THE DIVISION OF CHILD CARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

 

 

Efforts to support working families, educate parents and ensure high quality early care and education services for Arkansas children continue to direct the activities of the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (DCC&ECE).

 

Highlights and accomplishments during the past year include:

 

·      The Arkansas Early Childhood Education Framework, Strategies and Benchmarks for children ages 3-5 years, were used extensively across the state.  These early learning guidelines were developed to align with the Kindergarten Curriculum Frameworks to ensure a smooth transition for children from the pre-school years to their entry into school.

 

·      Pre-K ELLA (Early Literacy Learning in Arkansas), a comprehensive, 30-hour professional development course was offered state-wide.  Over 100 persons were trained as trainers and by June 30, 2002, over 750 early childhood educators had participated in the training.  This effort will directly affect school readiness in Arkansas.

 

·      Core Quality Component Model for Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) Programs was approved by the State Board of Education.  This quality model established a level of high quality care by increasing teacher qualifications and teacher salaries, increasing the on-going teacher training requirements, specifying a choice of curriculum models and requiring parent and community engagement activities and setting a cost-reimbursement model that reflects quality education programs for children.

 

·      The Child Care for Working Families Act was passed which placed a 3% excise tax on packaged beer and funds are dedicated to the ABC Program (80%) and to child care services for low-income working families (20%).  With the addition of these funds the waiting list for low-income families to receive child care assistance was decreased from 5,131 to 860 families.

 

·      Licensing requirements were revised and now include increases in director and caregiver qualifications, group size limits and changes to reflect new laws on seat belt/safety seats and children’s products.

 

·      Infant and Toddler Framework/Early Learning Guidelines for children ages birth to three years were issued.  Professional development training will be offered to support early caregivers in implementing the guidelines.

 

·      A Winthrop Rockefeller grant was received to support continuation of the Arkansas Parents as Teachers programs.  The grant supports 13 local programs servicing 857 families through a home-based visiting model for children ages birth to three years of age.

 

·      Both School-age and Director Mentor projects have expanded the number of state accredited/quality approved programs.

 

·      The Division entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Arkansas Department of Education/Special Education unit to ensure that Child Development Associate students have training to qualify them to serve as paraprofessionals in school districts.

 

·      Incentive grants were initiated in January of 2002 for all programs meeting the State Accreditation/Quality Approval standards.  The grant is made available annually for programs meeting the higher standard of care.

 

·      “Family Connections” and a guide for parents and teachers explaining the Early Childhood (3-5 years) Curriculum Framework was developed and made available statewide.

 

 

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

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THE DIVISION OF CHILD CARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOK EDUCATION

 

 

Highlights and accomplishments during the past year include: (continued)

 

 

·      An English as a Second Language (ESL) Early Childhood Academy was held in September of 2001.  The session brought together early childhood educators, teachers, administrators, Head Start and public school representatives in an effort to provide extensive training for persons working with families and young children who are English Language learners.  From this academy was developed a two-day training that provided an overview of cultural diversity and information on language development for young children learning a second language.

 

·      The Division implemented a Department of Labor Grant for the Child Care Apprenticeship program, that established local child care Apprenticeship committees in six areas of the state.  The local Apprenticeship committees received funding to establish Teacher Learning Centers (TLC) for local early educators.

 

·      The Governors Family Friendly Employer Initiative was implemented.  The Arkansas Corporate Champions for Children originally recommended this initiative to the Governor.  Business and employers will be nominated as “family friendly” locations.  The selections and award ceremony will take place in the spring of 2003.

 

·      A priority has been placed on the social and emotional development of young children through an established work group on the mental health needs of young children.  Pilot projects are proposed to extend training opportunities to early educators and mental health professionals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AR DHS Statistical Report SFY 2002

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