Partnership Process

Collect Data

LEAs, child care programs, and Head Start programs should collect and analyze data to better understand the local, early-childhood landscape. Understanding the landscape may help determine if a partnership can address family needs and which partnership model(s) would work best for the entities involved.

Collect data to help inform the partnership planning process. Potential data to inform partnerships can include:
 

Connect With Stakeholders 

LEAs, child care programs, and Head Start programs should also connect with nonprofit organizations, government entities, or other key community stakeholders to better understand the early childhood landscape (e.g., local workforce development boards, nonprofit organizations or city/county government divisions involved in early childhood education, early childhood professional organizations, and/or local Child Care Regulation staff).

After analyzing local data, supports, and resources, LEAs, along with child care programs and Head Start programs, can work to identify potential partners and partnership models.

LEAs should connect with community stakeholders to identify child care programs and Head Start programs that may be interested in partnering. Early childhood community stakeholders include, but are not limited to:

• City or county government
• Institutes of higher education
• Local child care regulation staff
• Local Head Start programs
• Local school districts
• Local public charter schools
• Local workforce boards
• Nonprofit organizations
• Regional education service centers
• Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (and local, city chapters)
• Texas Head Start Association

LEAs may wish to hold public meetings to share information and recruit partners that meet appropriate eligibility criteria.

Eligibility Criteria for Three-Year-Old Programs 

Child care programs that serve eligible three-year-olds must comply with licensing minimum standards, per TEC Section 29.1532. If a school district contracts with a private entity, the program must comply with the applicable child-care licensing standards adopted by the Department of Protective Regulatory Services under Section 42.042, Human Resources Code.

Eligibility Criteria for Four-Year-Old Programs

Child care programs that serve eligible four-year-olds must be licensed by and in good standing with Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and must also meet one of the following criteria to partner with an LEA:

• Be accredited by a research-based, nationally recognized, and universally-accessible accreditation system approved by the Commissioner.  
• Texas Rising Star, 3 or 4 Star.
• Texas School Ready! participant.
• Be Accredited by an organization that is recognized by the Texas Private School eligibility criteria.

Identify Partnership Model(s)

LEAs, child care programs, and Head Start programs have options when identifying a partnership model that fits the needs of all involved parties. Examples of partnership models:

A. Informal Partnerships
B. Formal Partnerships
C. LEA and Head Start Program Partnerships
D. LEA and Child Care Program Partnerships
E. In-district Charter School Partnerships

A. Informal Partnerships

Many LEAs, child care programs, and Head Start programs choose to establish informal partnerships prior to or instead of establishing formal partnerships. Informal partnerships provide opportunities to collaborate and provide a strong pipeline of quality care from birth through age 5, as well as school-readiness supports. Resources shared in an informal partnership may include but are not limited to, professional development, classroom observations/assessments, alignment of curriculum and/or assessments, family engagement, and/or transitions to kindergarten.

B. Formal Partnerships 

Many LEAs, child care programs, and Head Start programs choose to establish formal partnerships, which can be onsite at an child care program, Head Start provider, or an LEA campus. In formal partnerships, children are dually enrolled, and programs combine two or more sources of funding to offer care, education, and services for children and families. The LEA may provide Foundation School Program (FSP), early education allotment, or other funding sources to cover a half-day of instruction for three-year-olds and/or a full-day of instruction for four-year-olds. In formal partnerships, partners create and establish contracts which outline services, roles, and responsibilities and ensure that all applicable program standards are met. Refer to the Developing a Partnership Contract Agreement/MOU guidance for more information about public-private prekindergarten partnership contracts. 

C. LEA and Head Start Program Partnerships

In this model, LEAs and Head Start programs partner to provide prekindergarten and additional services. Prekindergarten and additional services can be provided onsite at the LEA or at the Head Start program. The teacher(s) may be employed by the LEA or the Head Start program.

Funding

LEA and Head Start program partnerships are funded with FSP funding, early education allotment, other available local funding sources, and Head Start program funding. LEAs may pass through funding to Head Start programs or Head Start programs may pass through funding to LEAs. The amount of funding one entity passes to the other will depend on the employer of the teacher(s) and the services provided by each entity. LEAs and Head Start programs may fund the same program hours provided that each entity meets their respective requirements and standards.

Standards and Regulations

The partnership program must meet the standards and regulations of the LEA and Head Start, including, but not limited to teacher certification/qualification requirements, curriculum, assessment, attendance procedures, classroom sizes and ratios, services provided to children and families, nutrition requirements, instructional minutes, etc. During the contract development phase, partnership program staff should work together to determine how to meet the requirements of each entity and to ensure that program staff become trained in each other’s standards and guidelines.

D. LEA and Child Care Program Partnerships

In this model, LEAs and child care programs partner to provide prekindergarten and additional services. Prekindergarten and additional services can be provided onsite at the LEA or at the child care program. The teacher(s) may be employed by the LEA or by the child care program.

Funding
These partnerships are funded with FSP funding, early education allotment, other available local funding sources, childcare subsidies, and/or tuition. Typically, the LEA passes through funding to the child care program. However, the amount of funding passed through depends on the employer of the teacher(s) and the services provided by each entity. Tuition and/or childcare subsidies may NOT fund hours funded by the LEA. For dually enrolled children, child care programs should contact their local workforce board to determine which childcare subsidy rate they are eligible to receive (full-time, part-time, or blended) based on the number of hours funded by the LEA.

Standards and Regulations

The partnership program must meet the standards and regulations of the LEA and the child care program, including, but not limited to teacher certification/qualification requirements, curriculum, assessment, attendance procedures, classroom sizes and ratios, services provided to children and families, nutrition requirements, instructional minutes, etc. The partnership program must also meet any applicable standards/requirements of the child care program, including, but not limited to childcare licensing standards, Texas Rising Star, Texas School Ready, NAEYC, or other accreditations. During the contract development phase, partnership program staff should work together to determine how to best meet the requirements of each entity and to ensure that program staff become trained in each other’s standards, guidelines, policies, and procedures.

