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AS WE BEGIN THIS IMPORTANT WORK TOGETHER.OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT.
WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, PLEASE SAY, PRESENT CLEARLY AND AUDIBLY.
PRESENT, UH, AL PATAL, I THINK IS ABSENT TODAY.
I WILL NOW TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO MAYOR SIDIKI TO START US OFF.
UM, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
I FIRST WANNA THANK OUR THREE CO-CHAIRS.
UM, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WITH REALLY JUST, UM, EXCITEMENT TO SAY THAT THEY'RE GREAT THOUGHT PARTNERS AND LEADERS, UM, IN THIS AREA.
AND, UH, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR TIME AND ENERGY, UM, THAT THEY'RE PUTTING INTO THIS WORK.
I WANNA THANK, UM, EVAN, PATRICK, PAMELA, AND BENJI AS WELL, UH, FOR DOING A LOT OF THE BACKEND WORK.
IT TAKES, IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT TO PUT THESE TASK FORCE TOGETHER.
UM, AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, UM, ON THESE CRITICAL ISSUES.
AND OF COURSE,
UH, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE WE'RE AT A MOMENT OF TIME WHERE, UH, WE KNOW CAMBRIDGE HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THIS AREA, UH, AND, UH, WE'VE ALL BEEN ABLE TO BE A PART OF IT.
UM, AND REALLY THIS TASK FORCE IS, UH, ABOUT ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DOES COME NEXT? UM, WHAT CAN CAMBRIDGE DO TO MAKE, UH, HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE FOR FAMILIES? AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TREMENDOUS WORK DONE ALREADY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO BUILD FROM THAT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE EXPERIENCES IN THIS ROOM, THE EXPERTISE IN THIS ROOM, UM, AND YOUR IDEAS.
AND SO, UH, I KNOW CAMBRIDGE HAS SHOWN THAT WE CAN DO BIG THINGS WHEN WE BRING TOGETHER A GROUP OF PEOPLE AROUND A SHARED CHALLENGE.
AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HELP KICK THIS OFF.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT TO OUR COACHES.
JUST A BRIEF INTRO, I AM SO JAZZED AND EXCITED BECAUSE UNBEKNOWNST, EVEN TO SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, PROBABLY 40 YEARS AGO, I THINK I WORKED FOR CATALYST, NEW YORK AND WORKED ON CHILDCARE, CHILDCARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL CENTER HERE IN CAMBRIDGE, WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WE TURNED TO.
AND WE DID THE FIRST EVER NATIONAL SURVEY OF 14, 1500 COMPANIES TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE COULD BETTER SUPPORT PARENTS IN THE WORKFORCE.
SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE FULL CYCLE THAT, AND EVER SINCE THEN, THROUGH MY TENURE ON SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THEN AT CITY COUNCIL, I'VE BEEN REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF CAMBRIDGE BEING A LEADER AND THE IDEA OF EXPANDING ACCESS.
WE WOULD ALL LOVE TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE FREE HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR EVERY SINGLE KID IN CAMBRIDGE.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE CO-CHAIR IN TOTAL.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR SERVING, FOR THE MAYOR, FOR LEADING, AND FOR MY CO-CHAIRS AND OUR STAFF, I AM COUNSELOR MARK MCGOVERN.
UH, I ALSO WANNA THANK EVERYBODY, UH, FOR BEING HERE AFTER A LONG WORKDAY.
I'M SURE THE CHIEF THAT, THAT YOU HAD, I'VE BEEN, UH, SERVING MY SEVENTH TERM ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
PRIOR TO THAT, I SERVED FOUR, FOUR TERMS ON THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
UH, I'M AN L-I-C-S-W SOCIAL WORKER FOR OVER 30 YEARS WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, INCLUDING ABOUT HALF THAT TIME AS, UH, CLINICAL DIRECTOR IN VARIOUS THERAPEUTIC SCHOOLS.
UM, WHEN, UH, WHEN I JOINED THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, UH, 22 YEARS AGO, UM, IT WAS A QUEST OF, OF MINE AND OTHERS OF BUILDING ON REALLY STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF OTHERS, UM, TO EXPAND EARLY CHILDHOOD CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN THE CITY.
AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE FINALLY, UH, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WITH CPP AND, AND, AND GIVING, UH, ALL CHILDREN IN CAMBRIDGE, A, A, A GREAT START.
BUT NOW LOOKING AT HOW WE EXPAND THAT AND, AND OFFER THAT TO MORE KIDS IS, IS SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AND, UH, WANNA SEE COME TO FRUITION.
