start programs may offer so they can “develop a common language about what more or better comprehensive services. Developing they are doing and set the same benchmarks for collaborative pre-k programs can help each party children.”12 Participating teachers learn together, leverage these resources to enhance the array and build relationships and develop a shared understanding quality of services offered to families. of school readiness.

4 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners Another resource-sharing opportunity identified by • Administrators in a number of Oklahoma school interviewees as a benefit of collaboration was space. districts reached out to community providers and In many cases, schools do not have the facilities for a developed collaborations in which public school pre-k classroom, and even if they do, the available teachers are placed in a range of settings, including space is not necessarily appropriate for young children. Head Start, child care centers and YMCAs. The Districts implementing pre-k may also become subject district pays the lead teacher’s salary. So by participating to state regulations, such as child care licensing and in the partnership, the provider gets additional facilities requirements they have not had to comply qualified staff at no cost and has more of their own with before. “It comes down to the logistics,” said budget available for other needs, such as supplies and a representative from the National School Board materials or professional development. Association, “physical space is the motivation to work with community-based providers. They’re learning to share teachers and professional development resources in return for the space.”

State Profile: Massachusetts

A collaborative pre-k arrangement at one suburban The school principal and her partners meet regularly to plan Massachusetts school grew out of previous work with com- professional development for all pre-k teachers in schools and munity providers to support expanding kindergarten to a full in the community. Workshops are funded by both the school school day. An effort to find additional classroom space led to and the local early childhood coordinating body and often the creation of a local early childhood coordinating body that feature school district experts. In addition, private providers in included private, community-based providers, the school the collaboration have access to early intervention specialists district and a higher education institution. As this group tackled and other pre-k teachers who can offer staff support, observe the kindergarten issue, its mission expanded to examine how classrooms and provide feedback. the community could best provide early education for three and four year olds. Finally, through this collaboration, pre-k children in the school who are not in special education can be enrolled in The coordinating body and the relationships it fostered pro- before and/or after care at the same community settings if moted collaboration in a number of ways. The school is home their parents also want full-day services. The school district to six half-day pre-k classes, each with about 15 children who modified some school bus routes to provide all children with are from low-income and/or single-parent families or are in transportation between the school and the centers. special education. The collaboration both facilitates contracts between the school and community partners to provide additional, full-day, intensive services for certain children with special needs and creates opportunities to better align the early learning experience for all children across diverse settings.

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 5 Benefits of Collaboration continued from page 5

Offer Full-Day Programs the overall quality of early education in the community Many state-funded pre-k initiatives only have resources and provide a richer and more seamless delivery system to offer a part-day program. Full-day services, which for all children. As a superintendent in a Wisconsin combine program elements that focus on cognitive, school district shared, “By taking the community social and emotional development and child care, collaboration approach, the district has a greater however, are critical to meeting the diverse needs of opportunity to influence the development of early young children and working parents. Collaborative childhood education practices as a whole.” arrangements with private providers who offer longer hours and before and after care (often called “wrap- • In New Jersey, all teachers in state-funded pre-k around” services) can enable districts to expand programs, whether school or center based, receive the programs from half day to full day or from school same core training. As a result, they share a common year to full year. approach to teaching young children. Another growing practice in the state is for principals and center • In Tulsa, Oklahoma, enrolling children in a collabora- directors to meet monthly to maintain such alignment. tive program between the school system and Head Start allows administrators to leverage multiple Collaborations can also help align expectations and funding streams to expand from a half day to a full practices across grade levels. Working with other day. This partnership allows schools to offer both early educators in the community can help teachers in a pre-k curriculum and comprehensive services for the elementary grades broaden their view of student low-income children.13 learning and teaching strategies. This ultimately breaks down some of the traditional silos between • In one Delaware community, partners in a collaboration grade levels and helps elementary school teachers agreed that the schools would not undertake new become more knowledgeable about learning and efforts to provide wraparound services since they development among diverse age groups. As a principal already exist in the community. Instead, the collaboration from Massachusetts states: leverages the school system’s transportation resources to bring children, before or after the half day of “Having relationships with early childhood education school-based pre-k, to community-based programs.14 providers has adjusted expectations of the school as a whole. There is more of a perspective that children’s skills develop Align Expectations across Settings and Grades in a continuum. Also teachers are more cognizant of other When early education efforts are not coordinated domains of development, other than reading, writing and within a community, children enter kindergarten with math. This has translated to teachers at the other grade widely varying levels of social and academic readiness. levels informing parents that there are more appropriate Pre-k collaborations can help address this disparity. In ways to think about their children’s progress.” the process of coming together to implement quality programs, schools and community partners can begin In other words, the goal of collaboration is not to to align program standards, curricula and teaching push teaching and assessment practices from the practices across different early childhood settings. upper grades down into the pre-k programs but to As a result, children are more likely to experience a integrate more developmentally appropriate practices consistent educational experience before they start throughout the school. kindergarten. In this way, collaborations can enhance

6 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners State Profile: New Jersey

