EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF MANATEE COUNTY INC
600 - 8TH AVE WEST RM/STE 100, PALMETTO, FL 34221 www.elc-manatee.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO PROVIDE AND COORDINATE THE SERVICES OF SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS, IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER, IN ORDER TO HELP ALL CHILDREN DEVELOP THE SKILLS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE FUTURE EDUCATION SUCCESS, TO SUPPORT THE ROLE OF PARENTS AS THEIR CHILD'S FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHER AND TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SERVICES AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SCHOOL READINESS - THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF MANATEE COUNTY, INC. (ELC) SERVED 5,770 SCHOOL READINESS CHILDREN IN 2019/2020 BY PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL READINESS OPPORTUNITIES. THE ELC MONITORED COMPLIANCE WITH LICENSING AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. INDIVIDUAL MONITORING REPORTS FROM DCF CHILD CARE LICENSING WERE REVIEWED FOR NON-COMPLIANCE REPORTS FOR SAFETY REASONS MADE ON REGISTERED FAMILY DAY CARE HOMES, LICENSE-EXEMPT ACCREDITED PROGRAMS AND NON-LICENSED PROGRAMS. THE ELC PROVIDED ON-SITE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDERS, ON-SITE PROVIDER ENVIRONMENTAL RATING SCALE TRAINING, CURRICULUM TRAININGS, AND HOSTED AN ANNUAL EARLY CHILDHOOD CONFERENCE FOR PROVIDERS. THE ELC PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS NAEYC (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN) TRAINING "DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE: TRAINING PROGRAM FOR TEACHING STAFF," EARLY SCIENCE WORKSHOPS BASED ON PUBLICATIONS SUCH AS NAEYC'S "RAMPS AND PATHWAYS. PARENTS WERE EDUCATED ON HOW TO IDENTIFY QUALITY CARE, INFORMED ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARE AND ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR QUALITY ONCE THEIR CHILDREN WERE PLACED IN A CHILD CARE FACILITY. THE ELC'S QUALITY DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED AND POSTED AN ON-LINE PARENT NEWSLETTER WHICH INCLUDED INFORMATION ON LITERACY, MATH AND SCIENCE. THE ELC STAFF PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ON-SITE IN-SERVICE TRAINING SESSIONS TO ASSIST PROVIDERS IN DEVELOPING THESE SKILLS IN THE CHILDREN THEY SERVE. THE ELC DISTRIBUTED 42,864 BOOKS BETWEEN EVERY CHILD A READER & LITERACY FOR THE HOLIDAYS. A BOOK WAS DISTRIBUTED TO EACH CHILD IN EACH OF THE CONTRACTED PROGRAMS, NO MATTER THE FUNDING SOURCE. THERE WERE 69 SESSIONS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON INDIVIDUAL TOPICS FOR A TOTAL OF 682 STUDENT CONTRACTS AND 214.75 TRAINING HOURS. TOPICS INCLUDED EARLY LEARNING STANDARDS, CHILD SCREENING AND ASSESSMENTS, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULA AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, TEACHER-CHILD INTERACTIONS, AGE-APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINE PRACTICES, HEALTH & SAFETY, FIRST-AID/CPR/AED AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. THE STEAM MACHINE (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART AND MATHEMATICS), PARTNERING WITH THE MANATEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT VISITED CLASSROOMS SERVING 880 CHILDREN. THE STEAM PROGRAM WAS MODIFIED THIS YEAR TO MEET COVID-19 GUIDELINES. THE SOAR IN 4 PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE CHILDREN FROM FAMILIES OF ALL RACES, ETHNICITIES, INCOMES, ABILITIES, AND LANGUAGES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT NEED FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND. THE NEMOURS READING BRIGHTSTART PROGRAM (NRBS) SERVED 86 TEACHERS IN 59 CLASSROOMS IN 25 PROGRAMS. NRBS IS A PROGRAM DEDICATED TO THE PREVENTION OF READING FAILURE IN CHILDREN. A BOOK IS GIVEN TO EVERY CHILD THAT COMES TO THE OFFICE AND AT EVERY COMMUNITY EVEN WHERE THAT COALITION PARTICIPATES. THE RAISING A READER PROGRAM CONTINUED AT NINE EARLY LEARNING CENTER AND RCMA (REDLANDS CHRISTIAN MIGRANT ASSOCIATION) PROVIDING SUPPORT TO EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS AND DIRECTORS AND PROVIDING INFORMATION TO PARENTS. THE RAISING A READER PROGRAM IS EVIDENCE-BASED EARLY LITERACY AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT HELPS PARENTS BUILD THE HABIT OF BOOK SHARING. STAFF CONDUCTED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDED: FLORIDA EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR BIRTH THROUGH FIVE AND CONDUCTED AN ANNUAL EARLY CHILDHOOD CONFERENCE FOR PROVIDERS. PALS (PLAY AND LEARNING STRATEGIES) - PLAY AND LEARNING STRATEGIES IS A RESEARCH-BASED PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS PARENTS IN THEIR ROLE AS THEIR CHILD'S FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHER. TRAINED PALS COACHES MEET WITH PARENTS, PROVIDING IN-HOME EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SERVICES THAT EMPOWER PARENTS TO SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. THE PALS II WEEKLY SESSIONS EXPAND ON PALS I TOPICS. PALS II ALSO ADDS ADDITIONAL SESSIONS RELATED TO THE TODDLER'S INCREASED INDEPENDENCE AND LIMIT-TESTING BEHAVIORS. THE PROGRAM IS OPEN TO FAMILIES IN MANATEE COUNTY WITH CHILDREN AGES 4 MONTHS TO 48 MONTHS. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR SERVICES. PALS SERVERS 35 FAMILIES EACH YEAR. CATCH (COORDINATED APPROACH TO CHILD HEALTH) - THE ELC LAUNCHED CATCH THIS YEAR WITH THE SUPPORT OF 10 FULLY ENGAGED CHILDCARE SITES. CATCH IS PROVEN TO PREVENT CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND IS SUPPORTED BY 25 YEARS AND 120 ACADEMIC PAPERS INDICATING AN 11% DECREASE IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY. CATCH USES TWO METHODS TO CREATE HEALTHY CHILDREN. THE FIRST USES FOOD LABELING GO, SLOW, WHOA TO IDENTIFY HEALTHY FOODS. THE SECOND INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF MODERATE TO VIGOROUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CHILDREN ENGAGE IN EACH DAY. DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AND EARLY INTERVENTION - THE ELC HELPS TO EXPAND CHILD CARE OPTIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES BY SUPPORTING THE INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTINGS. A TOLL-FREE WARM LINE IS AVAILABLE TO PARENTS AND EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROVIDERS NEEDING INFORMATION RELATED TO THE DISABILITY OR SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF CHILDREN, BIRTH TO FIVE YEARS OF AGE. SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT STAFF COMPLETED 2,233 AGES AND STAGES QUESTIONNAIRES DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS. OF THESE SCREENINGS, 581 DEMONSTRATED POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS AND FAMILIES WERE PROVIDED WITH INDIVIDUAL EARLY CARE PLANS, WHICH INCLUDED AGE AND SKILL SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES TO USE AT HOME. THE FAMILIES OF EIGHT CHILDREN IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING FURTHER EVALUATION WERE AIDED IN COORDINATING REFERRALS TO OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES.

