Mississippi Early Learning Alliance Inc

TO ACHIEVE SYSTEMIC CHANGE LEADING TO THE HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT OF MISSISSIPPI CHILDREN IN THEIR FIRST EIGHT YEARS OF LIFE.

FORUM FOR THE FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE WE SPENT MUCH OF THE PAST YEAR CREATING CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADDITIONAL PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS, AND IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES TO ENSURE FORUM FOR THE FUTURE REMAINS TRUE TO ITS GUIDING PRINCIPLES. A KEY PART OF THIS WORK WAS BUILDING OUR STEERING COMMITTEE OF 7 MEMBERS. MEMBERS CONSIST OF CHILDCARE PRACTIONERS, LEADERS IN EARLY EDUCATION TRAINING AND DEGREE PROGRAMS, ADVOCATES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE EXPERTS. ALL WERE RECRUITED FOR THEIR UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES, ABILITY TO INSPIRE OTHERS, AND THEIR CAPACITY TO ACT IN BOLD AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO TRANSFORM THE EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION SYSTEM IN MISSISSIPPI. FIRST PROJECT: DEFINE WHAT WE MEAN BY "STATE-OF-THE-ART" BY WINTER 2023, INCLUDING OUTCOMES AND MEASURES OF SUCCESS ASSOCIATED WITH A "STATE-OF- THE-ART" CHILDCARE SYSTEM. THIS WILL HELP FORUM FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOP AN OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CHANGE (COMMON AGENDA) THAT MANY ORGANIZATIONS CAN RALLY AROUND. FORUM FOR THE FUTURE QUALITY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR CHILDCARE WORKING GROUP PROJECT: CONVENE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS TO CREATE HIGH-LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A STATEWIDE QUALITY SUPPORT SYSTEM (QSS) FOR CHILDCARE IN MISSISSIPPI. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE SYNTHESIZED IN A REPORT THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES BY EARLY FALL 2022. FIRST ANNUAL SHARED SERVICES CONFERENCE JUNE 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS AN INNOVATIVE TOOL WITH THE POWER TO CONNECT CHILDCARE PROVIDERS TO LOW-COST HEALTH BENEFITS AND SUPPORT PROVIDER/TEACHER RETENTION. WE HOSTED OUR FIRST ANNUAL SHARED SERVICES CONFERENCE THIS SUMMER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOVING HANDS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. THIS CONFERENCE WAS DESIGNED TO BRING CHILDCARE AND EARLY EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS TOGETHER IN PERSON TO: LEARN HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM ON MSEARLYLEARNINGRESOURCES.ORG, EXPLORE HOW THE SHARED SERVICES APPROACH CAN HELP EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS TAKE THEIR WORK TO THE NEXT LEVEL, AND CONNECT AND NETWORK WITH OTHER PROVIDERS, VENDORS, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERTS. THE CONFERENCE STRENGTHENED MELA'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS, AND INCREASED AWARENESS OF OUR RESOURCES FOR CHILDCARE PROVIDERS. MISSISSIPPI EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES :MELA'S SHARED SERVICES PLATFORM FOR CHILDCARE WORKERS MISSISSIPPI EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES (MSEARLYLEARNINGRESOURCES.ORG) IS DESIGNED TO HELP CHILDCARE DIRECTORS AND PROVIDERS REDUCE COSTS, STRENGTHEN THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICES, AND FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS MOST: PROVIDING HIGH- QUALITY CARE AND EDUCATION TO MISSISSIPPI KIDS.THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 1,500 REGISTERED MEMBERS ON THE SITE THIS REPRESENTS A 20% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS REPORTING PERIOD (JAN. 2020- JUNE 2021) MEMBERSHIP HAS REMAINED FREE FOR APPROVED USERS LEADING FROM STRENGTH :MELA'S EMPOWERMENT NETWORK FOR WOMEN OF COLOR LEADING FROM STRENGTH IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THE PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT OF HIGHLY-QUALIFIED WOMEN OF COLOR WORKING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION. THIS INITIATIVE SEEKS TO PROMOTE RACIAL AND GENDER EQUITY WITHIN THE FIELD BY PROVIDING PARTICIPANTS THE SUPPORT, MENTORSHIP, AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEED TO STEP INTO THE LEADERSHIP ROLES THEY ARE READY AND EQUIPPED TO HOLD. THE INITIATIVE CONSISTS OF SMALL COHORTS OF HIGHLY-QUALIFIED WOMEN OF COLOR WHO ENGAGE IN A SERIES OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES OVER THE COURSE OF ONE YEAR. THESE EXPERIENCES ARE DESIGNED TO HONOR AND ELEVATE MEMBERS' WISDOM AND LIVED EXPERIENCES, FOSTER COLLABORATION AMONG WOMEN ACROSS DISCIPLINES, AND PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING. WE RECOGNIZE EACH WOMAN AS THE AUTHOR AND AUTHENTICATOR OF HER OWN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT - AS SUCH, LEADING FROM STRENGTH ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCES ARE DESIGNED TO HELP WOMEN CAPITALIZE ON THEIR OWN INNER STRENGTH AND POWER. PROVIDED COMMUNICATIONS AND LOGISTICS SUPPORT FOR AN EARLY CHILDHOOD JOB FAIR. IN NOVEMBER 2021, MELA HELPED AGAPE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY WORLD, TEACHERS C.A.R.E., AND LOVING HANDS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES MAKE THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD JOB FAIR A SUCCESS. THE JOB FAIR CONNECTED EARLY EDUCATION STUDENTS AND RETIRED OR FORMER TEACHERS WITH CHILDCARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EMPLOYERS. MELA CREATED A PRESS RELEASE, FLYER, AND A SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT TO PROMOTE THE EVENT AND RECRUIT VENDORS, HELPED SECURE A LOCATION FOR THE EVENT, AND PARTICIPATED AS AN EVENT VENDOR. COORDINATED A BULK ORDER OF COVID-19 RAPID TESTS TO HELP RESOLVE TEST SHORTAGE. IN JANUARY 2022, THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF COVID-19 TESTS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH DRUG STORES AND OTHER RETAILERS. CHILDCARE PROVIDERS WERE UNABLE TO GET TESTED FOR COVID-19 QUICKLY FOLLOWING AN EXPOSURE. WE HEARD FROM CHILDCARE CENTERS THAT THIS DELAY IN TESTING FORCED THEM TO SHUT DOWN CLASSROOMS. TO HELP, MELA AND LOVING HANDS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES WORKED WITH A LOCAL SUPPLIER, MISSISSIPPI CARES (A MISSISSIPPI EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES VENDOR), TO PURCHASE RAPID TESTS IN BULK. BECAUSE MANY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS DID NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PURCHASE A BULK ORDER THEMSELVES, WE COORDINATED WITH MISSISSIPPI CARES TO COMBINE SMALLER ORDERS TO MEET THE BULK REQUIREMENT (500 TESTS). ORDINARILY MISSISSIPPI CARES WOULD REQUIRE INDIVIDUAL CENTERS TO PURCHASE AT LEAST 40 TESTS AT 14 PER TEST, (560). WITH THIS PROCESS, PROVIDERS COULD CHOOSE TO ORDER AS FEW AS 10 TESTS (140). 25 CENTERS ORDERED TESTS, AND MELA DISTRIBUTED THEM PERSONALLY.