In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court mandated that the develops an implementation plan and helps identify potential state provide high-quality pre-k for all children in 31 of its partners. The supervisor also helps center directors and poorest districts, the so-called Abbott districts. The ruling also teachers use child and classroom assessments to inform required school systems to include community-based short- and long-term improvements. providers who can meet rigorous quality standards. As early education leaders planned for this expansion, however, they Districts also provide one master teacher for every realized it presented an opportunity to forge a more coherent 20 classrooms. The master teachers carry out professional early learning system that could improve the readiness of all development plans – created in conjunction with school- children. To accomplish this, the state committed significant and community-based administrators – including coaching resources and offered scholarships for state certification to individual teachers and organizing joint workshops for all pre-k ensure that teachers across settings attained the same high staff. These activities help ensure consistent practice and level of performance and used consistent approaches to facilitate peer-learning opportunities across settings. working with young children. Other district personnel who are available to center-based Each Abbott district receives extensive support from the state providers include community parent involvement specialists, for pre-k. With those resources, they hire an early childhood early intervention specialists, nurses and social workers. supervisor to oversee implementation and administration and These individuals screen children for special needs and to promote school-community collaborations. Working closely provide health and other comprehensive services. The district with local Early Childhood Advisory Councils – which consists also offers assistance with managing state pre-k funds and of education, social services, child care, family support and navigating the relevant fiscal requirements. health agencies from the community – each supervisor

Provide Linkages to Comprehensive Services • In a Tennessee school district, collaborating with Collaborations can also help school districts provide a Head Start provides access to a number of supports variety of comprehensive services (i.e., health, mental outside of the classroom experience. A “family partner” health, social services) that schools may not be able to works with the schools to connect families to other offer on their own. Community-based settings are often supportive services as needed. Head Start also provides more integrated with social services and are accustomed health screenings and dental care directly to all to providing referral services for children and families. children in the collaboration. This is especially true if the partner is Head Start. As a representative from the National Association of • In Syracuse, New York, a district official pursued a Elementary School Principals says, “Serving the whole partnership with community-based programs not so child means schools and communities need to work much for academic reasons but to provide young together to serve families.” children with more access to supportive services. This led the district to seek out partners who could tap into resources such as psychologists or social workers.15

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 7 Benefits of Collaboration continued from page 7

Increase Family Involvement Support from family members is critical to children’s To learn more about collaborations between development, especially in the early years. The early Head Start and state pre-k, read “Better Outcomes childhood community, perhaps even more than most for All,” available on the Pre-K Now Website: www.preknow.org/resource/reports/preknowreports.cfm. public school systems, has a strong tradition of parent engagement that can be an asset for schools. In fact, researchers have observed that significant barriers exist and children. Families also become more knowledgeable between schools and parents, especially those from about the expectations of schools and what they offer. low-income backgrounds and immigrant cultures and At the same time, teachers and administrators are more those who have not had positive interactions with aware of families’ needs and concerns. school systems themselves.16 Not surprisingly, then, a number of interviewees mentioned that, through • Through a partnership with Head Start in one collaborations with community providers, schools can Tennessee district, each school with a collaborative reach out to more families before their children begin pre-k classroom developed a broad parent-involvement kindergarten or first grade. These relationships plan as well as a Family Partnership Agreement to provide opportunities to help parents become more help identify resources and services each family effective partners in their children’s development and needs to be involved with their children’s education ease the transition into kindergarten for both parents and development.

State Profile: Tennessee

A Tennessee school district partnered with a Head Start Collaborating with Head Start enables the district to provide program to serve 50 low-income children in three public children and families with a number of supports outside school-based classes in a school-day program. In addition to the classroom experience. A “family partner” works with the space, the school district provides a lead teacher with state the schools to connect families to other programs, such certification in early education and an assistant. Head Start as parent education, nutrition, mental health, social services provides an additional aide, which means every classroom and job counseling. Each school site is required to create a has three adults for about 18 children. To better align all parent-involvement plan that includes social and educational classroom practices, Head Start provides lead teachers with activities for families. In addition, programs develop training in its standards and regulations as well as ongoing individualized Family Partnership Agreements to identify professional development opportunities. A Head Start staff resources families need to be more involved with their member observes the classrooms regularly, but all pre-k staff children’s education and development. Finally, Head Start are supervised by the school. District-sponsored trainings are provides access to health screenings and other comprehensive also open to all early childhood staff. services, such as medical and dental care.

8 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners Recognizing Barriers to Collaboration

Given the substantial benefits of collaborations, children’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical what prevents school leaders from developing them? development. Many public school teachers may not A representative from the Council of Chief State have specific training with the pre-k age group and School Officers sums it up by saying: may be more comfortable with a teacher-directed environment that emphasizes discrete subject matter “The main reason schools don’t collaborate is because it’s and cognitive development. Rather, early education very hard. There’s a lack of trust and some tough politics. is a discipline that calls for a distinct set of skills and People are cordial, but there’s no collaboration because they practices. As a principal from Massachusetts put it, didn’t know how.” “Pre-k is not mini-first grade. It’s about using play, social interactions and language experience” to Her response reflects the opinion of a former New promote children’s holistic development. Jersey superintendent that collaboration efforts encounter two main types of barriers: attitudinal obstacles – those Furthermore, whether operated out of a school building that have to do with beliefs and perceptions – and or in a community-based setting, school staff may mechanical obstacles – those that have to do with consider pre-k an “add-on service,” which takes up logistics, regulations and requirements. Both need to resources or staff time and energy, rather than as be addressed before implementation can begin. integral to the school’s mission. School leaders have Interviewees indicate that it took at least one year to to work proactively to ensure that collaborations are negotiate these differences, find common ground and not viewed as a burden. For instance, a principal in formalize an agreement and action plan. Massachusetts experienced some resistance from her staff because they felt that her work with community Attitudinal Obstacles providers took away her focus from the older children. In establishing partnerships, school leaders may leap to the obvious questions such as: How will we hire teachers? At the same time, because of their long history in the Where will funding come from? What assessments should be field, early educators in the community may resist used? Before these questions can be answered, however, the suggestion that they can benefit from K-12 school leaders must first attend to the perceived and practices, such as different accountability requirements real gaps in attitudes, beliefs and cultures between and a greater focus on the development of academic public school systems and community-based providers. skills. Some may assume that schools will simply push a K-12 curriculum onto young children and test them K-12 leaders who are unfamiliar with community-based inappropriately. These beliefs and preconceptions can providers may not realize that early education has been be detrimental to launching a successful partnership if occurring outside the school system for a long time not handled carefully. and that these organizations possess significant knowledge about and experience in supporting young

