New Hampshire has a growing commitment to early childhood ... · – Head Start and Early Head Start are the most recognized – Less awareness of home visiting, parent education,

11/18/2019

Preliminary. Please do not distribute or cite. 1

Slide 1

Key Findingsfrom the

New HampshirePreschool

Development Grant Needs Assessment

November 2019

Slide 2

New Hampshire has a growing commitment to early childhood investments

• Spark NH established in 2011 as the governor-appointed Early Childhood Advisory Council for New Hampshire

• Spark NH published A Framework for Action for New Hampshire’s Young Children in 2015

• 11 active regional early childhood coalitions established around the state from 2010 onward

• Business and Industry Association added early childhood policies to its list of priority issues in 2018

• State funding for full-day kindergarten expanded as of state fiscal year 2018–19

• New Hampshire awarded a $3.8 million federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Birth through Five (B–5) in 2018

VISION

All families are afforded comprehensive and

responsive supports, so they are healthy,

learning, and thriving now and in the future.

.

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Slide 3

PDG required a Needs Assessment

• Needs Assessment has multiple aims outlined in federal guidance– Define the B–5 system and other key terms – Describe population of vulnerable children and underserved areas– Identify the current quality and availability of early childhood care

and education (ECCE) and other B–5 services– Assess barriers to funding and provision of high-quality ECCE– Address supports and gaps for transitions between B–5 services and

school entry– Assess ECCE facilities and facility-related concerns– Examine other topics including governance, financing mechanisms,

data linkages– Identify gaps in data or research and strategies to fill the gaps

• Provides a foundation for the B–5 system strategic plan

Slide 4

Approach to the Needs Assessment

• Researchers from RAND led the Needs Assessment in collaboration with – University of New Hampshire– Spark NH– New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services– New Hampshire Department of Education– Other stakeholders throughout the state

• Team received guidance from a PDG Needs Assessment Subcommittee; oversight from PDG Leadership Advisory Team

• Summary and full report from the Needs Assessment will be published as part of PDG products

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Slide 5

Needs Assessment examines an array of topics using multiple sources of information

Topic Exis

ting

data

&

rese

arch

Key

info

rman

t in

terv

iew

s (N

=9

2)

Fam

ily fo

cus

grou

ps (N

=1

39

)

Par

ent s

urve

y (N

=1

,27

8)

Wor

kfor

ce s

urve

y (N

=3

23

)

K te

ache

r su

rvey

(N

=2

09

)

Parent knowledge of B–5 system

Family experience with access & quality

Transition to kindergarten

Coordination/continuity B–8 system

B–5 workforce

B–5 facilities

B–5 data systems and data integration

B–5 system governance

B–5 system financing

Priorities for PDG B–5 strategic plan

Slide 6

Needs Assessment examines an array of topics using multiple sources of information

Topic Exis

ting

data

&

rese

arch

Key

info

rman

t in

terv

iew

s (N

=9

2)

Fam

ily fo

cus

grou

ps (N

=1

39

)

Par

ent s

urve

y (N

=1

,27

8)

Wor

kfor

ce s

urve

y (N

=3

23

)

K te

ache

r su

rvey

(N

=2

09

)

Parent knowledge of B–5 system X X X X

Family experience with access & quality X X X X

Transition to kindergarten X X X X X

Coordination/continuity B–8 system X X X X

B–5 workforce X X X

B–5 facilities X X

B–5 data systems and data integration X X

B–5 system governance X X

B–5 system financing X X

Priorities for PDG B–5 strategic plan X X X X

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Slide 7

Today’s presentation

• How we defined the B–5 system and other key terms

• Key findings– Family experiences with B–5 system– Issues relevant for providers– System-level issues

• Implications for B–5 system strategic plan

Slide 8





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Slide 9

B–5 system was broadly definedSocial Determinants of Wellness Framework

EnvironmentalHealth

Safety

Food & Nutrition

Employment& Income

Health &Well‐being

HousingStability

Education

Transportation

ChildrenAge B‐5 Years

& Their Families

CommunityCollaborations

Strength to

Succeed

In jury

PreventionProgram

Individual

Serv iceOption

(ISO )Ch ild Health

Support

H ealthy

Homes & LeadPoison ing

Prevention

Program

(HHLPPP)

Pregnancy

R iskAssessm ent

Monitoring

System

(PRAMS)