AND IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH TRUE EXPERTS WHO I CAN ALSO LEARN FROM AND, AND, AND AS WE MOVE THIS FORWARD.
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I AM CHERYL OLSON.UM, I WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD HERE IN CAMBRIDGE.
I FEEL INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE, UM, TO BE WORKING FOR A CITY THAT TRULY CARES ABOUT AND PRIORITIZES, UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD, BOTH IN TERMS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, BUT NOT JUST EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES, UM, WHO HAVE INFANTS AND TODDLERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN AS WELL.
I'M A FORMER TEACHER, STILL A LITTLE BIT OF A PRE, UH, PRESCHOOL TEACHER, UM, AT HEART, AND AM REALLY EXCITED, UM, TO BE WORKING WITH THIS POWERHOUSE TEAM.
THIS IS QUITE AN IMPRESSIVE GROUP IN THIS ROOM, UM, AND ON THIS CALL.
AND I THINK THE CITY HAS ALREADY, AS, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY DONE REALLY, REALLY GOOD THINGS, UM, AND BIG THINGS FOR PRESCHOOLERS.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS, UH, A REALLY EXCITING EVOLUTION OF THIS WORK.
WE KNOW THAT THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE, HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE IS NOT JUST A CAMBRIDGE CHALLENGE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERY, EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS FACING THIS.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT CONT CAMBRIDGE IS GONNA CONTINUE WITH LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
HI, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I'M THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS, REFERRED TO AS DHSP.
AND I'M SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE.
UM, I COME FROM A NONPROFIT EDUCATION, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE, UM, WITHIN, UH, THE CITY OF FRAMINGHAM.
I SERVED AS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT THERE.
UM, I WORKED ON EARLY EDUCATION AND, UM, REALLY KIND OF FELL IN LOVE.
MOST OF MY WORK HAD BEEN IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WITH OLDER STUDENTS.
AND SO HAVING THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH SUCH BEAUTIFUL NEW MINDS, UM, REALLY ENERGIZED ME.
AND SO TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SORT OF SET THE STANDARD FOR COUNTRY IN TERMS OF WHAT BEST PRACTICES AND WHAT THE INVESTMENT SHOULD AND CAN LOOK LIKE IS REALLY EXCITING.
AND SO, LIKE, I'M SUPER JAZZED TO BE HERE AND PASSIONATE ABOUT WORKING IN GEORGIA.
I'M AN EARLY CHILDHOOD FELLOW PATHWAYS FELLOW ATTITUDES TO THEIR CHILDREN.
I ALSO STARTED AS A PRESCHOOL TEACHER, BUT KIND OF MADE MY WAY INTO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPACE AND
SO DID MORE LOCAL LEVEL POLICY AND ADVOCACY IN DC WITH WHICH CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AND THEN DID BROADER PUBLIC POLICY AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, OF WORKING ON PROJECTS RELATED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD HEALTH AND PEDIATRIC CARE.
AND THEN I'M ALSO A FOURTH YEAR DOCTORAL CANDIDATE AT BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY IN SOCIAL POLICY, FOCUSED ON EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTINGS.
I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THE INTEGRATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH, AND THINKING ABOUT INEQUITIES WITHIN SYSTEMS. AND I'M WORKING WITH STRATEGIES FOR CHILDREN.
IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY, BUT I'M ALSO EXCITED TO BRING SOME OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING HERE TO THIS.
I FEEL LIKE CAMBRIDGE IS REALLY AT THE FOREFRONT OF THINKING ABOUT UNIVERSAL CHILDCARE.
IT'S BUBBLING UP IN SO MANY, UM, STATES, BUT ALSO I KNOW CITIES ARE DOING SUCH GREAT WORK THAT WE CAN CROSS COLLAB BETWEEN STATES AND THE LOCAL LEVEL.
NJI, IS IT OKAY IF I INTERJECT FOR JUST A MINUTE? I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE OWLS SOMETIMES DOESN'T PICK UP VOICES TERRIBLY WELL.
YOU MIGHT HEAR ME TALKING MUCH LOUD, MORE LOUDLY THAN I NORMALLY WOULD.
UM, SO WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING, IF WE COULD JUST TRY TO PROJECT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN YOU TYPICALLY WOULD SO THAT THE FOLKS ON THE CALL, UM, CAN, CAN HEAR US.
WELL THEN I LOOK TO MY DESK, RIGHT? UM, I'M LAURA, EXCUSE ME.