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 9 Recognizing Barriers to Collaboration continued from page 9

In addition, school administrators should be aware that community-based providers are often wary of public Pre-k is not mini-first grade. schools’ entry into the pre-k “market.” Publicly funded It’s about using play, pre-k can pose a threat to the viability of private providers by siphoning off a significant proportion of social interactions and their pre-k enrollment to public schools. K-12 leaders language experience. need to be sensitive to these concerns and communicate that one purpose of collaboration is to protect and preserve the community-based early childhood system.

Mechanical Obstacles Partners may need to negotiate new and sometimes Another set of obstacles to collaboration involves the conflicting sets of requirements regarding program “nuts and bolts” of running a pre-k program when elements, such as transportation, facilities, personnel, different parties are involved. Because the early care and monitoring and reporting. For example, federal and education community evolved without a centralized regulations require buses used to transport Head Start administrative structure, it is supported by multiple children to have safety restraints and a monitor. These funding sources with differing rules and regulations standards are stricter than those in the states. To and subject to disparate program requirements, which facilitate collaboration, one Maine school district can make these issues difficult to navigate. provides buses with the proper equipment while Head Start pays for the monitor. Similarly, schools that choose to operate pre-k classrooms on their premises may be subject to child care licensing requirements, which can result in duplicative background checks for public school staff or conflicting regulations regarding facilities like water fountains and bathrooms.17

In addition, partners may need to address conflicting policies that govern student outcomes. For example, monitoring and evaluation systems must be able to accommodate different sets of learning standards such as state pre-k guidelines and the Head Start Outcomes Framework.

Further, teacher compensation is a particularly thorny issue. Public school teachers usually get paid higher salaries and receive better benefits than teachers in community-based settings. It may also be difficult to reconcile union-negotiated provisions for public school teachers (e.g., work hours, professional development requirements) with the expectations of teachers who work in community-based centers.

10 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration: Five Critical Steps

Clearly, successful collaborations cannot be built Principals also benefited from visiting other schools overnight. They require sustained commitment and that have implemented successful collaborations. In strategic action from inception through development New Jersey, such site visits were arranged through and eventual program implementation. In addition, a network of district early childhood supervisors. the process for developing collaborations must Over time, the state department of education compiled address the barriers outlined above. Based on the a list of districts and schools with interesting models experiences of interviewees for this report, below to demonstrate. are five critical steps that school leaders should take to develop successful pre-k collaborations with 2. Survey the landscape to determine community-based providers. need and capacity. K-12 leaders should conduct a needs assessment to 1. Visit community-based programs. determine what pre-k programs already exist and seek Before developing collaborations, school leaders input from parents and community providers about the should take time to visit center-based providers in the demand for additional services. This process will help community. Such visits offer a chance to learn different identify underserved populations, existing capacity ways of working with young children, assess the quality (e.g., facilities, staffing, funding) and potential partners of available programming, scout potential partners and for collaboration. In determining a location for gauge the need and capacity for new programs. Boston’s pilot pre-k program, for example, officials looked at the supply and the demand for pre-k within Visiting community-based programs is also important certain geographic areas to ensure they located the for developing relationships within the field. These program where the need was significant and that the early interactions offer opportunities to dispel stereo- expansion built on the existing community-based types and misconceptions and to discuss the potential early childhood system.18 The assessment should benefits of collaboration for private providers. K-12 also examine the professional development needs of leaders in Oklahoma and Tennessee acknowledged teachers from various settings in order to successfully that the schools needed to engage in some “public work under the same standards and regulations. By relations” before actual work on the collaboration understanding the unique assets and needs of the could begin to allay some of the attitudinal barriers community, school leaders can promote strategies mentioned earlier. One Massachusetts principal that maximize resources. described her role as “diplomat or ambassador between the early childhood community and the K-12 community.” She informed potential partners about resources and experts in the districts to whom they would have access, while assuring them that there was no “hidden agenda.” This helped overcome suspicions that the school district was sending teachers to “spy” on the providers.

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 11 Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration: Five Critical Steps continued from page 11

3. Create a vehicle to engage a broad set of stakeholders in developing, monitoring and To learn more about potential funding streams for sustaining collaborations. pre-k collaborations and their associated regulations Bringing key stakeholders to the same “table” is a and requirements, read Maine’s collaboration funding guide, available at: www.maine.gov/dhhs/ocfs/ec/ critical step in creating collaborations. At its most basic occhs/funding_guide.pdf. level, this involves each party communicating its needs and concerns to establish some common ground that will enable further conversations. Another important In addition, through these interactions, stakeholders function for such interactions is to learn what potential can identify any district policies, such as those regarding partners can offer, what resources they lack, and what work schedules and facilities management, that may regulations and restrictions come with their respective create obstacles to collaboration. For example, funding sources. For instance, Maine’s department of districts may be party to union contracts that preclude education compiled pre-k, child care and Head Start outside providers. Similarly, stringent procurement provisions on a variety of program elements into a and accounting regulations regarding the acquisition handbook. This helps educate schools and community and use of district supplies or in-kind resources can providers about both the benefits and limitations of discourage partnering. With input from a more diverse blending funding. It also helps clarify the requirements group, school leaders can find ways to make such of each funding source and identify potential conflicts. contracts and policies more flexible to accommodate pre-k collaborations.

