Collaborative Partnerships Among School Readiness ProgramsJuly 30, 2007 |
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| At First 5 LA, we know that collaboration is critical to sustaining programs that meet the needs of children and families. Our overall aim is to help collaborative partnerships mature in order to increase and improve service delivery for families and kids, and eventually drive policy in their communities. As legislation on kindergarten readiness programs gets underway in Sacramento, First 5 LA aims to better understand just how well its school readiness grantees work collaboratively to serve children prenatal through five and their families. First 5 LA recently launched an exploratory study about collaboration among school readiness grantees, examining seven programs currently engaged in collaborative ventures. The study looked at various developmental frameworks and themes, such as leadership, decision-making and parent involvement that could influence the success of collaborative partnerships. According to the study, while there are general elements of successful collaborations, such as frequent communication and shared resources and information, each program is individualized to meet the needs of its surrounding community. Some agencies focus on increased staff involvement, regularly scheduled meetings, parent involvement, shared leadership and decision making. Others emphasize service provisions and subcontracting relationships that serve as a primary focus of their efforts. In the last four years, First 5 LA and First 5 California have contributed more than $134 million toward school readiness. Currently, 42 agencies located throughout L.A. County receive school readiness funding. For more information about the School Readiness Collaboration Exploratory Study contact Bill Gould, Research Analyst, at (213) 482-7550. |
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