This project is a public/private partnership to improve the quality of and expand early education services for low-income children from birth through age three in Oklahoma.

Community Action Project of Tulsa County is in charge of financial management of the project and Smart Start Oklahoma coordinates implementation at the agency level.

The project began its second year on July 1, 2007 and currently has 16 providers participating.

Currently Seminole Early Learning Center , Children's Chateau (Lawton), and First Start (Lawton) participate in the program. Crossroads uses Pilot Program funds to enhance rather than expand services.

We employ two BA teachers per center whose primary purpose is to mentor Early Head Start teachers in order to enhance the environment and curriculum. Mentor Teachers do provide daily care to the children as well. Mentor Teachers and program administrators are required to receive specialized training in Primary Infant Toddler Care (PITC) philosophy.

Pilot, Program-funded, Mentor Teachers collaborate with EHS teachers to incorporate fresh developmentally appropriate ideas and practices in the classroom. One Family Support Specialist is housed at each site in order to interact with the families on a daily basis.

Summary of Project Requirements
Participating providers must:

1. Maintain good standing with licensing,

2. Offer care 48 weeks out of the year for at least 8 hours per day,

3. Meet Pilot Program Requirements which are based on Early Head Start Performance Standards (some providers are private child care centers),

4. Either be NAEYC accredited or begin the accreditation process,

5. Staff one BA degreed teacher for every 2 classrooms,

6. Staff each classroom with two teachers, one of whom must have at least an Associate’s degree,

7. Ensure that all staff have at least a CDA,

8. Compensate BA degreed teachers on a comparable level to a public school teacher in the geographic area having the same number of years experience,

9. Employ a BA degreed Family Support Specialist with a case load not to exceed 50 families,

10. Use CreativeCurriculum.net to track child data and report assessments,

11. Participate in management and supervisory training for supervisors,

12. Ensure all BA teachers attend 48 hours of WestEd based training and encourage other staff to attend,
     

13. Ensure that all BA degreed teachers of three year old classrooms complete 40 hours of preschool curriculum training and hold a current State of Oklahoma teaching Certificate,

14. Ensure all classroom staff attend CreativeCurriculum.net training,

15. Ensure all children in Pilot Program classrooms are eligible for the program (same eligibility as in Early Head Start)

Contacts

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•  Oklahoma Department of Education