Head Start State Collaboration Office Semi-Annual Report

HEAD START STATE COLLABORATION OFFICE SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT

OKLAHOMA

Kay C. Floyd, Director January 1 through June 30, 2017

SIX PRIORITIES & GOALS

Priority #1. Partner with state child care systems emphasizing the EHS-CC Partnership Initiatives.

 Partner Agencies, Organizations and Groups of the Head Start State Collaboration Office.

 Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC)

 Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS)

 Oklahoma Health Care Authority (Medicaid Agency) (OHCA)

 Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE)

 Oklahoma Head Start Association (OHSA)

 Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH)

 Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY)

 Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (State Advisory Council (SAC)

 Oklahoma Oral Health Coalition (OOHC)

 Governor's Inter-agency Council on Homelessness (GICH)

 Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS)

 University of Central Oklahoma

 New State Partnerships Groups Created with HSSCO as Member:

 Peer Learning Community of Parent, Child, and Community Engagement created by OKDHS QRIS team with 21 partner members.

 Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) State Advisory Team created for the ECCS Impact Project and CoIIN.

1  Homelessness Education Advisory Team (HEAT) of the OSDE.

Priority #2. Work with state efforts to collect data regarding early childhood programs and child outcomes.

 Data Profiles

 Fact Sheets, Directories

o Worked with the new OKACAA Communication Coordinator to prepare the directory of Head Start programs in the state, including the location of their centers and identification of collaborations with public schools and child care.

o Met with new communication coordinator to explain use of the HSES in creating data reports and assisted in obtaining authorization for him to use the system.

o Assisted communication coordinator with creating a data report requested by the OK Department of Commerce.

o Trained and worked with the communication coordinator to publish the 2016 “Oklahoma Head Start Programs” fact sheet.

 State Data System

 Integration of Head Start data into State System

o Prepared data from Head Start PIR on the percentage of 3 and 4 year old eligible children served by Head Start in Oklahoma in 2015-2016 and submitted to state data system, Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES).

o Worked with OMES staff to revise the contextual information on Head Start data in the system and set goals for increasing Head Start enrollment.

o Participated in the ECCS State Advisory Team CoIIN CoLaboratory Virtual Learning Webinar with Little Dixie CAA/Head Start working with public schools and integrated data collection.

Priority #3. Support the expansion and access of high quality workforce and career development opportunities for staff.

 Involvement with Higher Education on Development or Revision of a State Credential or Certificate

 Preschool

2 o Participated in small focus group, Career Tech Early Care Education Advisory Committee, at OK Department of Career Tech in Stillwater to revise Career Tech Child Development coursework and CDA preparation curriculum based on OK Core Competencies for Early Childhood Practitioners.

 Development or revision of online coursework or degree

o Distributed information to partners on and Participated in Early EdU Alliance Webinars on “Transforming Early Childhood Teacher Development,” “Modules for Higher Education Institutions,” and “Supporting Online Students – Team Approach.”

 Enhancement of I/T Focus in Baccalaureate Degree

 Added a new member to the HSSCO Advisory Board who is an associate professor of a regional state college bachelor’s degree program in Family Studies and Child Development including infant/toddler coursework.

 Development/Implementation of Early Learning Guidelines

 Alignment with Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework (HSCDELF)

o Met with the Early Education Professional Development Council (EEPDC) that began meeting again to notify organizations and agencies of the work towards meeting CCDF requirements and a grant to research the implementation of the requirements an alignment with Head Start.

 Core Competencies for Practitioners/Professionals - I/T, Birth to Five

 Participated in regular meetings of the Child Care Services Communication and Outreach Committee to develop a self-assessment tool aligned with Head Start and Early Childhood Core Competencies to replace the Environmental Rating System eliminated by state budget cuts.

 Conference or Training Activities

 State, Regional, NHSA Partnership, Other Partnership

o Participated as member of NHSA Board in 2 face to face and one conference call meetings of the board focused on training activities and governance and communicating with Regional Association and State Associations.

o Participated in three conference call meetings of the Government Affairs 3 Committee focused on developing an advocacy agenda and monitoring Congressional activities.

o Scheduled and chaired telephone meeting of the Region VI Nominating Committee to develop a slate of officers for the Region VI Board of Directors and recommend representatives to the NHSA Board of Directors.

o Participated in the regular meeting of the EEPDC and presented updates on Head Start Program Performance Standards, HSSCO Annual Report, and Head Start/Child Care T/TA systems.

