Preschool Development Grant
Grant Announcement
In September 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care released a Funding Opportunity Announcement for the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) Initial Grant. Wyoming was included as one of ten states and territories eligible for this grant program. The John P. Ellbogen Foundation funded a grant writer to support the state’s effort in application development and submission.
In September and October 2019, Wyoming Kids First and the Wyoming Governor’s Office formed an Application Team to help develop Wyoming’s application. The Application Team met for an introductory video conference on 9/10/19 and for two in-person meetings: on 9/16/19 in Cheyenne, and on 10/3/19 and 10/4/19 in Casper. In addition, broader stakeholder input was gathered through an online survey, which received 98 responses, and an in-person stakeholder meeting on 10/3/19 in Casper.
Grant Awarded
In late December of 2019, Wyoming received word that they were awarded a Preschool Development Grant. The Governor’s Early Childhood State Advisory Council worked closely with the grant manager, Align, to ensure grant activities were carried out as identified in the application and as directed by the federal government. The total federal dollars awarded were $2,098,776. Work began on December 31 to address five activities:
- Conducting a statewide B-5 needs assessment
- Developing a statewide B-5 strategic plan
- Maximizing parental knowledge and choice
- Sharing best practices among early childhood care and education (ECE) providers
- Improving overall program quality
Wyoming (WY) proposed to build on existing initiatives and programs to develop statewide capacity to provide Wyoming’s leaders, programs, and parents with the knowledge and tools to provide high-quality early childhood care and education (ECE) experiences for all of WY’s youngest learners that prepare them for kindergarten, especially those from vulnerable and underserved populations.
Wyoming PDG-R
In 2021 Wyoming was awarded a continuation of funding in order to implement the work outlined in the Strategic Plan from the Initial Grant.
2021 – 2023 Strategic Plan
This Early Childhood Strategic Plan describes a path towards achieving a vision and mission for all children and families in the state. The goals, strategies, and action steps herein are rooted in Wyoming’s guiding principles. Each section of the wheel below is an essential part of realizing the Preschool Development Grant’s mission and vision.
Vision +
Wyoming envisions a future in which:
All children are safe, healthy, nurtured, and prepared for the successes and challenges ahead of them in school, the workforce, and life.
All families are supported, stable, and economically secure; they help their children explore, grow, and learn in safe and nurturing places.
Communities and the state collaborate to align resources, programs, services, and policies that maximize outcomes across family supports, health, and early learning.
Mission +
To co-construct, implement, and advocate for the systems and conditions that are necessary for all of Wyoming’s young children and their families to be safe, healthy, valued, and thriving.
Click through the wheel below for an overview of the progress made so far!
1.
Family Empowerment, Knowledge, and Choice
Families must be supported as their child’s first teacher, have what they need to make informed decisions, and be able to access services where they live and work. Wyoming has the opportunity to build on ongoing efforts to further communicate the importance of a child’s first 5 years of life and the impact that a child’s early development can have on their future success.
Awareness-building efforts should incorporate the latest research and guidance, including developmental milestones and suggested activities for families to support the healthy growth and development of their young children. A centralized and comprehensive ECE and birth through 5 (B-5) information source would both allow families to access information about available services and strengthen the ability of ECE and B-5 service providers to make referrals. This focus area will build upon ongoing efforts to communicate about the importance of a child’s first 5 years of life and the impact that a child’s early development can have on their future.
Progress Summary
Resources for WY Educators
Resources for WY Families
2.
Connection and Access to ECE and B-5 Services
Families with young children must have their basic needs met and be connected to supports and resources that help them be independent and resilient. At the local level, many ECE and B-5 service providers stay informed of the available services in their area and refer families to appropriate services. There is an opportunity for the state to build on these local efforts by developing and offering information and tools to support ECE and B-5 service navigation. This focus area will build upon the work described in the Family Empowerment, Knowledge, and Choice focus area to expand connection and access to the range of ECE and B-5 services throughout the state.
Progress Summary
Resources for WY Educators
Resources for WY Families
3.
Transitions
Children and their families experience many formal and informal transitions throughout a child’s first 5 years of life, which have an impact on development and learning. These transitions may include a new child care or preschool teacher, changing ECE programs, beginning kindergarten, moving to a new house, the arrival of a sibling, and more. There is an essential need to support young children and families during times of transition, and schools and communities must respond with greater intention to ensure children’s success. This focus area builds off of the recently established Transitions Task Force and outlines comprehensive supports for families to navigate transitions and to build their resilience and ability to navigate future transitions.
Progress Summary
Family transition framework
Transition resources/learning opportunities for ECE and grades K-3
Resources for WY Educators
Resources for WY Families
4.
Early Childhood Education Quality
Advancing child outcomes relies on a well-articulated path to quality. There is clear evidence demonstrating the positive impacts that high quality ECE experiences during a child’s first 5 years of life can have on their long term success. There are a number of systems and frameworks that support the quality of ECE programs in Wyoming including, accreditation processes, the state’s child care licensing requirements, Head Start requirements and guidelines, and the statewide Early Learning Guidelines (ELGs, about children B-2) and Foundations (ELFs, about children 3-5). The Wyoming Quality Learning Network was convened in 2020 to develop a vision for ECE quality for the state. This focus area will implement the resulting resource document, Coherent Path to Quality (CP2Q): Creating a Shared Vision to Ensure High Quality Learning for Wyoming’s Children, to promote continuity and consistency of relationships, environments, and experiences for all children in the state.
Progress Summary
Trauma-informed practice and resilience consultant
Resources for WY Educators
Resources for WY Families
6.
Governance, Systems, and Data
Communities must be empowered and supported by the state to create the necessary conditions for families and children to thrive. At the state level, Wyoming has considerable opportunity to strengthen the coordination and alignment of programs supporting young children and their families. The Early Childhood Governance Task Force was appointed in 2020 to recommend an early childhood governance structure for the state. This focus area will build on the ongoing work of the Task Force to maximize opportunities for coordination, alignment, and funding to provide the best possible services and support for families, educators, and communities.
Progress Summary
Governance
Early childhood information data system