DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sarah Baray, Ph.D.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Teachers 4 Toddlers Program
SUMMARY:
This item requests board action to accept funds from the Beldon Family Foundation in an amount of $76,000.00 for continuation of the “Teachers 4 Toddlers Program (T4T Program)”, which aims to address the critical shortage of highly skilled infant-toddler teachers in San Antonio.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Using a shared services model that has proven successful in other parts of the nation, Pre-K 4 SA and United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County are working with a coalition of San Antonio child care providers to leverage automation of services and economies of scale to build a sustainable business model that allows child care providers to invest in quality improvements. Developing and retaining skilled teachers is a key goal of the Shared Services Coalition. While Pre-K 4 SA offers free training, including a course that allows child care teachers to obtain a nationally-recognized teaching credential, providers are unable to cover costs associated with having teachers attend training or offer incentives to retain teachers once they are credentialed.
The “T4T Program” supports the goals of the Shared Services Coalition and builds on existing efforts by Pre-K 4 SA to increase the quality of child care in San Antonio. The program accomplishes this by addressing the critical shortage of highly skilled infant-toddler teachers in San Antonio through creating a career pathway that allows child care teachers to obtain teaching credentials and earn a stipend for serving as infant-toddler teachers in child care centers serving low-income children.
Pre-K 4 SA and the Beldon Family Foundation established the “T4T Program” through an MOU approved by the Pre-K 4 SA Board of Directors on January 28, 2020, and a $25,000 grant contribution from the Beldon Family Foundation. Under the MOU, Pre-K 4 SA is responsible for administering and providing oversight of the program including establishing policies and procedures, executing application documents signed by candidates and child development centers, providing financial and accounting services, conducting program evaluation, and issuing program reports. Pre-K 4 SA also provides the credentialing course and credential exam preparation.
In its first year, the “T4T Program” established the following project goals:
1. Supporting a cohort of childcare workers from the Shared Services Coalition child development centers to obtain the Infant/Toddler Child Development Associates (CDA) Credential, thereby improving the quality of early childhood educators;
2. Contribute to San Antonio’s economic development by:
• Increasing the education level of infant/toddler educators
• Increasing the retention rate among highly skilled infant-toddler educators
3. Incentivize retention to stabilize program fidelity and maximize impact by offering $1,500 stipend to educators and funds for course costs:
• $500 stipend for completing 120-hr CDA course and passing CDA exam
• $500 for remaining in position for 6 months
• $500 for remaining in position for 1 year
• Cost of CDA certification ($425)
• Potential to continue in future years
Pre-K 4 SA enrolled two cohorts totaling 21 participants in the first year of the program, of which 12 were scholarship participants. Collectively, the two cohorts have impacted 305 infants and toddlers in San Antonio. An additional 19 childcare workers have registered for Cohort 3, which is slated to begin in January 2021.
With the additional funding, Pre-K 4 SA plans to continue working towards the initial project goals of supporting childcare workers in San Antonio to obtain their CDA through high-quality professional learning and incentivizing retention. Additionally, Pre-K 4 SA plans to continue the educational pipeline by supporting educators to receive their BA/AA through local university partnerships.
ISSUE:
This item requests board action to accept funds from the Beldon Family Foundation in an amount of $76,000.00 for continuation of the “Teachers 4 Toddlers Program (T4T Program)”, which aims to address the critical shortage of highly skilled infant-toddler teachers in San Antonio.
ALTERNATIVES:
If the Board does not accept the funds from the Beldon Family Foundation, Pre-K 4 SA will not be able to continue the “T4T Program”, which aims to address the critical shortage of highly skilled infant-toddler teachers in San Antonio.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item authorizes Pre-K 4 SA to accept and appropriate funds in an amount of $76,000.00 for continuation of the “Teachers 4 Toddlers Program (T4T Program)”, which aims to address the critical shortage of highly skilled infant-toddler teachers in San Antonio.
RECOMMENDATION:
Pre-K 4 SA staff recommends Board approval to accept funds from the Beldon Family Foundation in an amount of $76,000.00 for continuation of the “Teachers 4 Toddlers Program (T4T Program)”.