 Development or Enhancement of Professional Development Registry Activities

 Statewide System

o Worked with OKDHS Communication and Outreach Committee to update and align with the Professional Development Career Ladder the “Professional Development Pyramid” depicting careers available to early childhood practitioners at increasing levels of education and qualifications.

Priority #4. Collaborate with state Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS).

 Head Start in QRIS

 Alignment

o Met with Myrna Calvert, Region VI Systems T/TA Specialist to discuss QRIS participation of Head Start programs and how to get a list of those already participating, and followed up by phone to discuss the list after it was obtained from OKDHS.

o Met with QRIS Communication and Outreach Committee to review, align, and update relevant quality materials and resources.

 Reducing Barriers to Head Start Inclusion

o Participated in Region VI training in Dallas, TX on Head Start in state QRIS.

o Facilitated participation of Child Care Services licensing and QRIS staff in QRIS training in Dallas, TX and met with OK participants during the training.

 Active Participation in QRIS Development

4 o Engaged in 17-question phone survey with Nancy vonBargen of the National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, to record the status of the OK Head Start grantees’ participation in and issues with the OK QRIS.

 Early Education System Outside QRIS to expand Access to Quality Infant/Toddler Spaces

 Efforts to expand access to quality infant and toddler spaces within your state or region

o Within EHS

 Worked with parent and state legislator through phone calls and E-mails to obtain information about closing of EHS program in Tecumseh, OK.

 Participated in conference call with Ann Linehan, Acting Director of OHS, Shawna Pinckney and other federal staff, and State Rep. Josh Cockroft’s staff person with regard to Tecumseh EHS.

o Within EHS-CCP

 Participated in 3½ day ACF OHS Region VI training in Dallas on EHS-CCP with OK grantees and presented on a panel of representatives of states.

 In collaboration with the OKDHS Child Care Services and the SAC, the HSSCO hosted two quarterly meetings of Oklahoma’s EHS-CCP grantees, including the two tribal grantees.

 Participated in Quarterly call with Region VI and State CCDF Administrators and staff with HSSCO Directors to improve quality of child care and receive updates on EHS-CCP implementation.

 Participated in 3-day OHS training of new and expansion EHS- CCP grantees in Tyson’s Corners, VA.

 Regular Meeting or Communications With:

o Met monthly with Head Start Directors and presented the HSSCO report including a presentation by Medicaid Agency staff on resources for Head Start programs to increase parent awareness of the importance of immunizations. . o Served as a member of NHSA Board’s Monitoring Redesign Task Force to finalize recommendations to be submitted to OHS for the new monitoring system.

5 o Participated in national meeting of HSSCO Directors in Washington, DC and monthly conference calls with OHS staff.

o Participated in national monthly conference calls with HSSCO Directors and OHS.

 General early care and education systems work in your state or region around:

o State Advisory Council (SAC)

 Served as member of SAC and participated in quarterly partnership meetings including reports of the OSDE on Oklahoma ESSA Plan and reports from SAC funded communities on their School Readiness Community Assessment and Improvement Plans.

o General Alignment Across Systems

 Hosted the last HSSCO Advisory Board meeting (February) of the previous program year and first meeting (June) of the current year with representation from all of the above partners who provided updates and discussion on alignment with their programs or agencies, and the HSSCO Director provided updates and discussion around alignment of the work of this office.

o Work with the Child Care Subsidy Office

 Through the quarterly EHS-CCP meetings hosted by the HSSCO, the Child Care Subsidy Programs Manager has become well- known by the grantees. He attended all quarterly EHS-CCP meetings, answered questions and provided information at each meeting as well as being readily available to grantees between meetings.

Priority #5. Work with state school systems to ensure continuity between Head Start and Kindergarten entrance Assessment (KEA).

 Promotion of School Readiness

 Pre-Literacy/Literacy o Worked with Potts Family Foundation to plan the “Legislative Reading Day” in Head Start Centers and arranged for the foundation staff to present information to Head Start directors on the reading day and the “25 by 25” initiative to raise OK from the bottom 25 states to the top 25 states for children by 2025. State legislators read to children in 4 Head Start programs’ centers.

