Increasing the quality of North Texas Early Childhood Care Programs

In the continuing effort to increase the number of children who have access to and receive quality early childhood programming, the North Texas Area United Way is announcing a Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the Race for the Stars early childhood quality improvement program.

Application ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All applicants must submit a proposal through United Way’s Community Techknowledge database.   Training and information on the database will be provided at the mandatory pre-application meeting as outlined below.   The application will be available for completion immediately following the first pre-application conference. 

A copy of the application for review only is available here.
A copy of the Critical Needs Award is available here.
A copy of the Race for the Stars Levels is available here.

 

Impact Target ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Increase the number of children who have access to and are receiving quality early childhood education.

This project is looking to fund the following:

• A quality improvement program for three early childhood education centers(serving a total of approximately 250 children) and providers that want to increase the quality of their program so children are more prepared for school.

The quality improvement program will incorporate the following:

• Professional development
• Intensive coaching/mentoring
• A director support/exchange group that focuses of best practice exchange
• Child care provider incentives
• Parent Engagement Group
• Assessment of current child care quality using the ITERS/ECERS environmental rating system and Caregiver Interaction Assessment.  Results from the assessment will be used to develop a quality improvement plan. 
• Comprehensive professional development program for early childhood education staff.  Professional development will include access to scholarships for CDA (child development associate) certificate and a year long logical, coherent, professional development plan.
• Devise and implement parent engagement groups and parent newsletter to facilitate parental involvement in child care centers. 

 

Eligible Organizations ---------------------------------------------------------------

 

Requirements of submitting organizations:

• Must be a certified tax exempt organization (501c3, religious organization, etc.) that provides services within Wichita County.
• Must have a current Texas State Child Care license without current violations and in compliance with regulations.
• Must serve infants, toddlers, and/or pre-kindergarten children
• Each child care center must want to improve quality of program
• Prior to the initial assessment of the child care center by the assessor each center director will complete a self-assessment of program before September 1, 2010.  Self assessment materials will be available through the North Texas Area United Way.
• A center must have maintained license for a minimum of two years

>> Download the RFP here

>> Download a Preview copy of the Application

>> Download the 2011 CDA Application