7.1 Quality Activities Needs Assessment

7.1.1 Needs assessment process and findings a. Describe the Lead Agency needs assessment process for expending CCDF funds on activities to improve the quality of child care, including the frequency of assessment, how a diverse range of parents and providers were consulted, and how their views are incorporated: The Lead Agency incorporates numerous strategies in order to assess which quality improvement services are most pertinent in Wisconsin. In July 2022, in conjunction with Consilience Group LLC, the development of a B-5 Strategic Plan was facilitated as part of a three-phased initiative with the goal of providing all Wisconsin families with young children with the support and resources they need to be healthy and flourish. Launched in 2023, the DCF B-5 Strategic Plan continues on a previously developed plan, Birth to 5 Statewide Strategic Plan for 2021-23 which focused on bolstering early childhood education. Phase One: Align services for families with young children within the Lead Agency, while subsequent phases will identify promote inter-agency alignment. Phase Two: Gather and Synthesize information related to the broader statewide B-5 programs and services, document current conditions, and identify potential opportunities for greater cross-agency alignment. As part of that work, the Lead Agency will partner with DPI and DHS to refine and adopt a shared B-5 strategic framework that will guide their aligned services for families with young children. Phase Three: Provide opportunity for all three agencies to co-create B-5 strategies that drive greater inter-agency alignment and inform an accountability framework and implementation monitoring plan. The final deliverable is a B-5 Early Childhood State System Strategic Plan. It was crucial that a diverse group of perspectives were included in guiding the Lead Agency’s efforts in effectively aligning its B-5 programs and services. Representatives across Lead Agency divisions and bureaus along with representatives from the Parent and Caregiver Early Childhood Advisory Cabinet (PCEAC), the Governor’s Leadership Council on Early Years (LCEY) were consulted. The Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC), Head Start State Collaboration Office, and the Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Board all collaborated in these efforts while leaders from the Department of Health Services, the Department of Public Instruction, and the ECAC informed the overarching strategic plan framework. Correlating strategies and goals were influenced by the feedback from key stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and secondary documents reviewed by the Consilience Group team. The finalized strategies and key milestones were formed by a Cross Agency Team representing all divisions and bureaus of the Lead Agency. As a five-year plan, the Lead Agency’s B-5 Strategic Plan advances seven key strategies. The first three (Economic Security, Equipped for Life-Long Learning, Connected, Safe, and Healthy) focus on advancing families in those respective areas. The following four (Access, Partnerships, Connectivity and Equity) identify methods that support internal infrastructure and system building that will be necessary to successful achieve overall alignment commitments. b. Describe the findings of the assessment, including any findings related to needs of different populations and types of providers, and if any overarching goals for quality improvement were identified: The Lead Agency partnered with the University of Wisconsin Whitewater to complete the Birth to Five 2022 Needs Assessment ￿ Preschool Development Grant. The assessment findings include feedback from staff, stakeholders, and caregivers who identified several strengths and needs related to the quality of Wisconsin’s B-5 ECSS. Strengths identified include the lead agency’s long-standing programs and current initiatives that support the quality of ECE programs within Wisconsin’s B-5 system, including YoungStar, the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards, Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners, Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network, and the 53206 Early Care and Education Initiative. However, families still face considerable challenges in locating ECE programs and services near them that meet their needs. Challenges in availability of and access to high-quality programs affect many areas of the state, with additional barriers experienced by families living in rural areas, families living in poverty, families of color, multilingual families, and families of children with special needs. Gaps in availability include a lack of adequate child care programs overall (i.e., child care deserts), a lack of programs for three-year-olds, a lack of infant and toddler care, a lack of family child care, gaps in home visiting programs, and gaps in Head Start programming. Additional barriers to accessing ECE programs include limited options within close proximity to families’ homes, lack of full-day options or programs with nontraditional hours, and limited options for vulnerable or underserved children and families. Quality Strengths and Needs State agency staff, stakeholders, and caregivers identified several strengths related to the quality of Wisconsin’s B-5 ECSS. These include Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS), family-centered approaches, a strong Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) (i.e., YoungStar), and a robust technical assistance and training system. Wisconsin has several initiatives underway to support the availability and accessibility of high-quality care that are responsive to family’s needs. There are still many opportunities for addressing issues related to quality that build on current programs and initiatives, including increasing funding for programs, increasing access and affordability for vulnerable and underserved populations, reviewing YoungStar critically through an equity lens, and building and supporting the ECE workforce. Identified needs specific to quality include: Inconsistent and Inequitable Definitions and Measures Lack of Participation in Quality Care /Barriers to participation in Wisconsin Shares Lack of Linguistically Diverse and Culturally Relevant Resources and Curricula Workforce Issues The overarching goal relating to quality identified in the strategic 2021-23 strategic plan: Wisconsin early care and education will be high-quality and responsive to all families’ needs. The updated DCF Strategic Plan continues to anchor in increasing access to high- quality and affordable child care.