Cincinnati Preschool Promise - 2022 Impact Report

2022 Impact Report

Cincinnati Preschool Promise Board of Managers Dr. O’Dell M. Owens MD, MPH, Chair Deborah Allsop Verline Dotson Terri England Christine Fisher Marcia Futel Anthony Hobson Jalissa Hutchins

Micah Kamrass Gary Lindgren Crystal Perkins Laura Sanregret Bishop Ennis Tait Sallie Westheimer H.James Williams, PhD

Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education Ben Lindy, President Eve Bolton Brandon Craig Carolyn Jones

Kareem Moncree-Moffett, PhD Mike Moroski Mary Wineberg

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Cincinnati Preschool Promise reflects Cincinnati’s commitment to giving every child a solid foundation by enabling them to show up for kindergarten ready to learn. We are excited to share how we have kept the promises made to the community, early childhood educators, families, and our children.

The impact of the strategic investments of money, time, and expertise is a significant expansion enabling equitable access to high-quality preschools.

I hope you are inspired by what we have accomplished together and the opportunities ahead.

Sincerely,

Chara Fisher Jackson Executive Director & CEO

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OUR MISSION To ensure equitable access to high-quality preschool so that every Cincinnati child is prepared for kindergarten.

OUR VISION Our region values preschool as an integral part of a child’s education and as an important support for working families. The community acknowledges that the best outcomes are possible with continuous access to high-quality education, beginning with preschool, and ongoing engagement throughout a child’s educational experience. This is especially true for children with the greatest need.

Kindergarten readiness, and third grade reading are short-term benefits of increased participation in preschool.

The longer-term benefits, from middle school through high school, will produce a more qualified workforce and community.

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OUR STORY Cincinnati Preschool Promise is possible thanks to a significant investment from taxpayers. In 2016, and again in 2020, a five-year Cincinnati Public Schools levy was approved with overwhelming support.

The levy allocated $33 million per year to strengthen K-12 education and $15 million per year to expand access to quality preschools.

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OUR ABCs

= We expand ACCESS to affordable quality preschool for Cincinnati children and families.

We BUILD partnerships with Providers to increase high-quality programs.

We CONTRIBUTE to an equitable early childhood community to sustain high-quality programs and results.

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Preschoolers ready for kindergarten.

IMPACT NUMBERS 2021-2022 Community Providers Tuition Assistance Preschools Students Received Tuition Assistance

Students in Extended Learning Session

1

Quality Improvement Preschools

High-Quality Seats Created

Preschools Participating in Coaching

Staff Support Fund Preschools

Teachers Supported with Promise Grants

211

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Preschools Reached High-Quality

OUR IMPACT

73%

of preschoolers who received tuition assistance through the Cincinnati Preschool Promise showed up for kindergarten ready to learn. As measured by the 2021-2022 Overall Ohio Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Revised (KRA-R).

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Community-based Preschools earned 3-stars or more on Ohio’s SUTQ rating system, creating the capacity for 310 preschoolers to access high-quality learning experiences.

93%

of parents surveyed would not have been able to afford the full cost of preschool without tuition assistance from Cincinnati Preschool Promise.

62

New teachers were awarded Teacher Promise Grants from the Cincinnati Preschool Promise encouraging them to continue their careers in early childhood education and reducing the turnover rate at community preschools.

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A FATHER’S PERSPECTIVE Deontre Davis is a millennial father who realizes the importance of preschool for his children. As a former preschooler, Deontre grew up next door to his preschool provider, Robyn Perkins, in Winton Terrace. He credits her with making learning fun and wants his daughter, Deonna, to have a similar experience. Deonna is a bright fouryear-old who loves reading and writing assignments. When asked why she likes Deontre & preschool, Deonna says she Deonna Davis wants to go to school every day so she can learn with her friends.

Deontre knows his daughter is in good hands because he trusts Ms. Robyn and knows she will give Deonna a high-quality education.

Deonna with preschool friends

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EXPANDING ACCESS PRESCHOOLERS SERVED AT COMMUNITY PROVIDERS

951

The Tuition Assistance Program extends access to preschool to families beyond financial support from other sources.

As the “last dollar in,” we help close the funding gap for those who otherwise could not afford preschool.

856

4,111 922

760

622

Families are eligible for Tuition Assistance if they: • Have a child who is 3 or 4 years old by September 30th, • Reside in the Cincinnati Public Schools district boundaries, and • Live at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level, which equates to about $79,500 for a family of four.

2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22

PRESCHOOLERS SERVED AT CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Tuition Assistance helps Community Providers maintain or increase their quality ratings, so they are better able to provide higher wages, benefits and more, for the early childhood educators they employ.

