RECESS Prekindergarten Partnership Initiative

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The Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC), along with three (3) other organizations, received the RECESS Grant, Initiative 3 for Prekindergarten Partnerships. The RECESS Initiative can help support school districts and early learning programs by facilitating formal or informal partnerships.
The TXAEYC service area includes the Central Texas I-35 corridor between Waco and Austin.
Texas Workforce Regions

Here is a list of the all RECESS Initiative 3 Prekindergarten Grantees:

Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC)
Serving ESC Regions 12 & 13
Pam Rutledge
512-215-8142
pam@texasaeyc.org

Commit2Dallas
Serving ESC Regions 10 & 11
Chelsea Jeffrey
972-965-3296
Chelsea.Jeffrey@commit2dallas.org

ESC Region 9
Wichita Falls
Kimberly Thorne
940-322-6928
Kim.Thorne@esc9.net

ESC Region 20
San Antonio
Jennifer Martinez
210-370-5783
Jennifer.Martinez@esc20.net

For those areas not within a RECESS Grantee service area, they are encouraged to reach out to the grantee closest to them.

Types of Partnerships

The goal of House Bill 3 and RECESS Initiative is to have formal partnerships. These partnerships include having a district prekindergarten classroom located at a "satellite" campus within an early learning center within the community with children dually enrolled in both programs and receiving all available services provided. There are several potential delivery models. If the district is already meeting the needs of 4-year-old prekindergarten children in their area, they could potentially expand their 3-year-old initiatives in the same manner.

Informal partnerships involve coordination across child care and public school programs such as alignment of curriculum/ assessments, joint professional development, and/or establishing common goals and messaging around early childhood education. This type of partnership may be ideal for districts already meeting HB3 requirements and not ready to expand 3-year-old initiatives OR for those with future formal partnership needs in the next year or two (perhaps they have filed a waiver while they work on their transition plan). Informal partnerships can begin the relationship building process with potential early learning center partners. These partnerships also require a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to define the full scope of the partnership and demonstrate the commitment of all partners.

Professional Development Partnerships
These informal partnerships include an LEA partnering with one or more early learning centers or Head Start in their community for collaborative training opportunities. These partnerships are focused on consistent messaging and school readiness initiatives and support increasing the overall quality of early care and education throughout the community. The partnership can be designed around training topics including developmentally appropriate practice, family engagement, behavior management, observation and assessment, to name a few.

School Readiness Integration Partnerships
In this informal partnership, an LEA partners with one or more ELC or Head Start. These partnerships meet regularly to discuss and share data centered on school readiness initiatives. Other community stakeholders such as coalitions, Workforce Boards and other social service agencies may be considered as a third partner. As with professional development partnerships, the focus would be on having consistent messaging and initiatives to increase the overall quality of early care and education throughout the community.

For all partnerships, early learning centers must meet one of the following eligibility criteria:
1) Texas Rising Star 3 or 4 star certified;
2) nationally accredited;
3) active Texas School Ready participant;
4) Head Start;
5) or meet TEC 29.1532

Each RECESS Grantee Service Area offers support and resources specific to their area.
Please note services and resources may vary. Please contact your RECESS Grantee for more information.

TXAEYC Service Area Resources

In support of LEA and ELC who are in partnerships or interested in learning more about partnerships, TXAEYC has developed a Partnership Development Symposium model entitled Successful Collaboration for Early Learning Partnerships.

Participation in the symposium qualifies any partnership supported/facilitated by the TXAEYC RECESS initiative to receive coaching visits from the instructor for support specific to their partnership, as well as additional training for teambuilding and classroom support. Please see the Partnership Essentials flier for more information.

As we know in early childhood education, developing relationships is key! Benefits of partnerships focus on our common goal of providing high-quality prekindergarten access to all eligible children; however, it is important to understand the landscape of the communities that the early learning providers in your area services to help build a bridge over any potential barrier to the goal. TXAEYC is able to support the process by providing resources, if needed, including professional development support, curriculum packages and instruction, technology software to support administrative processes and reporting, alternative certification scholarships, classroom equipment, and a sustainability toolbox at no cost.

For more information or to learn about partnership support in your area, please contact Pam Rutledge, TXAEYC RECESS Regional Public Private Partnership (RP3) Manager at pam@texasaeyc.org or 512-215-8142.