Professional Development for Early Care and Education Practitioners

Overview

First Things First (FTF) is an essential leader and partner in creating a family-centered, equitable, high-quality early childhood system that supports the development, well-being, health and education of all Arizona’s children, birth to age 5.  FTF’s vision is that all Arizona’s children are ready to succeed in school and in life. 

Statement of Need

Pima North and Pima South First Things First Regional Partnership Councils are jointly supporting a system of comprehensive professional development that is facilitated in cohort-based learning groups of ECE professionals and practitioners, using a Communities of Practice (COP) model that supports the understanding of proven theories and practices of early childhood development and the importance of providing high-quality care and education. Job-embedded coaching is intentionally linked with the COP groups to helps reinforce practitioners’ newly learned education and support the application of newly acquired skills and knowledge in the early learning setting. Lastly, working in partnership with institutes of higher education to support early childhood professionals in identifying and reaching professional development and higher education goals creates a more accessible higher education system and also yields a well-equipped early care and education workforce with the skills and knowledge to provide high quality early care and education to young children. 

Description of Strategy

ADMINISTRATIVE HOME

The successful Applicant must demonstrate the capacity to carry out all grant activities through an Administrative Home structure. The Administrative Home grantee is responsible for the full fiscal and administration oversight of the grant, including management of any sub-grantees. 
The overarching purpose of the Administrative Home for the Professional Development for Early Care and Education Practitioners (PDECEP) Strategy is to lead the coordination and collaboration efforts necessary to support the successful implementation of multiple ongoing Communities of Practice and all of the associated components thereof, and ensure Communities of Practice are occurring consistently and simultaneously throughout the two regions, in alignment with and adherence to the PDECEP Standards of Practice and other required activities in this Scope of Work.  

Administrative Home Responsibilities

• The establishment of formal coordinated mechanisms that ensure sub-grantee(s) have the capacity and support to work collaboratively to deliver and implement all strategy components in compliance and accordance with the FTF Scope of Work and Standards of Practice.
• The overall fiscal management including oversight and necessary management of any sub-grantees. The Administrative Home is responsible for submitting all financial reports and documents to FTF, including but not limited to invoices, receipts for reimbursements, budget modifications and staff change forms.
• Coordination of data collection and submission in adherence with the Professional Development for Early Care and Education Practitioners (PDECEP) FTF Data Reporting Requirements. This includes collecting, tracking and reporting data pertaining to service delivery, the target population served, the staff providing direct service and other programmatic measures as outlined in this Request For Grant Application Agreement. The Administrative Home shall coordinate data collection activities amongst all sub-grantees and is solely responsible for electronically submitting data reports to FTF as required. 
• Leverage assets and resources within the existing professional development infrastructure and system.
• Implement coordinated outreach and recruitment activities and enrollment and attendance expectations that ensure the maximum number of early childhood practitioners, from rural and urban areas, have equitable opportunities to participate.
• For expanded curriculum beyond those listed in Standards of Practice; establish procedures for selecting and vetting Community of Practice content and topics to ensure that they are based on current and best practices and research from reputable and recognized organizations in the field of early childhood as well as closely aligned with the needs and goals of the participating practitioners. 
• Lead and facilitate a Community of Practice designated for the team of Community of Practice Coordinators that promotes and supports best practices in facilitation and instruction.

STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

The intent of this cross-region Professional Development for Early Care and Education Practitioners (PDECEP) Strategy is to implement a coordinated and unified system of ongoing, comprehensive professional development delivered in a Communities of Practice model, job embedded coaching and professional development goal setting for early childhood professionals teaching and caring for young children birth to age 5 in regulated settings, that is accessible throughout the full regional geographical areas of Pima North and Pima South Regions.

Approximately $1,027,147 is available for each twelve (12) month period. 

This is a multi-regional contract with funding available from the following regions: 

• Pima North: $616,647.00
• Pima South: $412,500.00  

It is anticipated that one award will be made.

Grant applications must be received by First Things First on or before April 13, 2023 at 11am (Arizona MST) at the following location:

First Things First Tucson Office
3610 N. Prince Village Place, Suite 100
Tucson, AZ  85719

If you plan to submit your application in person on any day prior to the RFGA deadline, it is recommended that you email [email protected] to ensure the location is open that day. Any First Things First office listed as receiving a specific RFGA will be open the day of the RFGA deadline.