6 o Attended and promoted Smart Start Central Oklahoma presentation on Early Birds parent-child reading readiness program in central Oklahoma.

 Kindergarten Entrance Assessment (KEA)

o Participated in meeting for SAC Board members at the OSDE to review the survey of pre-K and K teachers with regard to child assessment and to provide input toward development of an “Early Learning Inventory” (OK version of KEA). This along with subsequent meetings resulted in 18 schools being selected to participate in using tow Early Learning Inventory tools and professional development for teachers and administrators with a goal of a statewide pilot project over the next school year.

 Involvement with Pre-K

 Partnerships

o Participated in stakeholders meeting with SDE Office of Curriculum & Instruction Director of Early Childhood to discuss the Early Childhood section of the SDE Strategic Plan.

Priority #6. Any additional Regional Priorities.

 Parent/Family and Diversity Related

 State System Integration of Parent Family Community Engagement Framework

o The HSSCO Director is a member of the new OK Parent, Family, Community Engagement Peer Learning Community State Team of 21 members networking with the National Center on PFCE, and participated in initial webinar explaining the scope of the initiative.

o To broaden the awareness of the new state team, the HSSCO Director arranged for the HSSCO Advisory Board to participate as a whole in one of the State Team’s Webinars with the National Center on PFCE as part of the advisory board meeting.

 Parent Advisory Groups

o Worked with OHSA parent representative to Region VI Head start Association Board and Region VI Head start Association President to ensure the parent is seated and receives information about board meetings.

 Homelessness

o Participated in Webinar on mental health and homelessness.

7 o Participated in partner stakeholders meeting on Comprehensive Youth Services for Children Experiencing Homelessness.

o Met with OSDE and OKDHS staff to work on alignment of child care, public school, and Head Start standards and services for children experiencing homelessness.

o Participated in the Homeless Education Advisory Team (HEAT) meetings at the State Department of Education.

o Participated in three regular meetings of the Governor’s Interagency Council and the meeting of the Employment/Education Sub-committee which is adding a greater focus on the impact of homelessness on young children and linkage to other related groups.

 Children of Incarcerated Parents

o Met with the Children of Incarcerated Parents (CIP) Committee of the OK Commission on Children and Youth to discuss Calm Waters inclusion of CIP in their program; and OK Messages Project allowing incarcerated parents to read to their children by live video.

 Health Related

 Oral Health

o Participated in regular conference call meeting of the ASTDD Early Childhood Oral Health Committee to discuss work of Dental Hygiene Liaisons and other resources for Head Start/EHS programs, and new Head Start Program Performance Standards on oral health.

o Participated in the ASTDD Early Childhood Committee Oral Health Webinar on the Dental Hygiene Liaison Program.

o Participated in the regular meeting of the OK Oral Health Coalition, provided updates on Head Start, and received latest report on fluoride varnish usage by physicians on Medicaid children under age 5 which has significantly increased since the last report. The coalition is considering the potential for funding a staff person through Americorps or other options.

 Health Networks

o Participated in regular meetings of The Children’s Health Group (TCHG) with health related partners – OU Health Sciences Center, OSDH, OHCA, etc. to discuss and address children’s health issues and gaps in service and cuts to Medicaid Agency.

8 o Worked with the Region VI Health T/TA Specialist to establish the OK Health Network of Head Start Health Managers who now meet monthly at OKACAA while the Head Start Directors meet.

 Disabilities

o Added a new member to the HSSCO Advisory Board – the Director of Early Childhood/IDEA Special Education Services at the State Department of Education.

 Mental Health and Social Emotional Issues

o Participated in the National Family Dialogue with the ODMHSAS on family focused mental health issues.

o Participated in monthly meetings of the Children’s State Advisory Workgroup (CSAW) and ODMHSAS to address coordination and access to mental health and behavioral services for children.

o Participated in monthly meeting of the Mental Health State Advisory Team (SAT)

 Other

o Participated in full day collaborative meeting on the Oklahoma Obesity Prevention Inventory and Action Plan for Early Childhood at the USHSC College of Allied Health.

o Participated in PRAMS/TOTS (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Management System/The Oklahoma Toddler Survey) health surveys to discuss survey results and potential changes of questions for the new TOTS.