THE, I GUESS I BETTER TAKE A SIP OF WATER FIRST.
RECOVERING FROM THE RECENT COLD.
I'M, UH, LAURA PERIL, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF NURTURING EARLY EDUCATION, UM, WHICH HAS A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE.
SO I BRING THE PROVIDER'S PERSPECTIVE AND BIRD'S EYE VIEW, UM, TO THIS CONVERSATION.
ONE OF OUR THREE CENTERS IS ACTUALLY TEMPORARILY ACROSS THE STREET IN THE LONGFELLOW SCHOOL.
UM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, UM, LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP.
WE'RE ALSO A PLAYER IN THE CAMBRIDGE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM, SO WE HAVE SEEN THE IMPACT OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE'S BOLD MOVES, UM, OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.
UM, WE OPERATE BOTH CENTERS AND FAMILY CHILDCARE, WHICH IS ANOTHER WAY OF APPROACHING THE SUPPLY, UM, CHALLENGE OF QUALITY PRESCHOOL.
SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO USING BOTH THOSE LENSES TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONVERSATION.
UH, TOO, I'M RECOVERING FROM A COLD, SO I MAY SOUND A LITTLE FOGGY.
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UM, HI EVERYONE.MY NAME IS MICHELLE GODFREY AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS. UM, I OVERSEE PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORTS FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG KIDS IN PARTICULAR, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR MORE OF THE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES OR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES HERE IN CAMBRIDGE.
UM, AND I LOVE THAT YOU MENTIONED THE CHILDCARE RESOURCE CENTER BECAUSE MY, I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE BECAUSE FROM MY DAYS, YOU KNOW, OVER 20 YEARS AGO AT THE CHILDCARE RESOURCE CENTER, WE'VE BEEN THINKING AND TALKING ABOUT THIS.
AND PRESCHOOL WAS THE FIRST STEP.
AND HOW WE THINK ABOUT WHAT INFANT TODDLER CARE MEANS, UM, TO FAMILIES NOW AT CAMBRIDGE IS CRITICAL TO, YOU KNOW, THEIR OVERALL ECONOMIC HEALTH.
BOTH, ALL THE LINK HERE, COVID.
I THINK WE CORRESPONDED TO IT.
I'M
WE'RE NOT MEMBERS, BUT WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT IT, HELP THIS WORK DONE.
UM, UH, UH, COUNCIL AIDE, UM, HERE AT CITY HALL.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO HELP EVAN LINSKY.
I'M ALSO LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO THE MAYOR.
UH, WE'RE GONNA SWITCH OVER TO ZOOM, UM, MAYBE JUST ONE BY ONE COMING OFF MUTE.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF HEAD START IN CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ON THIS TASK FORCE.
WE HAVE MAYBE A UNIQUE ROLE IN BEING A NON-CITY PROVIDER THAT PROVIDES FREE, UM, SERVICES, CHILDCARE, PRESCHOOL AND FAMILY WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES TO, UM, SOME OF THE HIGHEST NEEDS
AND, UM, REALLY EAGER TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER TO EXPAND AND GROW AND ALSO MAYBE LEVERAGE WHAT WE CAN OUTTA THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHILE WE CAN.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS CHILDCARE.
WE, UM, ARE THE CENTERS ON HARVARD'S CAMPUSES.
WE HAVE FIVE IN CAMBRIDGE AND TWO IN AUSTIN.
AND, UH, ABOUT 450 KIDS A DAY.
UM, AND, UM, I WAS ON ONE OF THE, ON THE B TWO THREE GROUP THAT GOT B TWO THREE GOING.
AND THEN THE, UM, THE, THE TASK FORCE THAT SORT OF EVENTUALLY ENDED UP, UM, UH, AS CPP.
AND SO I COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED TO BE A PART OF THIS, UM, GROUP.
I'VE BEEN, UH, WORKING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD IN CAMBRIDGE SINCE 1983, SO THAT'S, UM, 43 YEARS.
UM, I'M MEGAN POSTAL, AND I WORK AT THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD WITH CHERYL AND NICOLE.
MY PRIMARY ROLE IS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, BUT THAT ALSO ENCOMPASSES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
UM, AND I'VE BEEN WITH OEC FOR, UM, A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS NOW.
UM, PRIOR TO THAT, MY BACKGROUND IS REALLY IN SOCIAL WORK AND PUBLIC HEALTH, AND I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY TIME, UM, DOING, WORKING IN HOME VISITING IN CAMBRIDGE, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR PREGNANT FOLKS THROUGH AGE THREE, UM, IN, IN EARLY INTERVENTION, HEALTHY FAMILIES TO NAME A FEW OF THE PROGRAMS. AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
MY NAME IS NICOLE JOHNSON NEGRO.
