1. Preschool for All Work Plan for Ventura County Creating voluntary, high quality, preschool programs. JULY 2005

2. Preschool for All Work Plan for Ventura County Project Coordination Carrie Murphy Wanda Runcie Writing and Editing Dr. Sharon Seidman Dr.Abigail Thorman Implementation Chair, Dr. Charles Weis Workforce Development Chair, Jennifer Parker Quality & Curriculum Chair, Sherri Laboon Facilities Chair, Patty McWaters Family Child Care Chair,Tanya McMahan-Binsted & Pegi Stenberg Finance Chair, Sara O'Conlon Developed by PRESCHOOL FOR ALL COMMITTEES Task Force Recommendations JULY 2005

3. The work groups have developed the following standards that will be required for preschool programs to participate in the Preschool for All program in Ventura County. The criteria below meet or exceed best national practices for prekindergarten programs, as well as the standards developed by the California Department of Education and the state First 5 Commission. Standards An Overview of First 5 Ventura’s PFA Criteria TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS TEACHER COMPENSATION PROGRAM SETTINGS TEACHER-CHILD RATIOS AND GROUP SIZE PROGRAM DURATION CURRICULUM CONTENT STANDARDS QUALITY RATINGS CHILD ASSESSMENT INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS CULTURALLY & LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMING COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES FAMILY INVOLVEMENT Standards An Overview of First 5 Ventura’s PFA Criteria

4. PfA will be offered in both licensed early childhood education (ECE) centers and licensed family child care homes (FCCH).The PfA plan calls for use of a combination of existing prekindergarten classes and new prekindergarten classes to create adequate capacity for all parents choosing to enroll their 4-year-old children. TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS Within 5 years of program implementation, teachers will have a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood or child development, including: All courses required for the current California Child Development Master Teacher Permit, and 2 semesters (at least 90 hours) of supervised fieldwork. Associate Teachers/Aides will have at least an Associate’s degree in early childhood or child development, including at least one semester (45 hours) of supervised fieldwork. TEACHER COMPENSATION PROGRAM SETTINGS PfA compensation will be equivalent to that of kindergarten teacher salaries (assuming similar qualifications).

5. Hours per Day: PfA programs will provide at least 3.5 hours of service per day if a meal is served or at least 3 hours of service if a snack is served. Days per Year: PfA programs will meet for at least 175 days per year (assuming 3.5 hours of day per service), to guarantee a minimum of 612.5 program hours per year; other program models will adjust the days per year accordingly to offer at least 612.5 hours of PfA annually. Extended Hours: Extended hours care will be offered either on-site or at a convenient location for parents who elect to pay for full day and/or full year programs. To ensure existing early childhood programs that meet all PfA standards may participate in PfA, First 5 Ventura has planned for three class options: Center Option 1: Adult-child ratio of 1:8 with 24 children, one teacher, and 2 teacher aides. Center Option 2: Adult-child ratio of 1:10 with 20 children, including 2 teachers. Family Child Care Home: FCCH providers will be arranged into PfA pods, with instruction conducted in groups of 9 children with one PfA-certified teacher. PROGRAM DURATION TEACHER-CHILD RATIOS AND GROUP SIZE PfA instruction in Ventura County will adhere to the current California Prekindergarten Learning Guidelines and the upcoming Prekindergarten Learning Standards. In keeping with the predominant instruction models in Ventura County Creative Curriculum will be recommended for all PfA sites. Sites may utilize an alternative curriculum by documenting that the curriculum meets state and local criteria. CURRICULUM CONTENT STANDARDS

6. In keeping with the assessment goals set by the Child Development Division of the California Department of Education, PfA sites will conduct at least two child assessments each year using the nationally recognized California Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP). Sites must achieve a minimum rating of 5 (Good) on a nationally recognized early childhood environmental rating scale (ECERS/FDCERS) to be accepted as a PfA site. PfA sites will be expected to achieve national accreditation through NAEYC or NAFCC within 5 years of acceptance as a PfA site. CHILD ASSESSMENT QUALITY RATINGS PfA will provide appropriate prekindergarten education for all children. While most children will be appropriately accommodated at regular PfA sites, some children with significant special needs may be better served in alternative settings; this decision will be made jointly by the parents, PfA staff, and partners providing services to the child. INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

7. Through collaboration with county and community-based services, PfA sites will provide or coordinate the provision of dental, vision, and health screenings for all PfA children who have not already received such services. All PfA sites will have access to developmental screenings for children suspected of having special needs or developmental delays. PfA sites will include comprehensive nutrition programs for children and nutrition education materials for parents. PfA staff will be trained in strategies for facilitating English-language acquisition while supporting English-language learners’ home language. Recruitment and training efforts will endeavor to develop a PfA workforce that matches the demographic characteristics of the PfA clientele. COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES CULTURALLY & LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMING PfA sites will encourage parent involvement through Home visits: at least one teacher visit per child per year Parent-teacher conferences: 3 conferences per year Parent participation in the classroom: encouraged but not mandatory to accommodate parent work schedules Parent education programs: at least 4 offered per year FAMILY INVOLVEMENT