Partnering with Home-Based Providers – A Unique Model

When considering collaborations, school administrators may To learn more about how this collaboration not immediately think to partner with home-based providers. with home-based providers works, watch a clip While such collaborations are not as common, the Chicago from Pre-K Now’s 2008 Conference at: school system has shown that it is possible and effective. www.preknow.org/go/home-basedpartnerships.cfm. This collaboration demonstrates that working with home- based child care providers can help pre-k programs reach more low-income and working families. In this partnership, monthly professional development meetings. Notably, even children are transported, with funding from state pre-k grants, though the children spend less time in the home-based from the home-based setting to a half-day, school-based program, participating in the collaboration does not affect pre-k program with a certified teacher four days a week. the reimbursement rate that providers receive for children On the fifth day, the school-based teacher and assistant supported by child care subsidies.a teacher visit the home-based providers to discuss the children’s development, share resources and materials, and a “State-Funded Preschool and Home-Based Child Care: generally ensure the programs are well aligned. In addition, The Community Connections Model,” (Chicago: Illinois home-based providers and pre-k teachers attend joint Action for Children, 2008).

12 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners The National School Board Association recommends engaging the following key stakeholder groups: district To learn more about the planning toolkit from superintendents, early childhood providers (including the National School Board Association, family child care and special education programs), state go to www.centerforpubliceducation.org. and local advocacy groups, teacher unions, families, business leaders, and government and civic leaders. In addition, school leaders may want to involve repre- Public-Private Ventures sentatives from local higher education, social service Some states leverage private funds to support and organizations and philanthropic institutions – all of supplement local collaboration and coordination whom can provide useful expertise and resources to efforts, such as the councils mentioned above. In collaboration efforts.19 Whatever the composition, Connecticut, the Graustein Memorial Fund provides interviewees stressed the value of a third-party facilitator. grant funding for 53 community collaboratives, allow- According to one Tennessee principal, “It only takes ing the local councils to exceed their charge as defined one person to be detrimental to the collaboration – a by state statute. The grants support staff, professional facilitator can help navigate these difficult interactions.” development and when necessary, advocacy. In one community, these resources have increased family Formal vehicles for communication help collaboration engagement efforts and supported meetings where early partners engage in common planning, problem solve, education, kindergarten and first-grade educators share navigate disagreements and make improvements. experiences and expectations. In Norwalk, the private Interviews revealed a number of models for stakeholder dollars fund an “Early Provider Network” to sustain engagement. Some examples include: peer-to-peer learning among all pre-k providers.

Local Collaboration Councils Since they are essentially nonprofit – as opposed to A number of states, such as Connecticut and public – entities, such public-private initiatives provide Tennessee, require local communities to establish neutral, third-party leadership, which further levels the collaboration councils in order to receive state pre-k playing field among the partners. funds. Typically, these groups are led or chaired by the superintendent (or designee) and consist of diverse Early Childhood Conferences local leaders, including elected officials (e.g., mayor, States can create networking opportunities to promote school board members), parents and community-based collaborations by organizing regional or statewide providers. They conduct needs assessments, create conferences. Since 2006, the Tennessee Department of implementation plans, develop grantmaking processes Education has organized an annual Early Childhood and administer the funds in the community. Councils Summit, which brings together a broad spectrum of are designed to create a level playing field among providers to learn how to further state early education stakeholders, to ensure that funds are distributed to a goals, including expansion, quality and collaboration. spectrum of providers, and to promote alignment of Similarly, administrators in Maine pointed to local expectations and approaches across settings. community meetings organized by the state depart- ment of education that involve diverse providers as important to making connections and navigating the planning process – from developing a common vision for young children in the community to negotiating how costs and responsibilities will be shared.

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 13 Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration: Five Critical Steps continued from page 13

State Profile: Connecticut

In Connecticut, in order to receive pre-k funds from the to mayors and superintendents. As part of this process, state, communities must establish a School Readiness councils also assess local demand and capacity to ensure Council, consisting of the mayor (or designee), the district that resources are directed toward the greatest needs. superintendent (or designee), parents, community-based early childhood programs, a health care provider and other To manage this work, some communities have combined organizations that serve children (e.g., library). The state local public and private funding to hire coordinators and/or allocates funds to councils in designated high-priority districts, enable the council to take on a broader mission, such as using a formula that estimates the local pre-k demand. professional development, parent education, assessing Councils in other districts may apply for small grants. available infant and toddler services or developing a more Because of their diverse membership, the councils are comprehensive early childhood plan beyond pre-k. As an early uniquely positioned to promote collaboration among a variety childhood specialist in one school district put it, the council is of community providers. Moreover, they can strategically a “clearinghouse for all programs and stakeholders, from deploy funding to further encourage partnerships. birth to five.” For instance, with additional, private funding, her council was able to create an Early Provider Network Other council responsibilities include developing grant that includes all providers receiving state pre-k funds and applications, issuing requests for proposals to schools and allows programs from diverse settings to share information community providers and making funding recommendations and resources and plan professional development activities.

