Planning Assumptions

SUPPLY OF QUALITY PLACEMENTS

Smart Start dollars for child care subsidy activities will be allocated to regulated facilities with a 3-or higher star rating. PFC will continue to look at other resources to subsidize the availability of child care.
Support subsidized programs giving priority to inclusive child care and preschool for children with special health care needs and other disabilities and infant/ toddlers in 4 or 5-star programs.

QUALITY OF PLACEMENTS

PFC will be more strategic about the screenings. PFC will continue to screen M@F children and develop strategies to increase successful referrals into services for all children birth to five. These services may include screening, but will not be dependent on mass screenings.
PFC will be more strategic in determining the targeted audience for activities designed to improve quality/ level of licensure. Priority will be given to facilities having a combined program and education score greater than 7 points AND an enrollment greater than 50 children.
PFC will provide system support including but not limited to 1 and 2 star facilities and GS 110s through programs such as Read to Me, Art Trunks/Parent Kits, the Professional Development Career Center Track for 1 and 2 star facilities and GS 110s, and Environmental Rating Scale Capacity Building.

EDUCATION LEVEL, COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, AND TURNOVER OF EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS

PFC will target lead teachers in centers with high enrollment (50+) and less than 5 Lead Teacher EDU Points.
Monetary awards will be tied to program components or characteristics that will (1) maintain 4- or 5-star rating; (2) promote both high quality care (4- or 5-star rating) and care for special populations such as infant/toddler, subsidy, special needs, or military children, and (3) encourage teacher longevity and increased education.

PARENTING SKILLS

Family support funded programs will serve a certain % of children who are unserved and/or underserved to include children who must be at risk to include: low to moderate income, developmentally delayed, socially/emotionally challenged, English as a Second Language, and military.
PFC family support priorities are parenting skills in child social/emotional/behavioral/health issues, parent nurturing skills, parent stress/social isolation, family literacy and linkages to community resources.

STRENGTHENING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CONTINUUM OF CARE/ ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RESULTS/SYSTEM INTEGRATION

Set small % of funds aside for incubator projects to be managed by PD&C to address emerging issues
PFC continues to recognize the NC School Readiness Goal Team definition and recommendations of school readiness including the NC Ready School Initiative.
PFC priorities are the early care and education system (quality child care availability, accessibility and affordability), kindergarten transitions, early intervention, parent education and system support to include school age and young adult care in the context of family support.
PFC will require cross-agency coordination and communication in all funded initiatives.
PFC will continue to face competing pressures and must make tough choices about where and how to deploy resources. As a system change agent, PFC will continue to consistently find, foster, and connect the pieces of our communities into united and effective forces for positive change. PFC will provide a combination of funding and system support including but not limited to accountability and measurement, quality improvement, organizational capacity building, community capacity building, collaboration and service system integration, technology initiatives such GEMS and Information Technology, and constituency building and communications.

Approved on 10/30/09

For more information please contact

Linda Blanton
Planning, Development & Communications Director
867-9700 ext 2230
lblanton@ccpfc.org