ELC Service Area Overview

EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF THE BIG BEND REGION, INC.

SERVICE AREA OVERVIEW PRESENTED BY

HISTORY OF ELC Headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region, Inc (ELC) proudly serves Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla counties. A contracted partner with the State of Florida's Division of Early Learning, ELC is responsible for the administration of the School Readiness (SR) and Voluntary PreKindergarten (VPK) programs.

ELC began operations as the Leon School Readiness Coalition in 2001 as required by the School Readiness Act- F.S. 411.01. In response to legislative requirements, the ELC has gone through several transitions, mergers, name changes, and, in 2005, expanded its service area to encompass the seven counties served today.

Throughout ELC’s 20 years of service, the Board and staff have strived to provide a holistic service delivery system that is responsive to needs of families and communities while maintaining effective and efficient business practices supporting the following primary goals: Children are ready for success when they enter school; and Families have access to the quality child care services and assistance they need.

The ELC staff work everyday at effectively connecting approximately 8,893 children and their families to the early learning program that best meets the needs of the child and family.

Working with a network of over 300 child care programs and local community partners, the ELC provides a comprehensive system of services.

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SCHOOL READINESS Florida’s School Readiness Program (SR) offers financial assistance to help children from lowincome families receive high-quality child care so parents can work or participate in job training.

The program takes into account a child’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual development and provides resources and assistance to families.

Parents can choose from private centers, public schools, and family child care homes.

VOLUNTARY PRE-KINDERGARTEN Florida was one of the first states in the country to offer free pre-kindergarten for all 4-year-olds regardless of family income. The Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK) prepares early learners for success in kindergarten and beyond. VPK helps build a strong foundation for school using educational material corresponding to various stages in a child's development.

To be eligible, children must live in Florida and be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1 of the current school year. Parents can choose from different educational settings and various program options including private child care centers, public schools, and specialized instructional services providers.

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ELC BIG BEND REGION SERVICE AREA

Gadsden County

51%

Ready for Kindergarten

35 Number of Contracted Providers 19

Number of Providers offering School Readiness

16

Number of Providers offering VPK

Number of Special Needs Providers available in Gadsden County

$3.4M 1,208

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Amount ELC invested in the community for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year

County Overview Gadsden County, Florida is comprised of six towns in which the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region (ELC) serves: Quincy, Chattahoochee, Gretna, Greensboro, Havana, and Midway.

Gadsden County has a population over 45,000. Of the 15,876 households, 32% have children under the age of 18 living with them.

19% of the county's population lives below the poverty line. Gadsden County is the only majority African-American county in Florida.

Children enrolled in VPK and/or School Readiness in Gadsden County for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year 4

ELC BIG BEND REGION SERVICE AREA

Taylor County

44%

Ready for Kindergarten

17 Number of Contracted Providers 10

Number of Providers offering School Readiness

7

Number of Providers offering VPK

Number of Special Needs Providers available in Taylor County

$1.3M

399

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Amount ELC invested in the community for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year

County Overview Taylor County, Florida is comprised of four towns in which the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region (ELC) serves: Perry, Salem, Shady Grove, and Steinhatchee, Taylor County has a population over 22,000 and is known as the "Tree Capital of the South." 18% of the county's population lives below the poverty line.

Of the 7,000 households in the county, 32% have children under the age of 18 living with them.

Children enrolled in VPK and/or School Readiness in Taylor County for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year 5

ELC BIG BEND REGION SERVICE AREA

Jefferson County

32%

Ready for Kindergarten

9 Number of Contracted Providers 6

Number of Providers offering School Readiness

3

Number of Providers offering VPK

Number of Special Needs Providers available in Jefferson County

$1.3M

244

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County Overview Jefferson County, Florida is comprised of four towns in which the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region (ELC) serves: Monticello, Lamont, LLoyd, and Wacissa.

Jefferson County has a population over 14,000 and is the only county in Florida which borders both the state of Georgia and the Gulf of Mexico. 17% of the county's population lives below the poverty line.

Amount ELC invested in the community for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year

Children enrolled in VPK and/or School Readiness in Jefferson County for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year 6

ELC BIG BEND REGION SERVICE AREA

Wakulla County

52% 17

Ready for Kindergarten

Number of Contracted Providers of Providers offering 9 Number School Readiness

8

Number of Providers offering VPK

Number of Special Needs Providers available in Wakulla County

$1.5M

603

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County Overview Wakulla County, Florida is comprised of four towns in which the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region (ELC) serves: Saint Marks, Crawfordville, Panacea, and Sopchoppy.

Wakulla County has a population over 30,000 and of the 8,450 households, 36% have children under the age of 18 living with them. 11% of the county's population lives below the poverty line.

Amount ELC invested in the community for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year

Children enrolled in VPK and/or School Readiness in Wakulla County for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year 7

ELC BIG BEND REGION SERVICE AREA

Madison County

64% 24

Ready for Kindergarten

Number of Contracted Providers

18

Number of Providers offering School Readiness

6

Number of Providers offering VPK

Number of Special Needs Providers available in Madison County

$1.1M

374

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County Overview Madison County, Florida is comprised of three towns in which the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region (ELC) serves: Madison, Greenville, and Lee. Madison County has a population over 19,000. Of the 6,629 households, 32% have children under the age of 18 living with them. 23% of the county's population lives below the poverty line.

Amount ELC invested in the community for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year

Children enrolled in VPK and/or School Readiness in Madison County for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year 8

ELC BIG BEND REGION SERVICE AREA

Liberty County

61%

Ready for Kindergarten

2

Number of Contracted Providers

0

Number of Providers offering School Readiness

2

Number of Providers offering VPK

Number of Special Needs Providers available in Madison County

$291,372

108

0

Amount ELC invested in the community for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year

County Overview Liberty County, Florida is comprised of four towns in which the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region (ELC) serves: Bristol, Hosford, Lake Mystic, and Sumatra.

Liberty County has a population over 8,000. Of the 2,222 households, 34% have children under the age of 18 living with them. 20% of the county's population lives below the poverty line.

The children served in this county receive child care in neighboring counties, (those in which the caregiver works).

Liberty County Children enrolled in VPK and/or School Readiness for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year

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ELC BIG BEND REGION SERVICE AREA

Leon County

62% 238

Ready for Kindergarten

Number of Contracted Providers

138

Number of Providers offering School Readiness

100

Number of Providers offering VPK

Number of Special Needs Providers available in Leon County

$18.4M 5,957

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Amount ELC invested in the community for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year

County Overview Leon County, Florida is comprised of two towns in which the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region (ELC) serves: Tallahassee and Woodville.

Leon County has a population over 293,000. Of the 113,658 households, 12% are singleparent households. 21% of the county's population lives below the poverty line.

ELC serves one in three Leon County children through the child care assistance or VPK program, including zip code 32304, Florida's poorest zip code.

Children enrolled in VPK and/or School Readiness in Leon County for 2020-2021 Fiscal Year 10

REFERENCES Florida Department of Education, Fall 2020 Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener (FLKRS)

Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region, Inc, School Readiness and VPK Enrollment Data, FY 2020-2021

Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region, Inc, Contracted Provider Data, FY 2020-2021

We thank you for your support in our efforts to prepare every child in the Big Bend Region for success in school.

Contact Lizbeth Murphy, CEO

lmurphy@elcbigbend.org Arnold McKay, CPO

amckay@elcbigbend.org 2639 North Monroe Street Building C, Suite 300 Tallahassee, FL 32303 (850) 385-0504 www.elcbigbend.org

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