E. In-District Charter Partnerships 

In this model districts may partner with a nonprofit organization, government entity, institute of higher education, or an existing charter school to provide prekindergarten and additional services. The district authorizes a carefully selected partner to operate an in- district charter school under a performance contract. The partner must have their own board of directors and hold responsibility for staff, curriculum, calendar, assessments, and other school-level decision making. The district holds the partner accountable for academic and financial performance. The process for authorizing an in-district charter campus requires the approval of several stakeholders and may extend the timeline needed to initiate a partnership program.

Funding

These partnerships are funded with FSP funding, early education allotment, and other funding that may be available to partners.

Standards and Regulations

The partnership program must meet the standards and regulations of the LEA and the child care program, including, but not limited to teacher certification/qualification requirements, curriculum, assessment, attendance procedures, classroom sizes and ratios, services provided to children and families, nutrition requirements, instructional minutes, etc. The partnership program must also meet any applicable standards/requirements of the child care programs, including, but not limited to childcare licensing standards, Texas Rising Star, Texas School Ready, NAEYC, or other accreditations. During the contract development phase, partnership program staff should work together to determine how to best meet the requirements of each entity and to ensure that program staff become trained in each other’s standards, guidelines, policies, and procedures.

Developing public-private prekindergarten partnerships takes time, trust, clear communication, and leadership committed to providing quality care and education. Building successful relationships among members of the partnership is essential to its success. 

Key activities that can foster relationship building include: 

• Regular meetings with leadership staff
• Opportunities for teaching staff to collaborate
• Inter-partner meetings and phone calls
• Professional development
• Informal visits to each other’s sites
• Opportunities for leadership staff to visit other partnership programs

When activities are organized to provide meaningful interactions between partners, parties gain insight on expectations, potential challenges, and solutions.

Creating strong relationships prior to establishing the formal partnership will allow for the formation of a successful partnership. Factors that facilitate the formation of successful partnerships include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Committed leadership
• Common vision and goal setting for program quality
• Ongoing communication
• Joint development of a contract
• Inclusion of families as equal partners when determining program design and services
• Development of a strategic plan for the partnership
• Development of a partnership evaluation plan
• Development of a plan for reviewing standards, funding, and regulations 
• Awareness of the value and responsibilities of both parties
   

There are many factors to consider when establishing public-private partnerships. If a formal partnership is being developed, staff from both parties should work together to clarify and communicate partner needs and   expectations prior to developing a contract. Staff from both parties should work collaboratively to develop a contract that outlines responsibilities, roles, requirements, and resources that are shared. Contracts should be reviewed regularly, and amendments should be made jointly and with buy-in from both partners. 

Child care program contracts may include, but are not limited to the following:

Administration/Human Resources

• Governance
• Employer of teacher
• Supervision
• Facilities management
• Data sharing
• IT services
• Attendance and data reporting requirements

Partnership Parameters

• Target number of eligible children enrolled
• Calendar and dates services are offered
• Length of partnership
• Pass through funding amount
• Communication with families
• Process for recruiting and enrolling eligible children
• Staffing and funding for days LEA provided prekindergarten is not offered (for example: seasonal breaks and LEA holidays)
• Classroom
• Class size and ratios
• Curriculum
• Assessment
• Classroom and instructional materials

Support Services

• HR services
• Meals and nutrition
• Health services
• Family engagement
• Transportation
• Bilingual services
• Special education services
• Speech or other services for children

Quality/Evaluation

• Certification and qualification requirements of teacher(s)
• Regulatory and/or quality standards and requirements (e.g., LEA requirements, high-quality prekindergarten components, childcare, Texas Rising Star, Head Start, or the National Association for the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC))
• Quality monitoring
• Process for ongoing communication
• Professional development, training, coaching, mentoring, and resources provided to staff
• Conflict resolution process
• Partnership evaluation process
• Grounds for partnership termination

After partnerships are formally established, staff from both parties should work together to evaluate the relationship on an ongoing basis to ensure it is successful, high-quality, and financially stable. Ongoing, clear, and open communication between partnership staff can help sustain partnerships.

Common barriers to successful partnerships include:

• Poor collaboration or communication between partnership staff
• Lack of understanding of roles and responsibilities
• Insufficient funding or poor financial planning
• Differences in standards and regulations across programs (e.g., child-care licensing standards, Texas Rising Star guidelines, National Accreditation for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards, Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, etc.)
• Staff turnover

To evaluate partnership success and impact, consider analyzing:

• Enrollment and access data
• Quality of the child care and Head Start program
• Attendance and data reporting
• Process for recruiting, and enrolling eligible children and families
• Allocated funding (FSP, early education allotment, Head Start program, and/or childcare subsidies) and the cost of providing high-quality care and education to children
• Communication and collaboration between teaching and leadership staff
• Alignment of standards and regulations
• Needs of families
• Satisfaction of families enrolled in the partnership program
• Retention of partnership classroom staff
• Kindergarten readiness outcome data

To sustain and improve partnerships parties may:

• Identify and provide targeted, high-quality professional development opportunities for teaching and administrative staff
• Identify and address the needs of families
• Identify and implement financial efficiencies (e.g., utilizing shared services)
• Improve recruitment and enrollment processes for eligible children and families
• Improve recruitment and retention of teaching staff
• Provide technical assistance, training, or resources to address classroom needs
• Provide opportunities for staff from both parties to jointly address concerns, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and celebrate successes and milestones.