SNAP

W IC

Special

MedicalServ ices

Program

Go NAP SACC

(for child care providers)

FANF

Child Care

Scholarsh ip

Child Support

Program

Permanent

Supportive Housing

Employment

Supports

M aternal

In fantEarly

Childhood

Hom e V isiting

(M IECHV)Children 's

Medicaid

NH Fam ily

Caregiver Support

Program

PRAMS

Children 's

in HomeSupport

Waiver

B irth

ConditionsProgram

Newborn

Screening

Fam ily

Planning

GO NAP SACC

Child Support

Program

Fam ily

CenteredEarly Supports

& Serv ices

(FCESS)

Special

MedicalServices

Program

Partners in

Health

Area Agency

Fam ily Support

Specia lty SUD

Treatm ent forPregnant &

Parenting

W om en

Community

BasedM obile Crisis

for ACES

Early Hearing

Detection &Intervention

Program

Infant & Early

Ch ildhood Mental

Health P lan

Permanent

Supportive Housing

Fam ily

Shelters

Fam ily

UnificationVoucher

(FUP)

Financial

Assistancefor Needy

Fam ilies

Specia lty SUD

Treatm ent forPregnant &

Parenting

W om en

Child Care

Scholarsh ip

Head Start

Scholarsh ipCollaboration

(Head Start)

Child Care

Licensing Unit(CCLU )

NH DOE

Kindergarten

Quality

Rating &Improvement

System

(QRIS)

Public

Preschool,Kindergarten ,

Grades

1 ‐3

iSocial

DOE Data

Management

Hom e School

Student Wellness

Private

Preschool,K indergarten,

Grades

1 ‐3

Home School

Education for

Homeless Children

and Youth

Program

Bureau of

In tegratedProgram s

W atch Me

G row :Developmental

Screen ing

Bureau of

NutritionProgram s

Slide 10

B–5 system was broadly defined

Social Determinants of Wellness Framework

EnvironmentalHealth

Safety

Food & Nutrition

Employment& Income

Health &Well‐being

HousingStability

Education

Transportation

ChildrenAge B‐5 Years

& Their Families

CommunityCollaborations

Strength to

Succeed

In jury

PreventionProgram

Individual

ServiceOption

(ISO )Child Health

Support

H ealthy

Homes & LeadPoisoning

Preven tion

Program

(HHLPPP)

Pregnancy

RiskAssessment

M onitoring

System

(PRAMS)

SNAP

W IC

Spec ial

MedicalServices

Program

Go NAP SACC

(for child care providers)

FANF

Child Care

S cholarsh ip

Child Support

P ro gram

Permanent

Supportive Housing

Employment

Supports

Materna l

In fantEarly

Childhood

Hom e Vis iting

(M IECHV)Children's

Medicaid

NH Fam ily

Caregiver Support

Pro gram

PRAM S

Children's

in Hom eSupport

Waiver

B irth

ConditionsProgram

Newborn

Screening

Fam ily

Planning

GO NAP SACC

Child Support

Program

Fam ily

CenteredEarly Supports

& Services

(FCESS)

Special

Medica lServices

P rogram

Partners in

H ealth

Area Agency

Fam ily Support

Spec ialty SUD

Treatment forPregnant &

Parenting

Wom en

Community

BasedM obile Crisis

for ACES

Early Hearing

Detection &Intervention

Program

Infant & Early

Childhood Mental

Hea lth Plan

Perm anent

Supportive Housing

Fam ily

Shelters

Fam ily

Un ificationVoucher

(FUP)

F inancial

Assistancefor Needy

Fam ilies

Spec ialty SUD

Treatment forPregnant &

Parenting

W om en

Child Care

Scholarsh ip

Head Start

Scholarsh ipCo llaboration

(Head Start)

Child Care

Licen sing Unit(CC LU )

NH DOE

K indergarten

Quality

Rating &Imp rovem ent

System

(QRIS)

Public

Preschool,Kindergarten ,

Grades

1 ‐3

iSocial

DOE Data

M anagem ent

Hom e School

Student Wellness

Private

Preschool,Kindergarten,

Grades

1 ‐3

Home Schoo l

Education for

Homeless Children

and Youth

P rogram

Bureau of

In tegratedProgram s

W atch Me

Grow :Developmental

Screening

Bureau o f

Nutritio nPrograms

• Focused on programs in NHDHHS and NHDOE

• Includes programs with funds for direct services to B–5 children and/or families

