Red River Ready Start Network Blueprint

INTRODUCTION

We are a very small rural early childhood network in northwest Louisiana, the Red River Parish Early Childhood Community Network (RRPECCN).  The Red River Parish Network currently   consists of four PreK-3 and one PreK-4 Head Start classrooms, and four Pre-K classrooms located at one elementary public school site. Currently, we do not have a childcare center that serves infants or toddlers. When Early Head Start opens in March 2020, it will be a part of the network.  Early Head Start building is located on the campus of Red River Parish Academic Academy and vocational site.  Early Head Start will serve eight one-year-old students and eight two-year-old students. We have three two-year-old students on the PreK-3 Head Start waiting list. These students will turn three years old by March of 2020.  The Red River Parish School System is the current Head Start grantee as of July 2019.  We are serving all four-year-olds who registered for public Pre-K.

In total, 155 children, three to age five, are served through public funds in the community. Tier I curriculum use has increased from 80% to 100% since 2018. The Network has made growth on the district performance profiles over the last year.  The one childcare center that was in the network has closed, but received a 2018-2019 Birth to Three Honor Roll for the year. The Child Care center increased from 4.96% to 5.30% from 2017-2018 to 2018-2019. The Head Start declined from 5.18% in 2017-2018 to 4.69% in 2018-2019. The school increased from 5.70% in 2017-2018 to 5.72% in 2018-2019. The Overall Score for the school site is 5.37% and the Performance Profile rating is High Proficient.

Guiding Statements

Vision: The vision of the Red River Parish Early Childhood Community Network is to Educate, Evolve and Excel in preparing children for kindergarten and for life.

Mission:  The mission of the Red River Parish Early Childhood Community Network is to promote school readiness by providing our children with Educating Experiences and Evolving Programs while Exceling daily.

Strategic Plan

Goal 1: Increase community awareness of early childcare in Red River Parish to increase funding and resources.

• Develop a Ready Start Network website
• Utilize social media and local newspaper
• Coordinated enrollments events throughout the year

Resources:

• Existing:
  • Annual coordinated enrollment event held in April at Red River Elementary.
• Needed:
  • A Ready Start Network website created and updated frequently by our technology coordinator with input from the network administrators.

Performance Metrics:

Track center and school site monthly enrollment to see if social media and recruitment events are attracting more children.

Goal 2:   Increase three-year old enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year by 2%.

• Add one three-year-old classroom at the elementary school site.
• Add one three-year-old classroom at a Type II childcare center when available.
• Add three-year-old seats at Family Child Care.

Resources:

• Existing:
  • We are grantee of Head Start.
  • Licensing at Head Start Center.
  • The pastor at one of the churches is trying to open a Type II Childcare center.
• Needed:
  • One classroom at the elementary school site.
  • Licensing requirements to open another three-year old classroom.
  • Funding to pay for a certified teacher, para professional, classroom materials, and professional development for the teacher.

Performance Metrics

Child Count data should show increase in students who are served in the additional seats.

Goal 3:  By year 2024-2025, increase the number of birth to 3-year olds served by 5%.

• Send informational campaign flyers to all area churches.
• Contact Early Head Start to assess who has the capacity to serve more children.
• Apply for all local, state, and federal funding opportunities available to the Network.
• Partnership with daycare centers when available for more seat availability.

Resources

• Existing:
  • We are community partners with Early Head Start.
  • Coordinated enrollment flyers.
  • Partner with pastor who is trying to open a daycare center.
• Needed:
  • Funding for postage and mileage.
  • Seats to serve more children.

Performance Metrics

Child Care data should show increase in students served in the additional seats.