The Early Learning Coalition of the Nature Coast, a 501(c)(3), not for profit organization was established following the enactment of Florida Statute 411.01 and HB 1A that establishes the Office of Early Learning and local early learning coalitions. The Florida Legislature recognized that “school readiness programs increase children’s chances of achieving future educational success and becoming productive members of society.” The Legislature intends for the local early learning coalitions to establish programs and policies to prepare Florida’s youngest citizens for success in school. The Early Learning Coalition of the Nature Coast operates the school readiness program and the voluntary pre-kindergarten program in Citrus, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy, and Sumter Counties.
The Coalition has established a board of directors representing all five counties served, whose mission is to integrate a system of services and facilitate a quality school readiness program that includes linkages to all areas of child development. This board brings together the primary agencies in Citrus, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy, and Sumter Counties that work with children including the Department of Children and Families, Childhood Development Services, Inc., Child Care Resources, Inc., the local school boards, the Head Start Program, Workforce Development, and the Health Department. In addition, the board includes representatives for private and faith-based early education and care providers, the Board of County Commissioners, the local community college, and the private business sector.
The Coalition board is responsible for:
- Developing a plan for implementing the school readiness program to meet the Office of Early Learning’s performance standards and outcome measures
- Developing a plan for implementing the voluntary pre-kindergarten program (VPK) to meet the Agency for Workforce Innovation’s and the Department of Education’s guidelines
- Providing school readiness programs on a full-day, year-round basis to the maximum extent possible
- Providing a single point of entry and unified waiting list
- Establishing a sliding fee scale for school readiness services
- Establishing reimbursement rates for school readiness providers
- Providing direct enhancement services to families and children in the school readiness program
- Developing strategies to meet the needs of unique populations
- Establishing specific eligibility priorities
The Early Learning Coalition’s vision is for all children, birth to kindergarten, to have access to quality early education and care, and enter school ready to learn. The program contracts with local school readiness early education and care providers to offer programs that include:
· Research-based early learning activities and instruction
· Developmentally appropriate curriculum
· Literacy programs
· Character development programs
· Individual learning plans
· Healthy and safe environments
· Appropriate staff-to-child ratios
· Personnel with required qualifications
· Family-friendly environment that supports parent involvement opportunities
· Parent support services
In addition, the Early Learning Coalition of the Nature Coast is responsible for providing child care subsidy for children 6-12 years of age whose low income parents are working to become self-sufficient. The Coalition also participates in the Child Care Executive Partnership Program (CCEP) a innovative public-private partnership that helps employers meet the child care needs of employees by expanding child care subsidies for low-income families, utilizing state and federal funds to match funds from local employers.
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