Birth – Five Blueprint

Lincoln Parish Early Childhood Community Network is a partnership unifying childcare programs under the leadership of the Lincoln Parish Public School District. As the Lead Agency, it oversees CLASS observations as well as supporting partners with Tier 1 curriculum and professional development. The partnership consists of four school based prekindergarten sites, one Head Start site, and twelve Type III childcare centers. The overall network quality rating is High Proficient, showing an increase from 4.89 in 2017-2018 to 5.37 for 2018-2019. Due to the nationwide pandemic and statewide shutdown of schools and centers in March of 2020, the overall network quality rating will remain the same as the year before.

Children in Lincoln Parish face countless challenges that increase their risk of arriving at kindergarten unprepared for the challenges ahead. The rate of poverty in Lincoln is 25.8%,

more than twice the national average. 69.7% of students entering kindergarten are labeled as economically disadvantaged and 14.8% as students with disabilities.

The Community Network serves approximately 82% of the four-year old population and 58% of the three-year old population but the numbers decrease drastically for infants through two-years old. Less than 10% of two-year olds are served and even fewer one-year olds and infants. Physical space for infant through 3-year olds is a limitation for additional seats in the Network childcare centers. To address the deficit for four-year old classrooms Lincoln Parish School Board is adding four additional four-year old classrooms and the Network is adding two additional four-year old classroom. Of the children served in birth to four-year old, 97% attend a program that is rated as High-Quality.

The percent of Lincoln Parish students demonstrating readiness for kindergarten is well below the state in all observed domains with the greatest disparity in Approach to Learning

(-11.6%), Language and Literacy Development (-16.8%), and Physical Development (-14.5%). The lower scores are being addressed with the use of Tier 1 curriculums for birth to four-year olds. The most important factors in delivering quality early care and education are the credentials and skills of classroom teachers. Therefore, professional learning for the teachers and leaders of the birth – four-year old students will continue to be a priority.

VISION

All Lincoln Parish children will have their basic needs met and have equitable access to quality early childhood care and education opportunities, so they are prepared to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

MISSION

To enhance early childhood education, outreach, and partnerships to support and promote the development of children birth to five in Lincoln Parish.

Strategic Plan

Goal 1: To increase CLASS scores in the Engaged Support for Learning Domain from 3.81 to 4.31 at the PreK CLASS level.

●Provide professional development through Teaching Strategies for teachers and paraprofessionals.

●Provide leaders with professional development on walkthrough observations, feedback, and coaching

●Provide feedback and resources to teachers on observations to help improve teacher and child interactions.

Resources:

●Existing: Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers, and Pre K

●Needed: Funds to add additional curriculum and continue professional learning through Teaching Strategies; funds for digital curriculum in Pre K

Performance Metrics: Performance Profile will show an increase in this Domain.

Goal 2: By the year 2021, increase parent and community awareness for the early childhood network’s purpose and opportunities for child development.

●Coordinated Enrollment Event

●Utilize Social Media and Lincoln Parish Early Childhood Website

●Early Identification and Accurate Intervention Support Initiative with community outreach partners (pediatricians, dentists, leaders of faith)

Resources:

●Existing: Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) English and Spanish version; Coordinated Enrollment Event

●Needed: Use the early childhood network website as a location for developing and implementing marketing and parental guides for child development. Social Media will be maintained as mediums for maintaining the public image of early childcare and development. Outreach to local pediatricians and leaders of faith to assist in forming parental connections for early screening opportunities and proper/accurate interventions if needed.

Performance Metrics: The number of referrals based on the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ screener). Track monthly site enrollment.

Goal 3: Expand access to publicly funded seats in the Community Network by 25 students with an emphasis on the Hispanic population.

●To inform the community of the importance of early childhood care and education beginning at birth, through informational brochures at healthcare providers and local agencies in the Network

●Advertise for the Community Network registration through local agencies and websites

●Expand the number of seats for three and four-year olds with the emphasis on Hispanic children in the Community Network

Resources:

●Existing: Established relationship between Head Start, the healthcare community and the Community Network; Coordinated Community Network enrollment

●Needed: Funds for curriculum, materials, and professional development to support Creative Curriculum for additional three and four-year-old classrooms; additional publicly funded seats allotted to the Community Network; funds to train additional CLASS observers; parent training on children’s development and developmental milestones.

Performance Metrics: An increase in enrollment for three and four year old students and Hispanic students.

Goal 4: Increase the number of children, ages birth to three in quality centers by 20%.

●Seek funding for additional seats at the Type III childcare centers in the parish.

●Obtain data from childcare sites to begin communicating the possibilities of the capacity to serve more children ages birth to three.

Resources:

●Existing: Lincoln Parish currently has 12 Type III centers serving 14 infant classrooms and 17 toddler classrooms

●Needed: Additional seats are needed at the Type III centers to assist in filling to capacity and increasing the number of birth to three year old seats. Funds for curriculum, materials, and professional development to support Creative Curriculum for additional birth to three year old classrooms; additional publicly funded seats allotted to the Community Network; funds to train additional CLASS observers.

Performance Metrics: Complete the Super App funding requests for additional seats at the Type III centers. Track center enrollment to see if there is an increase in birth to three year old attendance.

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