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Round 2: Early Learning
Hub Technical Assistance
Building a Strategic Framework: How to build
an outcomes aligned strategic plan
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Webinar Agenda
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EARLY LEARNING HUB OVERVIEW
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
HEIDI MCGOWAN, FACILITATOR
PRESENTATION
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KARA WADDELL, MARION COUNTY EARLY LEARNING HUB
INC.
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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
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UPCOMING WEBINARS
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Early Learning Council Goals
 Children
ready for success in kindergarten when
they arrive.
 Children
 Services
raised in stable and attached families.
that are integrated and aligned into one
early learning system focused on results.
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What is an Early Learning Hub
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A self-organized community-based coordinating body
created to provide a “system approach” to early childhood
education that works to improve efficiency and outcomes for
our youngest children.
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Early learning Hub Will
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Build on existing community resources and assets
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Ask tough questions about what could be done
differently to get better results, especially for children
at risk
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Communities have the option to define their own
strategies and service areas to achieve the outcomes
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Under the community based leadership of Early
Learning Hubs bring public schools, early learning
providers, health care, social services and the private
sector together around shared outcomes, for the first
time in Oregon’s history.
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Early Learning Hub, Inc. –
Marion County
One Example of a Newly Forming Community
Collaborative
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Launch of an Early Learning Hub
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State launched a process of education and early learning
reform
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2+ yrs. of discussion about “accountability hubs” at the state
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Vision of early learning hubs presented in legislation and
communities across the state began to think through their
structures, goals and priorities
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Community level – Marion County-led collaborative began nearly
1-year of planning and recommendations around early learning
Vision for a cross-sector, community-led collaborative led by
a community-designated “lead agency”
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Launch of an Early Learning Hub
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EARLY (and ongoing) CHALLENGES:
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Identifying the structure and governance of a cross-sector reform
collaborative
 Community champions, start-up funding, and the ability to
convene key leaders
Making a legislatively-required structure something appealing and
owned at a community level
Developing consensus and momentum around “what to do”
 Clarity of outcomes and metrics, dedicated staff to lead
community efforts
Having a philosophical grounding and common values to really drive
the effort
 State presented “collective impact” but we are still calling out the
value proposition and answering “why” an early learning hub
Answering the question “what is an early learning hub” and why does
it matter
Time and focus
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Developing consensus and
momentum around what to do
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The power of shared goals and a shared agenda
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Very clear around outcome(s) and agreed to metrics
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Identify “few but powerful” goals to mobilize and connect
partners and systems
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VALUE PROPOSITION
Value Proposition
_____________________
Beliefs
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Strategic Framework
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Get it on one page
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Strategic Approach: Develop an evidence-based, datadriven system of early learning services that promotes
outcomes via prioritization of shared goals, service
coordination, and collaborations across early childhood
education, families, social services, health, K-12 and business
sectors.
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Strategic Framework
Outcome #1: Children are Ready for Kindergarten
METRICS:
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Number of children participating in quality early learning
and care experiences as measured by the QRIS
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% of children assessed as “ready” by the Kindergarten
Readiness Assessment
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Strategic Framework
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Make the State outcome a shared, community goal
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Accessible language
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Easy to rally around
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Agreed to metrics backed you into a goals framework
Outcome #1: Children are Ready for Kindergarten
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Goal One: Children experience quality early learning and
literacy development.
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Goal Two: Connections are built between families, early learning
and K-12 schools.
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Strategic Framework
Fill in the Grid
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What are the strategies / approaches we are going to rally
around and prioritize
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Ideally 1-2 strategies
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We called out micro-strategies using an equity lens and a
communications approach
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Left room for the collaborative to grow to community-specific
approaches down the road
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Urban /rural
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Identified populations
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Strategic Framework:
Children Experience Quality Early Learning &
Literacy Development
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Develop a community supply of 3-star, 4-star and 5-star
quality rated early learning programs especially in targeted
elementary school catchment areas.
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Progress Metric: Increase by x% the number of programs at the
4-star and 5-star levels.
Build upon the Regional Achievement Collaborative to
provide a cross-sector, community response to program
needs and gaps in successfully achieving a star rating.
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Early Milestone: ELH participates in quarterly learning dialogues
with WOU-TRI and our Resource and Referral agency to identify
gaps, opportunities and needs.
