Through the efforts of Kids Hope Alliance (KHA), the City of Jacksonville continues to make significant strides in ensuring the well-being of its children and youth. KHA plays a pivotal role as a funding agency for the City of Jacksonville. By investing millions annually in programs for children and youth programs, KHA not only provides essential services but also carefully manages and monitors their outcomes to guarantee quality and effectiveness. Through partnerships with local non-profit organizations and providers, KHA is helping thousands of children access a continuum of services ranging from early learning to nutrition to mental health support. KHA strives to meet and support early childhood providers where they’re at – whether they are considering opening a childcare business or are fully accredited.
NLC’s Early Childhood Success team, through the Decades in the Making initiative, is highlighting Jacksonville’s approach to early childhood success. This initiative seeks to explore and showcase the efforts of cities like Jacksonville, where early learning programs and provider support are being strategically developed to ensure quality and improve outcomes for children.
Jacksonville’s long-standing and evolving approach to early childhood programs offers a unique perspective on how cities can effectively work to address the challenges faced by the early childhood workforce and the families it serves.
Key Elements of Jacksonville’s Early Childhood Strategy
1. Using Early Literacy as a Galvanizing Tool
In Jacksonville, early literacy has become a focal point for rallying community support and resources around the importance of early childhood development. Literacy programs have become a key strategy for not only preparing children for school but also for engaging families and communities in the process of early learning.
Starting with the launch of former Mayor John Peyton’s Rally Jax Book Club initiative in 2004, all the way to current Mayor Deegan’s River City Readers literacy challenge, the importance of early literacy as a foundational aspect for a thriving community has remained a constant driving force through changing city administrations. By focusing on early literacy, Jacksonville is addressing a critical gap in early childhood education while also raising awareness of the importance of early childhood development. Early literacy initiatives emphasize the importance of reading at home and in the classroom and encourage families to play a more active role in their children’s education. Partnerships among city departments such as libraries, schools and key local community stakeholders help bring books and reading programs to children in underserved communities, making literacy accessible and engaging for all families.
The focus on early literacy has been the underpinning of the rest of KHA’s early childhood work and has given them the momentum to support other facets of early childhood and provider initiatives.
2. Supporting Early Childhood Businesses as Entrepreneurs
Recognizing the early childhood workforce as businesses is another forward-thinking approach that Jacksonville has adopted. Mayor Deegan shared her vision of making Jacksonville the “small business capital of the Southeast,” reinforcing the city’s dedication to empowering the workforce and acknowledging that they are running essential enterprises.
In support of this vision, KHA partners with Jacksonville Small and Emerging Businesses (JSEB) to help early childhood providers access business tools. The program supports the early childhood workforce in becoming certified small businesses, ensuring they can utilize resources like financial management workshops, marketing assistance and proposal writing. Through the program, participants have access to one-on-one personalized support for any questions they have throughout the process.
Moreover, KHA has established programs like the Business Leadership Institute (BLI) for Early Educators and the Accreditation Academy. These initiatives offer training to early childhood center owners and directors to enhance their business operations, with KHA supporting the costs of accreditation and coaching. Since the program’s inception, over 130 childcare providers have successfully completed BLI programs. By treating early childhood centers as businesses, the City of Jacksonville is creating a more stable and sustainable framework for early learning by enhancing care quality and staff compensation.
3. Creating Early Childhood Focused Partnerships
One of the City of Jacksonville’s most important approaches to developing early childhood programs is its commitment to collaborative, partner-driven discussions. Through this commitment, various stakeholders — such as city officials, community organizations, and the early childhood workforce — work together to find new ways to partner and develop the early childhood landscape.
For example, the City of Jacksonville and its community partners have collaborated on events like the recent “Back to School” event. This initiative brings together numerous community organizations and city departments to provide families with free services, supplies and information. This event underscores the collaborative spirit of Jacksonville’s approach, ensuring families have access to essential tools for a successful school year. Another example is Duval Early Learning Director’s Network (DELDN), a group of early childhood directors and providers who meet regularly to share best practices and challenges.
Conclusion
As KHA continues to strengthen partnerships across organizations, the City of Jacksonville better understands the needs of its community and is better capable of building creative, actionable solutions. By focusing on literacy, recognizing providers as business owners and building communication, the City of Jacksonville is leading the way in creating programs that truly meet the needs of its children and families.
Early Childhood Success Live “Newsletter”
Register now for Early Childhood Success Live “Newsletter” on December 10 at 1:30 PM, a newsletter-style webinar that will highlight the latest insights from cities across the country, showcasing innovative strategies and best practices for advancing early childhood priorities.
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