PRE has been working in partnership with the South-Central Early Learning Hub (SCELH) since 2019 to support the Hub in making data-driven decisions around early learning efforts in the region, which includes Douglas, Lake, and Klamath Counties in Oregon. Our most recent contract was focused on SCELH’s Kindergarten Readiness Partnership & Innovation Program (KPI) Grant and Birth through Five Literacy Plan Grant. We supported the SCELH in taking a data driven approach to the development of a Request for Application (RFA) for releasing funds for the two grant programs. PRE’s work included facilitating information gathering sessions with partners of local school districts and analyzing this data along with data collected during SCELH-led information gathering sessions. These data were summarized into a report with suggestions for SCELH to adopt for the two grants, as well as in an RFA created by PRE that took into consideration findings from the information gathering sessions. Prior to this work, PRE was engaged in three other projects with SCELH: 1) In 2019, PRE collected, analyzed, and shared findings that supported SCELH in making data-driven decisions regarding the region’s priority populations. As such, PRE conducted a landscape analysis of the early learning providers in the three-county region, surveyed kindergarten teachers, parents, and providers, and interviewed superintendents. 2) From 2021 to 2022, PRE administered surveys to families in the region and conducted focus groups with this audience as well. The collected data allowed the Hub to make decisions around a recently developed equity initiative, strategic direction, and meeting childcare and kindergarten readiness needs. 3) Finally, PRE worked with SCELH from 2022 to 2023 by administering a survey with the current childcare workforce in the region and incoming members of the childcare workforce. Findings from the survey helped inform why there are barriers to accessing high-quality and affordable childcare and education that meets family’s needs.