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Strategic Framework:
Children Experience Quality Early Learning &
Literacy Development
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EQUITY LENS: Ensure children of parents receiving child care
subsidy assistance through TANF or ERDC have equal access to
quality early learning environments in their vicinity
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MOBILIZATION/COMMUNICATION: Engage parents about
quality early learning and the state’s QRIS star-rating guide to
ensure parents are making informed child care decisions
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Early Milestone: Contracts for ERDC contracted slots are developed
for programs at 5-star and 4-star levels to serve low-income, At-Risk
children
Progress Metric: Increase the ratio of the # of children in QRIS-rated
programs / # of available licensed child care slots
COMMUNITY SPECIFIC (optional): In 15-16, communities may
set community-specific strategies around their prioritized
elementary school catchment areas and/or school districts.
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(Helps ensure focused strategy across urban, rural and diverse
settings… and help ensure community ownership)
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Reflections
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Right!
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Clear about our structure
Secured funding and staffing right up front
Used existing analyses
Involved a few representatives from key groups –
leadership/governance level but also “on the ground” staff
Creating the grid
Initial Challenges
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Very broad outcomes and metrics
Too many goals and strategies – need to collapse and simplify
Answering questions in an RFA – we had to cast a broader vision and
approach than what is likely wise in a start-up collaborative
Geographic areas / partners / organizational politics
Staffing to support collaboratives
Program and service providers capacity and hours
Fear, lack of understanding, money politics
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Outcomes, Goals and Metrics:
Shared Vision
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OUTCOME ONE: Children are Ready For Kindergarten
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GOAL ONE: Children experience quality early learning and
literacy development.
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By June 30, 2018, increase by 42% of number of children
participating in quality early learning and care experiences as
measured by the QRIS.
Goal Two: Connections are built between families, early
learning and K-12 schools.
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By June 30, 2018, increase by 16% the number of children
assessed as "ready" on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment
(KRA).
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Common belief #1: The first 2000
days of life are critical for a child’s
development and wellbeing.
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Investing in quality early childhood
education…
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29% more likely to graduate from high
school;
50% less likely to become a teen
parent;
50% less likely to need special
education in school;
More likely to be employed and earn
33% more than the average salary.
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Common Belief #2: No single
organization can do it alone.
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It takes an entire community to support children. We need
EVERYONE at the table, including nontraditional partners.
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We have good models and good organizations, each of
whose impact can be strengthened through a collective
impact model.
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We have to move the needle, but these are complex social
problems.
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Common belief #3: The power of
shared outcomes and goals.
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Shared, cross-sector goals focus and unite efforts on specific
strategies that are critical, timely, and do-able. Goals are
measured and metrics are constantly reviewed.
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Shared goals can move talk to action.
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Common belief #4: The
community must do better…
together
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It takes a village.
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We build on a foundation of continuous quality improvement
and learning across sectors.
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We improve by working together around shared goals and
aligning our practices and programs into a system.
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We learn by listening to and connecting with parents.
New Structure: Collective Impact.
ELH, Inc. – Backbone
Organization
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Alliance
Collective
Action Teams
ELH Board
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An Alliance towards Collective
Impact
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SUMMARY:
What is the value of an Early
Learning Hub?
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Whereas the first 2000 days of life offer a window of
opportunity to prepare young children for success in school
and life;
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Whereas no one organization can solve the complex issues
facing our youngest children and families together;
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… An Alliance is needed to connect partners, sectors,
resources, programs and families to ensure better outcomes
for young children.
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Early Learning Hub, Inc.
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We are an Alliance connecting partners (traditional and
unconventional) to ensure great things are happening for young
children.
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We are committed to 7 Shared Goals:
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Children experience quality early learning and literacy
development.
Connections are built between families, early learning and K-12
schools.
Families are connecting to a medical care home.
Families and caregivers are developing skills that support children.
Children are developmentally screened and referred.
Children and family services are aligned and coordinating.
Performance is measured and data is used to learn, adjust and
innovate.
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Early Learning Hub, Inc.
Kara Waddell
kara@earlylearninghub.org
503-949-4181
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Questions & Answers
Thank you for your questions.
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Proposed Upcoming Webinars
 February
26th
Early Learning Hub Outcome Metrics
11:00-12:00 pm
 March
6th
Equity and Family Engagement
10:00-11:00 am
 March
13th
Building a Strong Health Care Connection
10:00-11:00 am
 March
20th
Building a Strong K-3 Connection
10:00-11:00 am
 March
27th
10:00-11:00 am
Oregon’s QRIS
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Contact Information
Presenter Contact information
Kara Waddell,
kara@earlylearninghub.org
503-949-4181
Early Learning Division Contact
Megan Irwin, Early Learning System Design Manager
megan.irwin@state.or.us
503-507-9462
www.OregonEarlyLearning.com