Oklahoma ranks 4th in grandparents raising grandchildren, due in large part to the high rate of female incarceration. Oklahoma incarcerates more women per capita than any other state in the Nation. Program Services and Partnerships Tulsa Educare has a strong seven-year history of full enrollment and positive child outcomes. Additionally, Tulsa Educare implements evidence-based practices essential to a high-quality program, including: low-ratios of staff to children; highly trained teachers; ongoing evaluation that informs practice; high quality family support and engagement; nutritious, homemade food; literacy and language rich environments; and continuity-of-care. Continuity-of-care necessitates staff training, in order to minimize turnover, and to allow for strong bonds with the children served. Educare has a strong staff infrastructure which can be seen by the organizational chart at the administrative and school level. School Organization (16 Classrooms) Experienced and Credentialed Staff Tulsa Educare prioritizes strong, stable relationships with well-trained, highly educated teachers. The program seeks to minimize disruptions in these relationships from birth to five years old. To do so, we have multi-age classrooms which provide for continuity of care to help children develop secure relationships. As always, Tulsa Educare ensures parents feel welcome in their child’s clasroom and underscores the idea that parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. Each mixed age infant/toddler classroom of eight children has a teacher with a bachelor’s degree working with a teacher with an associate’s degree or a teacher assistant with a Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate. Each teacher in a classroom is assigned to a primary group of four children. In addition, the classrooms that have children more than six hours a day have an additional teacher aide assigned to their classrooms. The staffing model includes a Master Teacher to coach, mentor, and supervise the classroom staff according to Educare’s core features, Head Start performance standards, best practice and reflective caregiving and supervision. Each “neighborhood” of four classrooms also has a Family Advocate with a bachelor’s degree to work with parents. Family Advocates ensure that parents understand and support their child’s development, the importance of positive socio-emotional relationships and the importance of their involvement in their child’s education. Family Advocates also
Research Program Partnership: Data Sharing Plan Topic Timing Who Who attends Purpose Program Child Feedback Fall and Spring, (Oct, Dec, April, June) MTs - during meetings MTs, teaching staff, LEP review child assessments (Bracken, PPVT, Bayley, PLS-4, PALS, DECA) and field questions classroom Classroom Observations weekly during classroom observation cycle (Jan-Feb) LEP Site Coordinators MTs, Site Director, LEP review classroom observations (ITERS, ECERS, CLASS, CLASS Toddler) and field questions classroom Round Table Feb, Nov Executive Director teaching staff representatives, Exec.Dir., LEP open dialogue to address staff concerns, occasionally includes LEP program Staff meetings bi-monthly (Sep, May) Site Director all staff, LEP updates, Research Moments program Pre-Service annual - August Pre-Service Committee all staff, LEP review of process, some results program Open House annual - August Site Director or Assistant Director parents, LEP review of process, some results program Aggregate Data, across sites Feb or LEP Project Director Educare Management, LEP review previous year cross-site data and discuss implications program pre-GKFF Feb or March LEP Principal Investigator LEP, Educare Leadership, Board President review previous year cross-site data and discuss implications funders GKFF Feb or March LEP Principal Investigator LEP, GKFF, Educare Leadership review previous year cross-site data and discuss implications funders TEI Board Feb or Executive Director TEI Board, LEP review previous year cross-site data and discuss implications funders Parent Connections December Assistant Director parents, LEP, Family Advocates present aggregate data program Management meetings monthly Executive Director LEP, Master Teachers, Mental Health, Site Director, Assistant Director, Family Advocates, Executive Director Regular management meetings, includes conversation with LEP on available data and possible uses of data program Classroom Observations - aggregated bi-annually (March, Aug) LEP-March, Committee - Aug All staff Teacher access to classroom observation data and conversation with LEP program New employee orientation monthly Human Resources Executive Director, new employees orientation to study program Media website NA NA NA program Community Dissemination website NA NA NA program