VOLUNTARY PRE-K - THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF MANATEE COUNTY, INC. (ELC) SERVED 3.046 VPK CHILDREN IN 2019/2020 BY PROVIDING THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S VOLUNTARY PRE- KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS IN MANATEE COUNTY. THE ELC OVERSAW THE APPLICATION AND ENROLLMENT PROCESS OF CHILDREN IN THE VPK PROGRAM AND PROVIDED ORIENTATION SESSIONS FOR PARENTS AND CHILD CARE PROVIDERS. THROUGH ITS OUTREACH AND AWARENESS ACTIVITIES, THE ELC ADVERTISED THE VPK PROGRAM BY AIRING VPK PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, DISTRIBUTING FLYERS TO LARGE EMPLOYERS AND PUBLIC LOCATIONS IN THE COUNTY AND DISPLAYING BANNERS IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. THE ELC CONDUCTED COMPREHENSIVE CONSUMER EDUCATION BY PROVIDING LITERATURE IN THE LOBBY, ONE-ON-ONE EDUCATION IN THE OFFICE AND PARTICIPATED IN COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S EVENTS. THE DEPUTY FRIENDLY PILOT PROGRAM BEGAN IN JANUARY 2016. A COLLABORATION WITH THE MANATEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, IT IS DESIGNED TO HUMANIZE CHILDREN'S PERCEPTIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEIR WORD AND IMPROVE RAPPORT BETWEEN CHILDREN AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN AGES THREE TO FIVE. KINDERMUSIK IS A PROGRAM DEDICATED TO USING THE POWER OF MUSIC TO HELP CHILDREN GROW DURING THE YEARS MOST CRITICAL TO BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. THE ELC HAS PARTNERED WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE STEAM MACHINE PROGRAM. STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART AND/OR MATHEMATICS) GIVES CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTAIN ESSENTIAL SKILLS TO CONNECT IDEAS AND INTEGRATE KNOWLEDGE ACROSS DISCIPLINES. THE ELC MONITORED COMPLIANCE WITH LICENSING AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH ITS SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS.

OTHER PROGRAMS - THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF MANATEE COUNTY, INC. CONTRACTED WITH THE LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SUBSIDIES FOR EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDCARE SERVICES, SUPPLEMENTAL EARLY LEARNING SERVICES, FUNDING FOR PRACTICE-BASED CURRICULUM COACHING SERVICES, AND FUNDING FOR EARLY STEPS TO SCHOOL SUCCESS EARLY LEARNING SERVICES. NEXTGEN FAMILY MAGAZINE WAS DISTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO FAMILIES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN MANATEE COUNTY IN ADDITION TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, LOCAL HOSPITALS, DOCTOR'S OFFICES, AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS. IT SERVED AS A CHILD CARE RESOURCE GUIDE AS WELL AS PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO WHAT IS GOING ON IN AND AROUND THE COUNTY THROUGH EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES. THE RESOURCE CONTINUED TO GENERATE FUNDS THAT WERE SPENT DIRECTLY ON THE COALITION'S MAJOR PROGRAMS.

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