Strategic Plan Review

1. Strategic Plan Review

2. Process • Planning and Evaluation Committee will be discussing 2 directions per meeting. • October meeting- Finance and Governance • November meeting- Finance and Governance • December meeting- Standards, Accountability, Regulations and Workforce • January meeting- Families and Linkages

3. 7 Areas • Finance • Governance • Standards, Assessment, and Accountability • Regulations • Workforce and Professional Development • Early Education and Care and Kindergarten to 3rd Grade Linkages • Informed Families and Public

4. Finance • To develop a financing strategy for a comprehensive early childhood system for all children based on established Department of Early Education and Care standards.

5. Finance • The Department will fund high quality programs and initiatives which impact growth and development of children, families, educators, programs and communities. • High quality programs and activities will be defined by the Department such as QRIS, and researched based literacy initiatives.

6. Finance • The Department will seek funding from multiple funding sources for the early education and care and out of school time system. • Create a funding plan including priorities, strategies, and timelines beyond the current boundaries of state funding for the early education and out of school time system. • Establish a business case for investment in early education and care and out of school time. • Establish a public/private partnership funding mechanism to serve high needs children not eligible for CCDBG for continuity or entry.

7. Finance • The Department will incentivize programs to reach and maintain Department of Early Education and Care standards. • Establish a process based on a model to provide annual quality grants to incentivize programs to reach and maintain a validated status in QRIS. • Biannually EEC will establish a formula for determining a rate increase to providers to be provided annually.

8. Finance • The Department will develop a financial strategy that prioritizes and supports continuous improvement and advancement of the early education and care system. • Develop implementation of the June 2012 Board vote to increase the reimbursement for transportation to support one adult monitor on all vehicles who transport infants, toddlers and/or preschoolers. • All line items will have a transparent funding formula.

9. Finance • The Department will fund research for the purpose of evaluation, program development and advocacy. • All line items will invest in research and evaluation related to population related goals and program evaluation. In addition, the Board will establish an investment percentage by September each year. • Establish a mechanism to collect data on all children with parental consent who are in licensed early education and care, out of school time, Head Start and public school preschools beginning with those receiving any state funding to monitor the State’s reach for children birth to 8.

10. Finance • The Department of Early Education and Care will develop strategies to have maximum reach to all children in Massachusetts birth to age 8. • EEC’s financial assistances policies as well as our community based initiatives will support strengthening families approach.

11. Governance • To develop policy directions for the comprehensive early education and care system in Massachusetts.

12. Governance • Maintain and/or develop opportunities for continuous input and active engagement from individual board members. • Conduct an annual Board survey • Include Board members on advisory groups. • Coordinate a Board retreat • Update the orientation handbook for Board members. • The Department and Board Chair will provide regular opportunities for input on meeting agendas.

13. Governance • Intentionally integrate EEC into other systems that impact growth and development. • To have a governance structure that has access to the theory, practice, and reflection of multiple professions that contribute to growth and development. • Develop guidelines on how to partner with other state agencies or institutions to work on areas of common interest.

14. Standards, Assessment and Accountability • Reflects effective practices, programs and alignment across the system. Accountability research and development includes cross systems data, planning and analysis and evaluation. Monitoring tracks program performance and results based on standards.

15. Regulations • Administrative legislation that constitutes or constrains rights and allocates responsibilities. Regulation attempts to produce outcomes that might not otherwise occur; they can be seen as implementation focus areas of policy.

16. Workforce and Professional Development • Provider/practitioner support to offer technical assistance and promote professional development.

17. Early Education and Care and Kindergarten to 3rd Grade Linkages • The development of policies and practices that support birth to 8 infrastructure, joint professional development.

18. Informed Families and Public • Communications to inform families, providers and the public.

19. Next Steps • Governance discussed in October and November committee meeting • Standards, Assessment and Regulations discussed at December committee meeting • Workforce discussed at December committee meeting • Informed Families and Linkages discussed at January committee meeting.