• Includes programs with funds for services to children and/or families more generally

• Also includes agencies supporting system infrastructure (e.g., licensing)

• Majority of B–5 funding is from federal sources

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Slide 11

Needs Assessment considered vulnerable populations

Operationalized through focus on such groups as:

• Children and families with low income

• Children who have or are at risk of disabilities, developmental delays, or complex medical conditions

• Children affected by the opioid epidemic

• Children of incarcerated parents

Vulnerable or underserved families and children

are not connected to, do not have access to, and do not

have information on the supports and services they

need in their natural environments.

Children in rural areasinclude those living in a

town or city with a population of 10,000 people

or fewer and a density of 150 people or fewer per

square mile.

Using this definition, the American Community Survey shows:

27% of New Hampshire children 0 through 5 are in rural areas

Slide 12



• Key findings– Family experiences with B–5 system

– Issues relevant for providers– System-level issues


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Slide 13

Findings: Parent knowledge of B–5 system

• Awareness of many specific B–5 services is low among New Hampshire parents – Head Start and Early Head Start are the most recognized– Less awareness of home visiting, parent education, and child

developmental screening

Slide 14

Among targeted programs, Head Start/Early Head Start are one of best known

90

63

46

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Head Start/Early Head Start

Child CareScholarship

Home visiting

Per

cent

age

of p

aren

t su

rvey

resp

onde

nts

who

had

he

ard

of th

e pr

ogra

m

Tota

l

Inco

me

> $

90

K

Tota

l

SOURCE: PDG Needs Assessment Parent Survey, 2019.

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Slide 15

Targeted programs tend to be better known among lower-income and rural families

90

63

46

93

70

51

88

58

39

90

62

44

94

71

56

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Head Start/Early Head Start

Child CareScholarship

Home visiting

Per

cent

age

of p

aren

t sur

vey

resp

onde

nts

who

had

he

ard

of th

e pr

ogra

m

Tota

l

Inco

me

< $

45

K

Inco

me

> $

90

K

Non

rura

l

Rur

al

Tota

l


Slide 16

Some universal programs and those for children with disabilities are better known by higher-income families

7874 73

77

69 69

80 80 7877 76 75

85

77 77

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Developmentalscreening

Early intervention(FCESS)

Preschoolspecial education

Per

cent

age

of p

aren

t su

rvey

resp

onde

nts

who

had

he

ard

of th

e pr

ogra

m

Tota

l

Inco

me

< $

45

K

Inco

me

> $

90

K

Non

rura

l

Rur

al

Tota

l


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Slide 17

Findings: Parent knowledge of B–5 system

• Awareness of many specific B–5 services is low among New Hampshire parents – Head Start and Early Head Start are the most recognized– Less awareness of home visiting, parent education, and child

developmental screening

• Parents report difficulty with accessing information about B–5 services– Those already receiving services often feel most informed– Key barriers to accessing information: limited phone service and

online access, lack of time

• Top information sources for parents are friends/family and Google

• Providers also report gaps in their knowledge of other service providers (e.g., who to refer to, what services they offer)

Slide 18

Findings: Family experience with accessto ECCE services

• Issues with accessing ECCE affect many families in New Hampshire

– 50% report having difficulty finding the ECCE program they wanted

– 25% feel they do did not have good ECCE choices

– 25% need care during nonstandard hours

– 25% couldn’t find the care they wanted for a week or more at least once in the past year

– 20% report quitting a job, school, or training in the last year because of issues with care

• Issues with access are greatest for some groups of families

– Those with the lowest income

– Those with children with special needs or complex medical issues

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Slide 19

Strong positive relationship between family income and preschool participation

26

3737

54

30

53

44

75

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

3-year-olds 4-year-olds

Per

cent

age

of a

ge g

roup

enr

olle

d in

pre

scho

ol income <100% FPL

Income 100-199% FPL

Income 200-299% FPL

Income > 300% FPL

Tota

l

Tota

l

SOURCE: American Community Survey data for New Hampshire, 2013–2017.

