(Washington, DC) – Today, at the White House Summit on Early Learning, President Obama announced the District was awarded $900,000 through the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Head Start. This funding will supplement the $8.3 million of local dollars Mayor Vincent C. Gray has already invested in the creation of an Early Learning Quality Improvement Network (QIN). Following through on his 2014 State of the District promise to raise the bar on infant and toddler programs, the QIN will provide critical resources to help subsidized child care providers meet the rigorous federal Early Head Start standards further increasing the health, learning, and development of infants and toddlers District-wide.
“We are excited to partner with the White House to build on what is already by many measures the best early childhood education program in the country by expanding the supply of evidenced-based, affordable infant and toddler care,” said Mayor Gray. “This supports our goal of putting the necessary resources in place so that all children and families in the District of Columbia are thriving through the collaboration of multiple city agencies and community partners.”
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) selected three community-based child development partners through a competitive process to serve as network hubs that will support 14 licensed child development centers and 10 to 15 family childcare homes in meeting Early Head Start standards. The community-based quality improvement system will provide technical assistance, coaching for providers, wage enhancements, and comprehensive services for children and families, including mental health consultation, family engagement and support, health and nutrition, and early intervention services.
OSSE will administer the grant to supplement the local money used to launch the QIN. On December 18, 2014, OSSE will launch the QIN at an award conference and orientation session for all participating child care partners at the Charles Sumner School.