Activity 1: Statewide Needs Assessment
During PDG-I in 2019, the team produced a comprehensive statewide needs assessment of the
early learning and care (ELC) system to inform strategic planning and to improve ELC services for children and
families over time. Over the years that followed, the PDG-R and PDG-P have built state-level capacity for ongoing needs assessments of the ELC System
Activity 1: Needs Assessment & Evaluation Planning (PDG-I)
Category: Infrastructure
Status: Complete
During PDG-I in 2019, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) synthesized the
existing
early learning and care (ELC) data and collected additional data to determine gaps and needs in the subsidized
ELC
program and related services. The goal was to produce a statewide needs assessment that would inform the state’s
ability to target services to populations most in need and improve the system over time. AIR also updated its
Early
Learning Needs Assessment Tool (ELNAT).
Start Date: 2/1/2019
End Date: 10/2/2019
Deliverables:
Final Report—October 2019: PDG-I Needs Assessment ADA
Partners:
- American Institutes for Research (AIR)
- WestEd
Activity 1: Statewide Needs Assessment (PDG-R)
Category: Infrastructure
Status: Complete
Following the guidance of the Master
Plan for Early Learning and Care (Master Plan)
, year three of the PDG-R grant saw the launch of an
additional needs assessment focused on the early learning and care equity landscape. Equity consultants Dr.
Iheoma
Iruka of the Equity Research Action Coalition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Dr. Shantel Meek
of
the Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University provided thought partnership and a report addressing
statewide efforts to (1) impact racial equity through future quality investments, (2) identify opportunities to
strengthen recommendations and/or implementation plans to enhance equity, and (3) support state-level
decision-making and implementation strategies.
The final report and accompanying slide deck were completed in December 2022.
Start Date: 7/1/2020
End Date: 12/31/2023
Deliverables:
Final Report—December 2022: PDG-R_NA-EL_Report_FINAL_ADA
Final slide deck—December 2022: PDG-R_NA-EL_Full-Deck_FINAL_ADA
Partners:
- California Department of Education (CDE)
- California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)
- California Health and Human Services (CalHHS)
- California Department of Social Services (CDSS)
- California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
- Child Care Resource Center (CCRC)
- Equity consultants: Dr. Iheoma Iruka and Dr. Shantel Meek
- WestEd
Activity 1: Statewide Needs Assessment (PDG-P)
Category: Providers
Status: Complete
Based on recommendations from the 2022 Needs Assessment equity landscape analysis, PDG
has
engaged equity consultants Dr. Iheoma Iruka and Dr. Shantel Meek to expand the equity work with PDG partners to
-
support the PDG partners in equity action and implementation planning efforts, including creating sustainability plans;
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meet with PDG partners to discuss implementation progress;
-
partner with California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Early Childhood Integrated Data Systems
(ECIDS) to perform an equity review and analysis of ECIDS Use Cases and analytic tool; and
-
finalize individualized sustainability plans with PDG partners.
Start Date: 4/1/2023
End Date: 3/27/2024
Deliverable:
Final Report—March 2024: PDG-P_Needs Assessment Executive Summary_FINAL_ADA
Partners:
- Equity consultants: Dr. Iheoma Iruka and Dr. Shantel Meek
-
California Department of Social Services (CDSS)
-
California Department of Education (CDE)
-
California Health and Human Services (CalHHS)
-
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
-
WestEd