Most states in the United States operate their public preschool programs in a mixed delivery system, in which children are served through a combination of local education agencies (LEAs) and non-LEA providers, such as Head Start agencies, child care centers, private schools, and family child care homes. There are many benefits to a mixed delivery system, including adding capacity through expanded staffing and facilities and providing families with choices of settings and environments. However, there are several challenges as well, including coordinating and supporting the participation of myriad preschool providers across settings.
This webinar was designed to shed light on the policy and practices that support children’s access to consistent, high-quality learning in all settings. Presenters, including state administrators and local providers, described the mixed delivery systems of five states that have taken different approaches to supporting providers across settings: Alabama, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia. They identified key decision points states face such as how to approach governance and administration to support program quality. Presenters also shared recommendations for practice and policy.
Speakers
- Janet Bock-Hager, Coordinator, West Virginia Department of Education, Office of Teaching and Learning
- Barbara Chow, Director of Education, Heising-Simons Foundation
- Libby Doggett, Community Advisor
- Joselyn Estevez-Vargas, Vice-President of Early Childhood Programs, HOPES CAP, Inc.
- Karin Garver, Early Childhood Education Policy Specialist, National Institute for Early Education Research
- Sarah Keiper, Title II Special Education Early Childhood Specialist, Nicholas County Schools
- Hanna Melnick, Senior Policy Advisor, Learning Policy Institute
- Allison Muhlendorf, Executive Director, Alabama School Readiness Alliance
- Pamela Truelove-Walker, Senior Director of Early Learning and School Readiness, Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education
- Robin Wilkins, National Association of State Leaders in Early Education, President; Education Program Specialist, NJ Department of Education, Office of Preschool