Public Consulting Group: Proposal Review and Planning Blue Ribbon Commission on Financing High-Quality Affordable Childcare, May 19, 2016

PCG’s Experience: Highlights

Knowledge and understanding of early education and care systems, particularly children’s programming finance  Commonwealth of Massachusetts: supporting and improving its child care block grant management and reporting methodologies  State of Maine: transformational redesign of the TANF and CCDF federally supported child care programs toward one unified child care system  Child Care Market Rate Studies (MA and MI): evaluating adequacy of reimbursement rates to demonstrate equal access to child care for low-income families  State of Missouri- Fiscal Analysis of Early Childhood Resources: identify through stakeholders the strengths and needs of the system; lay out opportunities for increased services, revenue maximization opportunities, improving effectiveness of the early childhood service offerings

Extensive analysis experience in eligibility processes for, and access to, early childhood programs  Connecticut Office of Early Childhood: reviewed existing systems and gathered information to help create and coordinate a quality improvement system for early care and education settings  MA Family and Educator Needs Assessment: conducted a needs assessment of children birth to age 8 and the quality and availability of early childhood education programs and services.  MA Waitlist Analysis Study, Program Assessment, and Continuity of Care Study: administered to families currently on the waitlist to provide EEC with a better understanding of child care needs.

Project Approach and Timeline

Task 1: The Planning Phase 5/1 – 5/31 Kickoff- June 2?  PCG to propose project plan including tasks, key deliverables, timelines and milestones  Establish communication plan, risk management plan, key stakeholder listings and data requests  BRC: Discuss “Key Stakeholders” in regards to information and/or communication/planning  PCG to present finalized plan. Focus discussion on finalizing key research topics for review and examination and the overall goals of the Commission

Task 2: Research and Data Gathering 6/1 – 7/31  Reports, Research and Data  Past reports  Vermont data  Child care provider registry information, including business processes for waitlist and child care subsidy payments  BRC: Start compiling reports and data. Data map of working definition of high quality?

Task 2: Research and Data Gathering 6/1 – 7/31 Qualitative Research  Standard Interview, Focus Groups  Standard set of questions to ensure coverage and consistency  PCG proposed one-on-one interviews with 5 Commission members and four focus groups:  Child care subsidy administration - leadership  Child care subsidy – Vermont staff  Child care subsidy – recipient sample  Commissioner interviews should be with key stakeholders who do NOT already fall into one of the above buckets  Data Collection Database  Key Findings Summary  Develop overarching themes most relevant to key research topics  Public Hearings  Parents, Child Care Provider and out-of-school time program administrators and educators, Advocates, Early Childhood Education credentialing programs/certificate granting/academic institutions, Child Care Resource and Referral Networks, other general public  BRC: Consider availability over next few months.

Tasks 3 -5: The Report; Writing, Submitting, Feedback and Follow-Up 8/1 – 9/30 10/1 – 11/15 11/15 – 1/31  Task 3: Writing the Report  PCG to develop a draft outlining key findings and recommendations  Commission can review findings and confirm expectations  Complete draft to be submitted to Commission for feedback/edits  Task 4: Submitting the Report  PCG will submit final draft for BRC’s edits and changes to final document  Task 5: Feedback and Follow-Up  Collect feedback, conduct additional data requests, make final revisions.

Anticipated Difficulties and Remedies  Difficulties  Differing/wide range of goals  Time and availability of stakeholders  Remedy  Buy in and sign off of goals and timeline in Task 1  Review and progress toward meeting goals  Submit data requests early  Support in communications throughout and in final draft review

BRC Discussion Areas  Schedule Kick-Off meeting for June 2 or June 8  What data /reports can we start compiling now?  Key Stakeholders:  Data?  assembling focus groups/public hearings?  current financing/subsidies/grants?

High Quality Definition Parts 1, 2

High Quality Definition Parts 3, 4