4. Invest in personnel to oversee dissemination of state early learning standards and the collaboration efforts. training of educators across settings to assure compli- Designating staff to handle the various regulatory, ance. Importantly, the coach is both an expert in early budgetary and philosophical issues that arise in pursuing education and a neutral, third party facilitator trained collaborations is important for developing relationships, to help groups navigate differences. In the years that coordinating program details and ultimately sustaining Wisconsin has used this strategy, collaborative pre-k pre-k momentum. Here are a few examples of programs have increased from 2 percent of all district positions that have been created to aid in the process: programs in 2001 to 27 percent in 2008.20

Collaboration Coach School Readiness Coordinator Maine and Wisconsin have created positions within Some Connecticut School Readiness Councils hire a their departments of education to support and assist coordinator to help ensure that eligible children have community leaders in promoting, planning and access to pre-k by building relationships with and implementing collaborative pre-k programs as part of a providing information to families and community statewide, comprehensive early childhood system. By partners. This individual develops materials about facilitating discussions, the coach helps the community available services, the stages of child development and articulate goals for young children and ensures repre- ways parents and caregivers can promote children’s sentation from a wide range of early childhood programs school readiness. The coordinator also organizes including special education, pre-k, child care, Head local events and activities, facilitates a roundtable for Start, parent education, family support, and health and providers and parents, and collects and analyzes data to mental health services. This person also assists in the determine the need for training among pre-k teachers.

14 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners Collaboration Principal Agreements should articulate not only the purpose and In Oklahoma, this itinerant, district-level position objectives of the collaboration but also how partners supervises all certified pre-k teachers and assistants. will handle issues such as staffing, facilities, curriculum, The collaboration principal visits classrooms regularly, assessment, program monitoring and evaluation, observes and coaches teachers, conducts evaluations, comprehensive services, and special populations like connects teachers with professional development and English language learners and special needs children. helps them purchase supplies and materials. He/she The questions below highlight some of the critical and also visits with center directors and helps them address difficult issues that can be addressed in a formal accord. challenges related to the collaboration. How will collaboration teachers be paid? Pre-K Consultants/Supervisors When public school teachers and community-based In New Jersey and Tennessee, state-level employees educators work in the same building or classroom, are assigned to various regions. They provide technical tensions can naturally arise over differing compensation. assistance to school districts and communities that Partnership agreements should detail how salaries are collaborating on pre-k, ranging from professional and benefits will be handled and what measures (e.g., development for teachers and administrators to scholarships and mentors for community-based teachers) curriculum to budgeting. These individuals also can be taken to alleviate inequities among staff. monitor pre-k programs and evaluate teachers. Some districts also hire consultants/supervisors to perform How will union contracts be taken into similar roles at the local level and serve as liaisons to consideration? the state’s office of early education. In New Jersey, Some administrators find it difficult to reconcile union- for example, each Abbott district employs an early negotiated considerations for public school teachers childhood supervisor who helps school-level staff work such as pay, professional development requirements through obstacles. The supervisors also meet regularly and teaching assignments with what community-based in Trenton to exchange resources and best practices. centers expect of and provide for their staff. When policies for early educators in non-public school 5. Develop collaboration agreements. settings conflict with those governing union teachers, A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or opera- agreements can help collaborative programs anticipate tional agreement, which delineates partners’ roles and and reconcile differences fairly, and ideally, in the best responsibilities, establishes clear expectations between interest of children. parties and creates a tangible, enforceable structure. Where such accords did not exist, interviewees indicated Who has authority to hire and supervise staff? that they lacked the authority to enforce program Agreements should clearly determine which party standards. According to a Texas collaboration manual, has the authority to hire, supervise and fire staff. For “A strong MOU can serve as the foundation for a example, in a Tennessee school district, principals and partnership, give legitimacy to the project, and ensure center directors decided to interview prospective staff legality among entities.”21 Importantly, these arrange- for the collaborative program jointly so all partners ments should be developed with consideration of have a say; while in one Maine school, pre-k teachers teachers’ perspectives. As a state administrator from are technically Head Start employees and fall outside Tennessee warns, “If the agreements are not shared the school principal’s authority. with teachers and people who are implementing [them] on the ground, that creates problems.”

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 15 Overcoming Barriers to Collaboration: Five Critical Steps continued from page 15

How will partners ensure ongoing communication What opportunities for professional development with each other and with pre-k staff? and peer learning will there be? Collaboration agreements should include arrangements Interviewees agreed that professional development to ensure ongoing communication, such as regular and peer-learning opportunities (with other K-12 visits to off-site programs by principals and meetings colleagues or with early learning and care providers in among teachers and administrators from the partnering the community) are essential to developing and main- organizations. These arrangements help ensure that taining a healthy collaboration. Site visits, conferences, pre-k teachers in collaborative programs are not classroom observations and joint training programs all isolated from the rest of the school community or offer rich settings for the cross-pollination of ideas and torn between different organizational expectations or experiences. For instance, school districts can open demands. For example, teachers in one Oklahoma their in-service sessions to their collaboration partners, district are part of a group comprising public school send school-based pre-k teachers to the community and center staff that meets regularly to monitor program programs’ training or jointly organize professional operations. Similarly, in a collaborative program in development activities. The partnership should also Tennessee, where public school pre-k teachers are ensure that such opportunities are equally accessible placed in community-based centers, the principal and to teachers from all settings by scheduling them at the center director communicate regularly to ensure convenient times and locations and providing financial they are not giving teachers mixed messages. The incentives for participation. Details about these principal also tries to visit the center weekly. opportunities – who will organize them, who will pay for them, etc. – should be part of collaboration agreements.

