PreK in Family Child Care Project (PKFCC)
The PKFCC project examines strategies for implementation of public pre-kindergarten (PreK) in family child care (FCC) settings across states and localities in the U.S. through an equity lens.
Summary
The PKFCC project uses a rapid response approach designed to both disseminate study findings about implementation strategies and facilitate cross-state learning and sharing about successes and challenges of implementing PreK in FCC.
Long-term goals for the study include increasing the numbers of states and localities that include FCC as part of their mixed delivery child care systems and current/future PreK implementation plans. Expansion of PreK to meaningfully include FCC is a promising strategy for supporting the FCC workforce and for increasing equitable access to and stability of high-quality early care and education for families and children.
The PKFCC project is a collaboration between Erikson Institute’s Home-Based Child Care Research group, University of Delaware’s Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Equity Research Action Coalition. The work is generously funded by the Foundation for Child Development and Home Grown.
Guiding Principles
Mixed-delivery PreK systems that authentically include FCC programs:
- Recognize that high-quality PreK occurs in FCC, whether it receives public funding or not
- Value and learn from FCC strengths and assets
- Intentionally design resources, standards, and compensation structures for the FCC context
- Preserve continuity of care, infant and toddler care, and the broader birth-to-five system
- Make equity and justice top priorities for FCC educators, many of whom face inequities due to racism and sexism
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Want to learn more about our Transformative Vision for the Authentic Inclusion of Family Child Care in Mixed-Delivery PreK Systems?
Including family child care (FCC) educators in mixed-delivery PreK systems is essential to achieving equity for children, families, educators, and communities.
Products and Resources
Focus groups and interviews with PreK site administrators and staff, document review of current PreK initiatives, and a survey of FCC professionals who offer PreK yield a quarterly series of rapid response policy briefs and a web-based depository of implementation tools for PreK administrators seeking to implement a mixed-delivery approach to PreK expansion that includes FCC settings.
PKFCC Project
Policy Implementation Strategies
Rapid-response data collection with PreK administrators resulting in a series of four briefs focused on strategies and approaches to equitable design and implementation of PreK in FCC.
PKFCC Project
FCC Educator Perspectives
Two briefs will be focused on FCC educator perspectives, including who they are and their experiences delivering public PreK.
- Coming soon!
PKFCC Project
Resources and Tools
Project resources, implementation tools, and other information to facilitate national learning about PreK in FCC.
examples
State, County, and City Examples
Examples: See real-life examples of strategies, approaches, and tools used to implement PreK in FCC around the country. Updating regularly!