Strengthening Foundations: Building Capacity in the Early Childhood Workforce

By:

Tomeka Lee

August 21, 2024 - (4 min read)

In Little Rock, the support for small businesses is robust, thanks to Mayor Frank Scott Jr.’s unwavering commitment. Numerous initiatives have been launched to foster the growth of small enterprises, from assisting with the complexities of applying for larger city contracts to providing guidance on essential aspects of business management, including help with obtaining a business license, setting up a business bank account and negotiating with banks to eliminate monthly account fees.

Despite these comprehensive efforts, one crucial area had been left untapped — an investment in the early childhood workforce.

Jennifer Glasgow, the city’s chief education officer, recognized the potential early on and had a goal to treat early childhood education as a vital component of the small business ecosystem, extending the same level of support and resources provided to other entrepreneurial ventures. Her vision not only acknowledged the critical role of early childhood professionals, but also aimed to integrate them into the broader framework of small business development.

Under her guidance, the city employed Excel by Eight to conduct quantitative research to pinpoint gaps in childcare services. Their analysis highlighted challenges inherent in a mixed delivery system, which identified the difficulty in fully addressing the need. This research underscored the necessity for a more cohesive strategy to better align resources with the actual needs of early childhood providers.

As a participant of NLC’s City Inclusive Entrepreneurship Program, Jennifer Glasgow, and Jessi Rice of Excel by Eight, honed in on a strategy to launch a professional development cohort of early childcare providers, designed to support their individual needs in program administration. This initiative was intended to support up to 10 participants in completing a comprehensive three-month course focused on the Program Administration Scale (PAS). By participating in this cohort, childcare providers had an opportunity to gain valuable insights on best business practices, risk management and gain practical tools for better service provision and the potential of increased revenue.

“A significant majority of providers in Little Rock are women, specifically women of color, so we knew that childcare is a business model that is often hard to break even with. When completing outreach, we began with providers that we were familiar with. The stipend that we provided through the CIE grant funding set the stage for the providers to have an opportunity to hire additional support to open time for them to leave their centers.”

– Little Rock Chief Education Officer Jennifer Glasgow

Key Strategies to Support the Childcare Workforce

Think System Level. The program focused on providing technical assistance and training that addressed foundational business administration needs highlighted in the Program Administration Scale (PAS). This included organizing key aspects such as HR management, documenting fire drills, creating orientation manuals and establishing budgets. Once the provider had these critical components in place, ongoing continuing education was not required. Instead, the program was designed to equip them with the essential tools and systems necessary for long-term success and operational efficiency.
Consistency is Key. With an initial slow start, the staff engaged with numerous providers and trainers, uncovering significant disconnections along the way. Despite the availability of services and some providers making use of them, the gaps in meeting actual needs persisted. To tackle these issues, several focus groups were organized, coupled with one-on-one phone calls to identify the root of these challenges and find effective ways to advance the program. A key takeaway was that outreach to childcare providers requires both patience and persistence, as their busy schedules often necessitate consistent follow-up.
Consider Capacity. For many providers, facility directors often lack the flexibility to attend in-person training sessions during business hours due to tight staffing and operational demands. They often need to be present to handle unexpected absences, staff shortages or other immediate needs in the classroom. The funding from NLC’s CIE Program proved to be a game-changer, providing the financial means to pay an additional staff person to cover responsibilities while they attended the training sessions. This funding had a snowball effect, as providers could take part in professional development and hence began outreach within their networks, amplifying the impact of the program.
Build on Existing Support. Research initiatives and resources that are currently available at the state level and in other cities, as this generates an opportunity for connecting with larger more established systems. Relating to Little Rock, there was an existing contractor already offering training focused on the Performance Administration Scale (PAS) at no cost. As a result, the CIE funding was allocated to ensuring that participants felt supported and incentivized their attendance in the program.