State Profile: Oklahoma

A pre-k collaboration in Oklahoma has built-in support and In addition, regular team meetings, involving the pre-k teaching ongoing communication opportunities for teachers who staff, collaboration principal and supervisor, allow stakeholders work under two different entities. In this partnership, a school to monitor the collaboration and problem solve when district partners with a local Head Start agency to serve necessary. Pre-k teachers from the district and Head Start 180 low-income children in a school-day program. Because also participate in monthly staff meetings at the school and the agency also receives child care funding, it is able to joint professional development opportunities. The district’s provide before and after care, extending the day to better director of early education meets monthly with the collabora- serve working families. tion principals and community partners to ensure that private providers have an opportunity to communicate directly The school district pays for the lead and the assistant teacher with the school district. Ultimately, these interactions help and hires a “collaboration principal,” who visits the site daily teaching staff, who have different training and educational to observe the classrooms and provide additional staff support. backgrounds, work with young children as an effective team. The Head Start program pays for other supportive staff, including family advocates and a program supervisor, and for comprehensive services (e.g., health screenings), meals, supplies and transportation.

16 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners Recommendations for State and Federal Policy Action

School leaders are more likely to take the above steps Streamline program quality standards and require- if they operate in a supportive policy environment. ments to facilitate collaboration. The myriad standards Public endorsement by an executive or legislative leader and requirements that exist among programs and funding can go a long way toward building enthusiasm for streams can make it difficult to establish consistent collaboration among policy makers, potential partners quality benchmarks. Policy makers should work with and K-12 administrators. Interviewees from Tennessee communities to better align disparate measures and credited their governor for championing collaborations create a more uniform system that prioritizes quality. in early education, “planting the seed in people’s Upholding high standards, however, often means states minds” and giving the effort political and educational must provide additional resources to ensure all parties legitimacy. Below are specific actions that state and fed- have the capacity to participate in a pre-k program. eral policy makers can take to facilitate collaborations. Address differences in pay and hours between Provide technical assistance to early education providers and build career ladders for all early providers regarding regulations, policies and education professionals. A large disparity in pay and funding across sectors. Administrators are hungry other workforce conditions between settings can for more and better information on how to work undermine the ability of community-based providers together, especially as it relates to varying laws, and schools to collaborate. Policy makers should provide regulations and funding streams. State and federal resources to help partners afford higher salaries and/or agencies that administer early childhood funding improved benefits and should create career ladders and should provide guidance on when standards and financial incentives for teachers’ professional advancement. regulations are required across settings and when there is room for flexibility at the local level. Managing Enhance knowledge of early childhood among K-12 finances can also be challenging when a collaboration administrators. Collaboration would be more com- is supported by multiple funding streams from various monplace if K-12 leaders – principals, superintendents – federal, state and local entities without a centralized were more knowledgeable about early education and administrative structure. the existing field of providers in the community. Policy makers should work with state licensure boards and A number of states have created Websites and toolkits schools of education to ensure that early learning is a that include guidance on implementing collaborations, standard element of administrator training and profes- sample budgets and agreements, and examples of sional development. existing efforts. (See Appendix A for a list of such resources.) These products include resources that Create financial incentives to encourage more col- help school leaders conduct needs assessments in the laboration. No matter how funds are distributed, policy community; organize planning meetings; understand makers should also consider creating incentives such as the requirements and regulations associated with higher reimbursement rates, priority status or reduced various state and federal programs and funding paperwork requirements to promote community streams; develop budgets, partnership agreements and collaborations. For instance, school districts that choose contracts; and learn from existing collaborative efforts. a collaborative pre-k model can receive priority for limited state start-up grants. Another strategy is to require school districts to set aside a portion of state funds for collaborative efforts.

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 17 Conclusion Appendix A: Resource List

Collaborative pre-k programs are not easy to The following Websites and publications from state education construct, and there is no one-size-fits-all strategy. agencies and other nonprofit organizations provide guidance and models for school administrators who are interested in Early education requires school administrators to developing pre-k collaborations with community-based providers. step outside of traditional K-12 models of teaching and learning and think about new ways of delivering • From the Iowa Association of School Boards: education services to children. Collaborations also http://www.ia-sb.org/EarlyChildhood.aspx take time. Schools and community-based providers need to learn about the workings of their respective • From Maine’s Interagency Funding Collaboration Taskforce: http://mainegov-images.informe.org/dhhs/ocfs/ec/occhs/ systems, develop trust with each other and negotiate funding_guide.pdf conflicting beliefs, practices and regulations. • From the National School Board Association: Despite these challenges, many states and communities http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/site/c.kjJXJ5MPIwE/ have developed models and implemented effective b.5113557/k.BB9E/Planning_for_prekindergarten_A_toolkit_for strategies to bring schools, child care providers, Head _school_boards.htm Start programs and others together to enhance the • From the Tennessee Alliance for Early Education: quality of early learning and care services in their http://www.prekfortn.com/documents/Voluntary%20Pre-K% areas. Through a series of interviews, this report 20in%20Tennessee%20-%20Understanding% 20the%20 draws on their experiences to show how collaborations Collaboration%20Model%20-%20October %202007.pdf are playing out in diverse communities across the country, to share lessons learned and to articulate • From the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition: http://www.childrenslearninginstitute.org/our-programs/ immediate steps that policy makers and K-12 leaders program-overview/TX-school-ready/documents/ can take to support pre-k partnerships. PromotingSustainableCollaborations.pdf

As school leaders engage in these efforts, it’s useful to • From West Virginia’s Departments of Health and Human keep the end goal in mind. Ultimately, the purpose of Resources and Education: partnering with existing community-based providers http://www.wvdhhr.org/oss/pieces/ta/ is to provide added value to schools, partners and • From Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction: mostly importantly, children. When done effectively, http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/ collaborations draw upon the best wisdom, expertise http://www.dpi.wi.gov/fscp/pdf/eccommap.pdf and resources of multiple entities to enable all pre-k providers to better meet the diverse needs of children, families and communities. At their best, pre-k collaborations allow all children – no matter where they are enrolled – to have high-quality educational experiences that will give them the foundation they need and deserve.