8. Option 1: First 5 Ventura County Applies for and Receives State First 5 PfA Pilot Funding Option 2: Statewide Preschool for All Initiative passes Amount of Funding Annually for Ventura County Number of Children Served Annually Timeline for Decision Process for Decision Requirements for Resources to Become Available Critical Decision Makers Total of $8.3M needed to serve a district with 1,000 4-year olds over five years; State will provide $1.1M in matching funds Approximately $2.3B - $2.5B will be generated statewide annually. Approximately $52.9M - $57.5M will come to Ventura County annually. 130 children in year 1, increasing to 643 children annually in year 5 11,000 children will be served annually Application needs to be made to State by July 27 Initiative will likely go to voters in Fall of 2006 First 5 Ventura (and any funding partners) must decide if they want to dedicate local required match; upon Commission approval staff will make application, state will only be funding 6 communities, making funding decisions in October, with funding arriving in November At least 8% of the total cast for Governor at the last gubernatorial election = 598,105 valid signatures. The ballot initiative must pass by a simple majority. Over 5 years a total of $8.3M will be required for the PfA Ventura County project with $7.1M required in local match Ballot must pass Local First 5 Commission makes decision to move forward with application; State First 5 Commission makes competitive funding decisions Voters

10. First 5 Ventura County O Local commission established to distribute money received through Proposition 10 O $10 million per year O Early learning programs and health and family services for children 0-5 and their families. O Local commission established to distribute money received through Proposition 10 O $10 million per year O Early learning programs and health and family services for children 0-5 and their families.

11. First 5 Progress O Eleven Neighborhoods for Learning O 18 Family Resource Centers O Over 800 new preschool spaces Research shows high quality preschool makes a difference O Eleven Neighborhoods for Learning O 18 Family Resource Centers O Over 800 new preschool spaces Research shows high quality preschool makes a difference

12. Preschool for All O Funding O $9,000,000 O Local, state, and federal funds O Over the next 5 years O PfA Demonstration Project O Ventura County is ONE of SEVEN counties in CA O Selected by First 5 CA O Funding O $9,000,000 O Local, state, and federal funds O Over the next 5 years O PfA Demonstration Project O Ventura County is ONE of SEVEN counties in CA O Selected by First 5 CA

13. Preschool for All Work Plan for Ventura County Creating voluntary, high quality, preschool programs. JULY 2005

14. The work groups have developed the following standards that will be required for preschool programs to participate in the Preschool for All program in Ventura County. The criteria below meet or exceed best national practices for prekindergarten programs, as well as the standards developed by the California Department of Education and the state First 5 Commission. Standards An Overview of First 5 Ventura’s PFA Criteria TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS TEACHER COMPENSATION PROGRAM SETTINGS TEACHER-CHILD RATIOS AND GROUP SIZE PROGRAM DURATION CURRICULUM CONTENT STANDARDS QUALITY RATINGS CHILD ASSESSMENT INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS CULTURALLY & LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMING COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES FAMILY INVOLVEMENT Standards An Overview of First 5 Ventura’s PFA Criteria

15. PfA implementation begins with developing a workforce where teachers are required to hold BA degrees. TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS Within 5 years of program implementation, teachers will have a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood or child development, including: All courses required for the current California Child Development Master Teacher Permit, and 2 semesters (at least 90 hours) of supervised fieldwork. Associate Teachers/Aides will have at least an Associate’s degree in early childhood or child development, including at least one semester (45 hours) of supervised fieldwork. TEACHER COMPENSATION PfA compensation will be equivalent to that of kindergarten teacher salaries (assuming similar qualifications).

16. The Ventura County Preschool for All Workforce Study Assessing early childhood staff and compensation. December 2005

17. The Ventura County Preschool for All Workforce Study O Workforce Development Committee Chair, Jennifer Parker O Data Analysis Mosaic Network, Inc. O Data Collection Child Development Resources of Ventura County Tanya McMahan-Binsted and the Resource and Referral Team O Writing and Editing Dr. Sharon Seidman Dr. Abigail Thorman O Project Coordination First 5 Ventura County Carrie Murphy Wanda Runcie O Workforce Development Committee Chair, Jennifer Parker O Data Analysis Mosaic Network, Inc. O Data Collection Child Development Resources of Ventura County Tanya McMahan-Binsted and the Resource and Referral Team O Writing and Editing Dr. Sharon Seidman Dr. Abigail Thorman O Project Coordination First 5 Ventura County Carrie Murphy Wanda Runcie

18. SURVEY POPULATION Provider Type Surveys Distributed # Responses% Responses All Child-Care Centers 302 24782% Preschool Centers19213470% FCCH98688490%

19. ECE WORKFORCE PositionNumberProportion Centers Aides21114% Assistant Teachers 25717% Teachers80353% Teacher- Directors 1107% Directors1238% FCCH Providers98643% Assistants1,31557%

20. Current ECE Education

21. ECE Coursework Among FCCH Degree of Training% of Respondents 24+ ECE Units15% 12-21 ECE Units13% 3-9 ECE Units23% Enrolled in ECE Coursework18%

22. Center Teachers’ Education #% BA (any subject)30629% AA (any subject)28727% No College ECE Units828%

23. Additional Training Among Center Staff Special Education English Acquisition #%#% College Course33919%34020% Workshop53831%38722% None59334%57133% % Reporting84%75%

24. Preschool for All Partnering.... O ECE Career Counselors O Articulation with 4-year programs O Continued dialogue O ECE Career Counselors O Articulation with 4-year programs O Continued dialogue

25. The Ventura County Preschool for All Workforce Study