SAC Needs Assessment

Background

A goal of the Massachusetts State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (SAC) Identify the needs of young children

birth to age eight, assess the “quality and availability of

early childhood education and development programs and services for children from birth to school entry.”

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Purpose of Needs Assessment

To inform the Board of Early Education and Care and EEC of the resources that will best serve families and communities in supporting the holistic development of children and youth families.

To build our knowledge and understanding of critical issues facing families.

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Where are we now?

EEC has contracted with Wellesley College Center for Women to develop a statewide needs assessment. The researchers have been meeting

with the Planning and Evaluation Committee monthly.

The researchers have developed research questions, a logic model, sampling plans and two types of surveys, one for the early education and care workforce and one for families.

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Research Questions for Families and Educators

Family Research Questions What is the demand for resources to support child

development for families with children ages 0 to 13?

Which children and families have access to the programs that they need including high quality EEC programs, health care and community resources and supports?

Are children, birth to age 13, on track to succeed when they enter school and beyond?

Educator Research Questions How prepared is the EEC workforce to provide effective

education and care for all? How stable is the workforce? What supports are available to educators to become more reflective practitioners?

How does the workforce define and understand quality in EEC programs?

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Surveys

The researchers developed a long and short version of the Family and Educator survey. The 2 versions can be used together or independently of one another. For example: Short form can be used with a general sample and long

form for the oversample or supplemental sample Long form can be used with general sample and short

form for oversample or supplemental sample. Short or long form can be used only with a general

sample.

Survey questions were compiled from existing national surveys.

Additional data sources include EEC Administrative data such as the Educator Registry.

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Family Survey Questions

Family survey questions were compiled from 14 existing surveys.

National Study of Child Care Supply and Demand, National Early Head Start Study, Abt National Study of Child Care for Low Income, National Household Education Surveys (NHES), Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (HS FACES), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Study of

Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD), Strengthening Families Minnesota Household Survey FastTrack Project Census Survey of Income and Program Participation Child Well Being,

(Census SIPP). National Health Interview Survey MA Early Education Household Survey Boston Public School Needs Assessment Desired Results for Children and Families- Parent Survey (California

DOE)

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Educator Survey Questions

Educator survey questions were compiled from 12 existing surveys.

National Early Head Start Study, Abt National Study of Child Care for Low Income, National Household Education Surveys (NHES), Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (HS FACES), Boston Ready: K1 teacher survey Strategies for Children National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Study

of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD), Massachusetts Cost and Quality Study National Study of Child Care Supply and Demand (NORC

NSCCSD), New Teacher Support, Teaching, Empowering, Leading and

Learning Survey (TELL Maryland) Teacher Reflective Attitude Survey National Prekindergarten Study Questionnaire (NPSQ)

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Sampling Recommendations

Family Statewide Sample: Random digit dialing and/or online and paper surveys

• Random sample of families with or without oversampling of low income families.

• Convenience sample from CFCE outreach.• Survey of all families served through

CFCE’s.

Educator Statewide Sample: Online and paper surveys.

• Random sample of educators• All registered educators in the EEC

Registry• Can include optional oversample of kith

and kin providers

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Determining what’s useful for Policy and Planning?

To help EEC determine which themes from the Needs Assessment surveys would be most useful for policy and planning, EEC asked various groups (EEC staff, CCR&Rs, CFCE grantees, Board Members and the Advisory Council) to complete a short questionnaire.

Respondents were asked to rank the themes by what would be most useful for policy and planning with the middle ranking being neutral.

162 people responded to the questionnaire.

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EEC Family Questionnaire Results and Board Committee Discussions

The following themes were considered most useful for policy and planning.

Work flexibility/needs Parent/Guardian Definition of child care quality Strengthening Families/Protective factors Child Health/Health Care Special Needs Early Education and Care use Information/Knowledge of child care resources School attendance/Adjustment Relative Neighborhood Housing Community Resources Home Activities/Family Involvement outside of school Demographics Future Education Family Stresses Quality of care received Child Care Satisfaction

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Linking the Family Survey Questions to risks in the Developmental Domains

Though the Needs Assessment looks at all children and families, the needs assessment also links to child development risk.

Of those the questionnaire determined would be most useful, some are linked to the 5 developmental domains. Work flexibility/needs Parent/Guardian Definition of child care quality Strengthening Families/Protective factors (social emotional) Child Health/Health Care Special Needs (cognitive, physical,

approaches to learning, language) Early Education and Care use Information/Knowledge of child care resources School attendance/Adjustment (cognitive, social emotional)

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Linking the Family Survey with Child Development Risk

Relative Neighborhood (social emotional) Housing Community Resources (physical, social

emotional) Home Activities/Family Involvement outside

of school Demographics Future Education (cognitive and social

emotional) Family Stresses (cognitive, social emotional) Quality of care received (cognitive, physical,

approaches to learning, social emotional) Child Care Satisfaction

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How can the most useful Family themes be used.

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EEC Family Questionnaire Results and Board Committee Discussions

The following themes were considered not as useful. Themes were considered less useful for a variety of reasoning including gathering the data from existing administrative data sources. Family Health Family Mental Health Parent/Guardian Health Family Involvement/Educational Information Family Resources/Income Supports Subsidy Parenting strategies

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EEC Workforce Questionnaire Results and Board Committee Discussions

The following themes were considered most useful in policy and planning. Workforce training Workforce understanding of quality Workforce and ELL and Special Needs

children Workforce in the field Workforce leaving the field Workforce Demographics Workforce needs for supports for children and

their families Workforce and child expulsion

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How can the most useful Workforce themes be used.

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EEC Workforce Questionnaire Results and Board Committee Discussions The following themes were considered

not as useful. Themes were considered less useful for a variety of reasoning including gathering the data from existing administrative data sources. Workforce program benefits Workforce job description position, program,

hours and salary Workforce interaction with families and

attitudes towards family involvement. Workforce communication with families.

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Feedback from State Advisory Council

Research Questions Questions are broad and may need to be more

focused before implementation. Possible areas to focus on include strengthening families protective factors, housing and school attendance.

Struggle to get the right information. There is so much information EEC would like to know.

Sampling Recommendations Random Digit Dialing is difficult as many families

no longer have telephone landlines Face to face interviews would be better, otherwise

might not get accurate answers. Incentives- to get quantity of responses but need

to be aware of creating bias.

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Next Steps

Needs Assessment model and sampling plan presented to Board on June 14.

RFR drafted and posted. Educator survey proposed implementation

during FY12 1st quarter.

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