18 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners Appendix B: List of Interviewees

The following representatives from states and national Tennessee organizations were interviewed for this report: • Gary Anderson, School Board Member, Williamson County Schools Connecticut • Brenda Benford, Pre-k Supervisor, Hamilton County Schools • Mary Broderick, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund • Connie Casha, Director of Early Childhood Programs, • Mary Budrawich, Early Childhood Specialist, Norwalk Public Tennessee Department of Education Schools • Carlos Comer, Principal, Metro Nashville Public Schools • Kim Fisher, Principal, Bradley County Schools Massachusetts • Art Garrett, Pre-k Supervisor, Fayette County Schools • Jillayne Flanders, Principal, South Hadley Public Schools • Bobbi Lussier, Executive Director of Office of Early Learning, • Jason Sachs, Director of Early Childhood, Boston Public Tennessee Department of Education Schools • Denise McMillan, Pre-k Supervisor, Wilson County Schools • Denise Walsh, Superintendent, Cohasset Public Schools • Scott Owens, Principal, Paris Special School District • Sharon Roberts, Director of Schools, Lebanon Special School Maine District • Greg Bagley, Principal, Southern Aroostook Community • Penny Thompson, Pre-k Supervisor, Lebanon Special School School District • Bill Braun, Superintendent, School Administrative District 48 • Donna Vaugh, Pre-k Supervisor, Paris Special School District • Jan Breton, Assistant Superintendent, Westbrook Schools • Willie Willett, Pre-k Teacher Evaluator, Memphis City Schools • Mike Buckley, Superintendent, School Administrative District 19 • Deborah Emery, Principal, Henry L. Cottrell School Additional interviews were also conducted with Beth Carlson, • Diane Wilson, Vice Chairman, Lubec School Board former principal at the Milford School District in Delaware; Damian LaCroix, superintendent of the Howard-Suamico New Jersey School District in Wisconsin; and Bobby Noyes, assistant • Tom Dunn, New Jersey Association of School Administrators superintendent from Lincoln, California. • Jacqueline Jones, Assistant Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Education (former) Interview with national organizations included: • Kathleen Priestley, Early Childhood Supervisor, Orange Public American Association of School Administrators Schools (former) • Sharon Adams Taylor, Associate Executive Director

Oklahoma American Federation of Teachers • Stefani Allen, Norman Public Schools • Marci Young, Director of the Center for the Child Care Workforce • Ruth Ann Carr, Superintendent, Ardmore City Schools • Shan Glandon, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Council of Chief State School Officers Jenks Public Schools • Lois Adams Rodgers, Deputy Executive Director • Marsha Gore, Curriculum Director, Shawnee Public Schools • Tom Schultz, Director of Early Childhood • Melissa Heidrich, Pre-k Teacher, Shawnee Public Schools • Sue Kuntze, Putnam City Schools Council of the Great City Schools • Linda Myers, Executive Director of Early Childhood • Michael Casserly, Executive Director Programs, Lawton Public Schools • Paul Pounds, Early Childhood Center Principal, Shawnee National Association of Elementary School Principals Public Schools • Abbie Evans, Director for Government Relations • Brad Schoeppey, Superintendent, Tulsa Public Schools National League of Cities • Tonja Rucker, Senior Program Associate • Lane Russell, Research Associate

National School Board Association • Patte Barth, Director of the Center for Public Education

Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners 19 Endnotes

1 From: W. Steven Barnett et al., “The State of Preschool: 14 Beth Carlson, In-person interview, Feb. 24, 2009. 2008 State Preschool Yearbook,” (New Brunswick: National 15 Kimberly Reeves, “Preschool in the Public Schools,” Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers, The State The School Administrator (January 2000). University of New Jersey, 2009). Of the 12 states that 16 Gregory V. Flynn, “Increasing Parental Involvement in Our have no state-funded pre-k programs, two are planning to Schools: The Need to Overcome Obstacles, Promote Critical implement pilot initiatives for the 2009-10 school year. During Behaviors and Provide Teacher Training,” Journal of College the 2009 legislative session, Alaska lawmakers appropriated Teaching and Learning 4, no. 2 (2007). $2 million for a pilot pre-k program, and the Rhode Island 17 Patte Barth, Telephone interview, July 29, 2008. legislature is also expected to appropriate $700,000 for a 18 Jason Sachs, Telephone interview, Feb. 19, 2009. demonstration project for the same school year. 19 Planning for Pre-kindergarten: A toolkit for school boards, 2 ———, “The State of Preschool: 2003 State Preschool Year- the Center for Public Education, an initiative of the National book,” (New Brunswick: National Institute for Early Education School Boards Association, 2009. Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 20 Jill Haglund, Email, Jan. 27. 2009. 2003); ———, “The State of Preschool: 2008 State Preschool 21 Gasko and Guthrow, “Community-Based School Yearbook.” Readiness Integration Partnerships: Promoting 3 “Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2008,” Sustainable Collaborations.” 43. (Washington, DC: Pre-K Now, 2007), “Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2009,” (Washington, DC: Pre-K Now, 2008). 4 From: Barnett et al., “The State of Preschool: 2008 State Preschool Yearbook.” Enrollment totals include state pre-k, Head Start and early special education. 5 David McKay Wilson, “When Worlds Collide: Universal PreK Methodology Brings New Challenges for Public Elementary Schools,” Har- vard Education Letter 24, no. 6 (November/December 2008). 6 See: Lisa A. McCabe and Ellen C. Frede, “Challenging Behaviors and the Role of Preschool Education,” Policy Brief Information for this report was compiled through no. 16 (2007); William Gormley, Jr. et al., “The Effects of semi-structured interviews with staff from state Universal Pre-K on Cognitive Development,” Developmental Psychology 41, no. 6 (2005); Adele Diamond et al., and local education agencies and national K-12 “Preschool Program Improves Cognitive Control,” Science organizations and participants from the American 318, no. 5855 (2007). Association of School Administrators annual 7 See: A. J. Reynolds et al., “Age 21 Cost-Benefit Analysis of conference in November 2008. Additional data the Title I Chicago Child-Parent Centers,” Educational Evalua- was gathered from a review of documents, including tion and Policy Analysis 24 (2002); Clive R. Belfield et al., policy statements, articles, reports, Websites, “The High/Scope Perry Preschool Program: Cost-Benefit contracts, memoranda of understanding, “toolkits” Analysis Using Data from the Age-40 Followup,” Journal of and other “how-to” handbooks. (See Appendix B for Human Resources 41, no. 1 (2006). the full list of interviewees.) Six states – Connecticut, 8 Barnett et al., “The State of Preschool: 2008 State Preschool Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Oklahoma Yearbook.” 9 The term “community-based” is used to refer to any early and Tennessee – were selected for their diverse education provider other than public schools. While public approaches to administering pre-k programs and to schools are part of any community, this phrase is commonly collaborating with community partners. Connecticut, used to distinguish programs and services that take place Massachusetts and Tennessee provide pre-k funding outside of a school from those that are school based. to communities through regional councils that 10 W. Steven Barnett et al., “The State of Preschool: 2007 State encourage coordination among schools and early Preschool Yearbook,” (New Brunswick: National Institute for childhood providers. Pre-k funding in Maine and Early Education Research, Rutgers, The State University of Oklahoma comes from the states’ school funding New Jersey, 2008). formulas and is controlled by local school districts, 11 C. Patton, “A Century of Success: Neighborhood Center presenting a different context in which to develop Inc.’s Role in Integration and Maximization of Resources in Early Care and Education,” (Neighborhood Centers, Inc., collaborations. In New Jersey, a legal mandate for 2004), cited in John W. Gasko and Kaitlin Guthrow, “Commu- the state’s 31lowest-income school districts to nity-Based School Readiness Integration Partnerships: Pro- significantly expand and improve pre-k programs moting Sustainable Collaborations,” (Texas Early Childhood and to collaborate with qualified community-based Education Coalition, 2009). providers motivated K-12 administrators to pursue 12 Brad Schoeppey, In-person interview, Feb. 18, 2009. partnerships. 13 Ibid.

20 Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners Acknowledgements Pre-K Now at a Glance

Albert Wat is the senior research associate at Mission Pre-K Now. He tracks the latest information on state Pre-K Now collaborates with advocates and policy pre-kindergarten programs and keeps the Pew Center makers to lead a movement for high-quality, voluntary on the States and advocates across the country up to pre-kindergarten for all three and four year olds. date on developments in early education research. Vision Chrisanne Gayl is an education consultant with nearly Pre-K Now’s vision is a nation in which every child a decade of government relations and education enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. policy experience at the federal and state levels. She has served as the director of federal relations Location at the National School Boards Association and held Washington, DC positions with the Workforce Alliance and the Office of the Governor of California. Ms. Gayl is the author of Leadership numerous publications on pre-kindergarten. Libby Doggett, Ph.D. Deputy Director, Pew Center on the States Jennifer V. Doctors edited this report. Funders Pre-K Now thanks the interviewees for their generous The David and Lucile Packard Foundation participation and the following individuals for helping The McCormick Foundation to organize the interviews: The Foundation for Child Development • Janine Blatt from the Maine Department of Education The Nellie Mae Education Foundation • Susan Illgen and Ed Long from Smart Start Oklahoma RGK Foundation • Bobbi Lussier from the Tennessee Department of CityBridge Foundation Education PNC Financial Services Group • Amy O’Leary and Carolyn Lyons from Strategies The Schumann Fund for New Jersey for Children • Cynthia Rice from the Association for Children of Media Contact New Jersey Elizabeth Snyder Senior Associate for Media Relations Thanks also to the following individuals for providing [email protected] feedback during the drafting process: 202.552.2057 voice • Debra Ackerman from National Institute for Early 202.631.1107 mobile Education Research • Patte Barth from the National School Board Association Pre-K Now Key Differentiators • Helen Blank and Karen Schulman from the National • Focuses exclusively on pre-k Women’s Law Center • Provides the most up-to-date gauge of the • Nancy Kolben and Betty Holcomb from Child Care Inc. pre-k pulse in any state • Sara Mead from the New America Foundation • Offers nationwide access to pre-k advocates • Tom Schultz from the Council of Chief State • Monitors and distributes daily pre-k newsclips School Officers • Provides a national perspective on local pre-k issues • Marci Young from the American Federation of Teachers • Provides outreach, policy, and Spanish-language information targeted to the Latino community This report is supported by a grant from the • Leads a national movement which has gained Nellie Mae Education Foundation. significant momentum in the last six years

The Case for Pre-K • Pre-k benefits all children academically, socially, and emotionally. • High-quality pre-k for all nets a high return on investment in children and the community. • The most important brain development occurs by age six. Pre-k is the first step to improving K-12 education The Pew Charitable Trusts applies the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. The Pew Center on the States identifies and advances effective policy approaches to critical issues facing states.

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Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners