Sound Child Care Solutions A Consortium of Centers, Better Together

1. Sound Child Care Solutions A Consortium of Centers, Better Together Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

2. What is SCCS, “the Consortium”? • Non-profit structure for high quality centers to join together • Share ‘back office’ functions to streamline & strengthen business practice • Retain feeling of small (name, community & family identity) • Center director / corporate officers retain authority over their center • Shared Leadership across centers • Anti-racism focus Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

3. Who are we? • Diana Bender • 10 yrs at City of Seattle (Early HS, Financing) • Master’s from Harvard • Significant Fundraising, Financial Analysis, Management experience • Laura McAlister • 25 years with children, families & teachers as teacher, Center Director and College Professor • Master’s Pacific Oaks • Significant Coaching and Teacher Training experience Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

4. Questions We Ponder • Why are most kids in sub-standard care? • Why is there a gap between what parents can pay and what it costs? • Why do directors, on average, burn-out and leave after 2 years? • Why do boards burn-out? • Why do teachers have trouble gaining credentials? • How can directors be expected to simultaneously be great business people and visionary educational leaders? Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

5. Why Create a Consortium? • Better together • Economic strength from being a larger organization • Stronger administration supports higher quality in classroom • Financial discounts from economies of scale • Comprehensive approach to professional development Technology tools streamline business; help teachers individualize teaching Industry Trend towards consolidation; avoids “McDonalds” of child care Avoids director and board burn-out Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

6. Consortium Central Responsibilities Financial (Payroll, Benefits, Billing) Bulk purchasing goods & services Professional Development system Fundraising & Development (Re) Accreditation support Staff Recruitment Substitute Pool Technology Helping infuse Culturally Relevant Anti-Bias Practice Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

7. Directors Remain in Charge • Hire, fire and all supervision • Sign off timesheets and parent bills • Create and manage Center Budget • Make all decisions re education, curriculum & family participation • Share in decisions affecting more than one center (vendors, insurance, professional development system, SCCS-wide budget) Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

8. Benefits to Centers: Savings at Scale Categories of savings: • Purchasing goods & services (5-15%) • Eliminating duplicative administrative effort • Depends on decisions team makes together over time Financial modeling shows with 6th center, savings of • $10-30,000 (depends on size of center joining) Savings continue to accrue as later centers join Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

9. Benefits to Centers Financial Management: Directors do budgets (with support), Advisory Board approves, Financial Analysis Professional Development: Directors as Executives, Career Pathways, Mentor Teacher/sub pool Fundraising: Larger Impact, Access to more Grant Opportunities Operations Support: Shared Best Practices & Problem-solving, Avoid Director & Board burn-out, Shared Commitment to Culturally Relevant Anti-Bias Practice Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

10. Most Cost-Efficient Way to Organize • Center staff become SCCS employees • Center Director becomes SCCS Corporate Officer • Center Board becomes Center Advisory Board Center Director makes all Center management decisions (hiring, daily supervision, budget) Decisions affecting more than one center made by Consortium Leadership Team (Center Directors, VP Finance, Laura & Diana) Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

11. Frequently Asked Questions • What about our assets? (They can be protected.) • Why should I ‘give’ my center to you? (We don’t want it!) • What’s the cost? (None; We’re raising start-up costs then it’s sustainable.) • Do I have to use all services? (No) Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

12. What is Sound Child Care Solutions looking for? • Strong Staff and Director • Source of Outside Funding • Shared Values: • Early childhood education quality • Access for low income children • Culturally Relevant, Anti-bias policy and practice • Willingness to engage with new technology • Commitment to professional development Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL

13. Process SCCS raising funds to cover first year operations Overall process Exploration Phase Discussion Phase Commitment Phase Sound Child Care Solutions CONFIDENTIAL