Slide 20

Findings: Family experience with accessto other B–5 services

• Parents lack understanding of the services available, their benefits, and whether they are eligible

• Other common barriers: provider shortages, high cost, lack of family-friendly hours, lack of transportation

• Navigating insurance options affects health-related services

• Program staff who interface with families are not always supportive

• Unique challenges are present for

– Parents of children with special needs or complex medical conditions

– Guardians, new citizens

• Many parents do not have employment-related supports to ease the burden

• Parents stress the need to advocate for their family and child

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Slide 21

Findings: Family experience with quality of B–5 services

• Parents often settle for what is available or affordable, even if lower quality—an “illusion of choice”

• Parents often define quality differently than experts– Relationships, logistics, and facilities/settings are important

• More favorable experiences with WIC, FRCs, home visiting services, and specific health care providers

• Parents have mixed views on the value of rating providers

• Parents facing complex situations would benefit from advocacy support, mental health services, and respite care

Slide 22

Findings: Transition to kindergarten

• Most parents receive support for their child’s transition to K– Most common: receiving information from the school and a child

visit to the school/classroom– Less common: sharing of information between a child’s ECCE

program and K teacher

• Parents are generally satisfied with the information, timeliness, and activities associated with the K transition

– Some parents did not feel well informed

– Some parents of children with special needs report issues with accessing special services in K

• Kindergarten teachers have some information about incoming children

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Slide 23

Findings: Coordination/continuity of other B–8 services

• Coordination of services is an issue, both at a point in time or over time, especially when children have special needs or complex medical conditions

• Examples of coordination issues– Requiring separate applications, repeating information– Not sharing information across providers– Not knowing what other providers offer

• Other complexities– Waiting lists for services– Physicians referring to out-of-network providers– Provider closings, family moves– Insurance gaps, maintaining services through school breaks

• Parents with advocates or navigators report better experiences

Slide 24



• Key findings– Family experiences with B–5 system– Issues relevant for providers

– System-level issues


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Slide 25

Findings: B–5 workforce

• B–5 workforce members have varied backgrounds and positions

• Compensation, professional development (PD), and job satisfaction are closely tied to position and education level

Slide 26

Low earnings for early learning and care workforce

Occupation (BLS Code) Mean 10th50th

(Median)90th

a. Hourly wages ($)

Child care workers 11.51 8.32 11.11 15.43

Preschool teachers, except special education

14.84 10.59 14.05 19.97

Kindergarten teachers, except special education

– – – –

b. Annual earnings ($)

Child care workers 23,940 17,300 23,100 32,100

Preschool teachers, except special education

30,860 22,030 29,230 41,530

Kindergarten teachers, except special education

56,710 39,140 57,080 76,850

NOTE: 2018 dollars.SOURCE: BLS occupational wage data for New Hampshire, May 2018.

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Slide 27

Findings: B–5 workforce

• B–5 workforce members have varied backgrounds and positions

• Compensation, professional development (PD), and job satisfaction are closely tied to position and education level

• Lower-paid staff are more likely to receive public benefits

• Barriers to PD include time, distance/difficulty of reaching opportunities, and expense

• Overall job satisfaction is high, but about half plan to make a job change in 2-4 years, primarily to improve pay and benefits

• Commitment to the field appears to be high

• ECCE providers face staffing shortages that limit the number of children served

Slide 28





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Slide 29

• Near universal concern with the shortage of quality facilities for ECCE and other B–5 services

• Near universal recognition that lack of integrated data limits care coordination and data-driven decisionmaking

• General agreement that state governance structures need to be improved

• Universal understanding that funding for the B–5 system is inadequate– Limits ability to expand awareness of and access to programs– More funding required to address quality, workforce, and facilities

issues– New Hampshire faces challenges in securing political support to

enact new revenue streams

Findings: System infrastructure and financing

Slide 30





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Slide 31

Implications for PDG B–5 Strategic Plan

• Need to improve experiences of families in B–5 system: knowledge, access, and quality– Some issues are more prevalent for the most vulnerable children

families (e.g., complex systems, transportation, internet/phone)– Other issues are common across most families (e.g., knowledge

gaps, cost as barrier, service coordination)

• Equally important to address needs of B–5 workforce (e.g., compensation, professional learning) and providers (e.g., workforce, facilities, funding)

• System improvement also requires attention to other infrastructure elements: integrated data systems, well-functioning governance structure

Slide 32

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Documents

New Hampshire has a growing commitment to early childhood ... · – Head Start and Early Head Start are the most recognized – Less awareness of home visiting, parent education,