719

799

3,844 892

833 601

2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22

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EXPANDING ACCESS SPEND ON TUITION ASSISTANCE

$6,123,000

$7,589,000

$9,560,000

$7,414,000

$10,950,000

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

$41,636,000

COMMUNITY PROVIDERS PARTICIPATING IN TUITION ASSISTANCE

2017-18

40

2018-19

58

2019-20

87

2020-21

115

2021-22

135

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ACCESS GRANTED

5-Year Impact in Numbers 7,955

1,415

268

Preschoolers enrolled

New high-quality seats created through Quality Improvement

Community Providers in CPP Network

185

53

$41,636,000

Teacher Promise Grant recipients

Preschools awarded Staff Support Funds

Invested in Tuition Assistance

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PROVIDER INSIGHTS Robyn Perkins,

25 years as a Family Child Care Provider.

Southwest Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children; 2021 Family Childcare Provider of the Year.

Sherry Johnson,

26 years as a Family Child Care Provider.

Serving special needs preschoolers.

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BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives support Community Providers who are working to reach three or more stars on Ohio’s Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) rating system. SUTQ recognizes and promotes research-based learning and development programs that exceed licensing, health, and safety regulations, leading to improved outcomes for children.

Providers seeking a high-quality ratings of three or more stars are eligible to receive: • Coaching • Curriculum and assessment tools • Developmentally appropriate materials PROVIDERS IN COACHING

COACHING HOURS

17,263

211

10,880

141

6,353

2019-20

2020-21

2019-20

2021-22

14

146

2020-21

2021-22

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS The Quality Improvement Program continues to increase the number of Community Preschool Providers in the Cincinnati Public School District with a high-quality rating.

However, success means there will be incrementally fewer Community Providers in the ecosystem with a quality rating of less than 3-stars ready for active participation in Cincinnati Preschool Promise on track to an increased star rating.

PROVIDERS IN QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

513

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROVIDERS INCREASING QUALITY RATING

141 126

210

119 95

69 50

51

35

32 5 2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

2017-18

15

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS MOVING TO HIGH-QUALITY

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROVIDERS WHO ACHIEVED HIGH-QUALITY

1

37 29

34,796 HOURS OF COACHING

23

11 2 2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

102

HIGH-QUALITY SEATS CREATED

HIGH-QUALITY

385

3

4

310

1,415

271

SEATS CREATED

80

2018

2019

2020

SITES CONVERTED TO TA

PROVIDERS

369

2017

115

2021

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A FAMILY LEGACY When Steven and Vanessa King opened Where The Sidewalk Ends Academy five years ago, their goal was to start building a family legacy in early childhood education. Vanessa took her experience in banking and her husband’s as a Teacher’s Assistant to launch their business. It is a natural outgrowth of their combined interests and addresses the preschool needs of both their family and community.

Vanessa’s mother, Mimi Singleton, is also a member of the family business as a Lead Teacher and a proud Cincinnati Preschool Promise Teacher Promise Grant recipient. She uses her grant to reinvest in the Mimi preschool by offering innovative programming Singleton, Lead Teacher, and that exposes children to new educational experiences.

Vanessa King, Working together, with the support of Cincinnati Administrator, Preschool Promise, Where The Sidewalk Ends has Where The Sidewalk Ends become a successful, multi-generational small business that keeps the promises of equitable wages for teachers and preparing children for kindergarten by providing a high-quality preschool experience.

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SUSTAINING QUALITY A skilled and committed early childhood education workforce is essential to having a high-quality preschool. Cincinnati Preschool Promise assists with recruitment, retention, and wage parity through two wage pilot programs: Teacher Promise Grants (TPG) and the Staff Support Fund. TPG grants of up to $4,000 incentivize teachers to continue their professional careers at highquality preschools, thus reducing employee turnover. As a result, retention rates for TPG recipients are higher than the national average.

TEACHER PROMISE GRANT RECIPIENTS

185

The Staff Support Fund provides grants of $3,000 to help Quality Improvement Providers address workforce challenges.

Funding can be used to: • Offer retention, recruitment, or advancement bonuses, • Offset costs for health insurance and other benefits, • Supplement teachers’ wages, or • Support the pursuit of an early childhood education degree or credentials.

In addition to our pilot programs, strategic partnerships with colleges, universities, and credentialing entities help expand the early childhood education pipeline.

STAFF SUPPORT FUND PRESCHOOLS

62

53

33

57

20

54

12

2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22

2020-21 2021-22

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SUSTAINING QUALITY DIRECT PROGRAM SPENDING $497,000

$1,132,000

$10,950,000

$41,636,000

$1,441,000

$5,803,000

2021-2022

2017-2022

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Cincinnati Preschool Promise 2400 Reading Road • Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 www.cincy-promise.org • 513-447-4277

Cincy Preschool Promise