State of the State What’s Working for Nevada’s Young Children?

1. State of the StateWhat’s Working for Nevada’s Young Children? Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Director’s Office Head Start Collaboration and Early Childhood Systems Margot Chappel, Director mchappel@dhhs.nv.gov 775-684-0454

2. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • State Pre-Kindergarten • Head Start • Child Care Subsidies • Early Childhood Mental Health • Early Intervention (IDEA Part C – 0-3 years) • Early Childhood Special Education (IDEA Part B – 3-5 years)

3. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • State Pre-Kindergarten • During the 2001 Nevada Legislature, $3.5 million per year for Fiscal Years 2002 and 2003 was initially allocated to establish a comprehensive early childhood education program across Nevada. The legislature authorized the Nevada Department of Education to offer competitive grants to school districts and community-based organizations to initiate or expand prekindergarten education programs.

4. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • State Pre-Kindergarten • budget to fund early childhood education was approved at $3,338,875 for Fiscal Year 2010 and $3,338,875 for Fiscal Year 2011. • 1,232 children were served by these programs across the state in FY2010, representing just 1.5 percent of the estimated 83,181 three- to four-year-old children in Nevada (2009 American Community Survey). 

5. What We Know… • Short-term effects of State Pre-K • large cognitive gains in preschool • better prepared to enter kindergarten academically • especially important for the large number of English language learners in the program http://www.doe.nv.gov/SpecialEdResources/Nevada_ECE_Annual_and_Longitudinal_Report_2008-09_FINAL.pdf

6. What We Know… • Long-term effects of State Pre-K • By grade 2, children continued showing improvement in significant learning gains they achieved in preschool • maintained the gains achieved in preschool through grade 4 • Nevada ECE children continued to reduce the achievement gap between children in poverty and the national average through grade 2.

7. Nevada State Pre-Kindergarten

8. State Pre-K Participation Rates (per 100)

9. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • Head Start • Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote school readiness for economically disadvantaged children by enhancing their social and cognitive development through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services.

10. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • Head Start • Head Start programs serve children ages 3-5 and their families. Early Head Start programs serve pregnant women and children birth to 3 and their families. The federal Office of Head Start (OHS) provides grants to operate both Head Start and Early Head Start programs directly to public and private agencies in Nevada.

11. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • Head Start • 2,754 funded enrollment statewide during FY2009 ($24,000,000) • 3,114 with ARRA • 276 EHS (less than ¼% of the population 0-3) – estimated population found online at http://nitcci.nccic.acf.hhs.gov/states/NevadaFINAL.htm • 2,838 HS (3% of all 3-5 year olds) – Nevada Department of Education State Pre-K Longitudinal Study

12. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • Head Start • The family of every child enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start are assisted in completing a physical screening including vision, hearing, hemoglobin, lead and growth records. Children also receive a dental screening and any necessary follow-up. Families are also assisted in keeping immunizations up-to-date.

13. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • Head Start • Currently, child outcome data for children enrolled in HS and EHS programs in Nevada are not collected at the state level. Although one of the new federal priorities for Head Start Collaboration Offices is to: • Promote interoperability between the Head Start data system(s) and those of state preschool and k-12 systems that includes the assignment of unique State Assigned Student Identifiers (SASIDs) that remain with students throughout their prek-12 public education, so that Head Start participants can be included in state data collection efforts, longitudinal studies, and tracking systems that demonstrate sustainable educational outcomes.

14. Nevada Head Start Enrollment

15. Head Start Participation Rates

16. State Population (3-5 Year Olds)

17. Head Start & State Pre-K Combined

18. Combined Participation Rates

19. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • Child Care Subsidies • The CCDF Child Care Program assists low-income families, families receiving temporary public assistance and those transitioning from public assistance in obtaining child care so they can work or attend training/school. • Approximately 7,000 children receive subsidies in a given year (estimate based on 2008 numbers)

20. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • Child Care Subsidies • CCDF funds are also used for Quality activities to improve the quality of child care by financially assisting child care providers in their professional development and maintaining healthy, safe, appropriate learning environments for children 0 to 12 years of age.

21. State Programs (Early Childhood Education – Quality Improvement) • Nevada Registry – Career Ladder placement and training approval for licensed child care providers • Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada) • Quality Rating and Improvement System (southern pilot)

22. State Programs (Early Childhood Education – Quality Improvement) • State Pre-Kindergarten Standards aligned with K-12 standards (next iteration includes Infant/Toddler Learning Guidelines) • Accreditation Technical Assistance • Informal training for both providers and parents • Economic Impact Study of the Early Care and Education Industry in Nevada

23. State Programs (Early Childhood Education – Quality Improvement) • Statewide Child Care Resource and Referral • Early Childhood Mental and Behavioral Health Services • Addressing Behavioral Challenges (ABC) in the Reno area • DCFS Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation in Southern Nevada Without ARRA funding, Quality set aside will be reduced. Not sure which of these programs will be cut.

24. State Programs (Early Childhood Education) • Early Intervention (IDEA Part C – 0-3 years) • Percent of infants and toddlers with IFSPs who demonstrate improved: A. Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships); B. Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/communication); and C. Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs. *In 2010, 3,805 children under three were served by NEIS and community providers. In 2006, just 1,530 children were served.

25. State Programs (Health) • Nevada Check UP • Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) benefits (well-child check-ups) • Child Care Health Consultation (referrals and meeting coordination only – services provided at local levels)

26. State Programs (Early Childhood Mental Health) • Technical Assistance Center for Social Emotional Intervention (partnership TA grant) • Early Childhood Mental Health Treatment – Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) • Child Care Mental Health Consultation

27. Early Childhood Advisory Council • Established by Executive Order September 2009 • Purpose: to strengthen state-level coordination and collaboration among the various sectors and settings of early childhood programs.  Vision: “Nevada’s children will be safe, healthy, and thriving during the first eight years of life, and the system will support children and families in achieving their full potential.”

28. Planned and Promising • Statewide Home Visiting Program (Health Division) • Early Childhood Data Warehouse (NICRP funded by CCDF ARRA) • Local Early Childhood Advisory Councils (ECCS)

29. Planned and Promising (continued) Fiscal Mapping project – • funding map of federal, state and private expenditures on programs and services for young children and their families • Analysis of the effectiveness of current funding for Nevada’s system, highlighting the diversification and adequacy of existing funding, the stability and flexibility of available programs and funding sources, and issues related to coordinating funding from multiple public- and private-sector sources.

30. Planned and Promising (continued) • Conduct a Study of Availability of Quality Early Care and Education (ECAC ARRA) • Feasibility Study and Plan to Develop a Coordinated Statewide Early Childhood Data Collection System linked to School Readiness Initiative (ECAC ARRA)

31. Planned and Promising (continued) Comprehensive Early Childhood Plan – • estimated costs to provide comprehensive services to children in frontier, rural and urban areas of Nevada so that their health, mental health, parent education, family support and early care and education needs are met to promote children’s readiness for school entry

32. Do These Benefits Disappear? • James Heckman, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago • “Data from economists, social scientists and medical experts conclusively shows that the answer is to invest in comprehensive early childhood development—from birth to age five—particularly in disadvantaged children and their families.”

33. Do These Benefits Disappear? • James Heckman, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago • “…the focus on the so-called “drop-off” in elementary years is based solely on cognitive achievement, which data shows is less than half of the equation for success. It also overlooks the fact that many Head Start children move from a nurturing early education environment into low quality elementary schools. Gains made in early childhood education must be sustained with quality education.

34. Do These Benefits Disappear? • James Heckman, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago • “Yet, throughout the course of their education and lives, Head Start graduates tend to be more persistent in their education, more inclined to healthy behaviors and less inclined to be involved in criminal activity. Early Head Start and Head Start are programs on which to build and improve—not to cut.– excerpt from his letter to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Reform

35. Heckman’s Recommendations to the Commission • Invest significant resources in a quality early childhood education system for disadvantaged children. • Put money in quality programs. • Expand upon proven models. • Braid funding streams. • Collect and analyze data. Nevada’s Early Childhood Advisory Council activities include all of the above.