I ALSO WORK AT THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AS THE CAMBRIDGE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM MANAGER.
AND I THINK I'VE BEEN IN THAT ROLE FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS NOW, AND I'VE REALLY ENJOYED IT AND I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
WE ALSO HAVE, PAMELA, I'M NOT SURE.
AMELA, ARE YOU THERE? HI, YES, I AM.
I AM, UH, MARK MCGOVERN'S COUNSEL AID.
UM, WE'LL TURN IT OVER INTO COUNCILOR NOLAN AND MCGOVERN, JUST TO KIND AN OVERVIEW AN OVERVIEW OF HOW WE GOT HERE.
I, I, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH, I THINK YOU ALL GOT THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE, IS THAT RIGHT? SO WE'LL GO THROUGH IT RELATIVELY QUICKLY, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SET THE STAGE AND JUST HOW DID WE GET HERE? I THINK WE ALL KNOW EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, WHETHER IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO, YOU WERE WORKING ON THIS, OR TWO YEARS AGO.
MY KIDS ARE OLDER, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS ON THE BOARD OF THEIR CHILDCARE CENTER CENTER WONDERING HOW, HOW I COULD AFFORD IT,
UM, SO PRE, PRE THIS YEAR, EARLY CHILDHOOD, AGAIN, HAS BEEN A PRIORITY.
UH, MARK MCGOVERN WAS CO-CHAIR OF A CHILD TASK FORCE, UH,
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ACCESS 15 YEARS AGO WHEN WE SERVED TOGETHER ON THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.UM, BUT THIS PARTICULAR WORK CAME OUT OF, WHILE THE CHILDCARE ACCESS SUSPENSION HAS BEEN UNFOLDING OVER THE YEARS, DUE TO A LARGE PART, THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, BUT ALSO LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED ON IT, UM, WHO ARE NOT HERE, BUT WHO REALLY MADE ALL THIS HAPPEN.
UH, THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES AS A COUNCIL, FINANCIAL PRIORITIES.
AND WE IDENTIFIED THREE PRIORITIES THAT THE COUNCIL FELT LIKE WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON THEM IF WE CAN POSSIBLY FIND THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL TO DO IT.
THERE'S A SOCIAL HOUSING TASK FORCE THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.
UM, ONE WAS SUPPORT SERVICES, WHICH IS NOW NOT YET GETTING STARTED, BUT THEN IT WAS CHILDCARE EXPANSION AND IT WAS AFTERSCHOOL CARE WAS THAT
AND THAT IS PART OF WHY WE'RE HERE.
AND THE MAYOR WORKED WITH THE CITY MANAGER SAY, WE ARE ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE.
SO IT ISN'T WHETHER WE WANNA DO IT, IT'S HOW WE CAN DO IT AND HOW, HOW WE CAN GET THERE.
UM, SO IN THE SUMMER, WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
WE, WE THOUGHT, WHO IS IT THAT WE WANT IN A ROOM? AND WE ARE REALLY THRILLED THAT ALL OF YOU WHO ARE NOW HERE, BOTH PHYSICALLY IN THE ROOM AND ONLINE, WILL HELP US THROUGH THIS.
'CAUSE THIS IS A WORKING GROUP THAT'S GOING TO GET US TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
WE, WE WERE FORMALLY APPROVED.
IT IS A PUBLIC BODY, SO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN PUBLIC BODIES WILL LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE TAKING ROLE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING, WE HAVE TO NOTICE THE MEETINGS.
UM, SO WE CAN GO ONTO THE TASK FORCE PURPOSE.
UM, IT, I MEAN, AGAIN, I THINK YOU HEARD IT ALL IN OUR INTRODUCTIONS.
WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL, BUT THE TASK FORCE PURPOSE IS VERY SPECIFIC THAT WE SEE THAT WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN THE SUPPORTS FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THERE'S AN AMAZING ARRAY OF SERVICES FOR KIDS IN THE SCHOOL IN, IN CITYWIDE, WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR AFTER SCHOOL.
BUT WE STILL HAVE, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS, RIGHT? THE AGENDA FOR CHILDREN, ZERO TO THREE, WE'VE DONE THIS, BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE IT IN A COMPREHENSIVE, SYSTEMATIC WAY TO HAVE HIGH QUALITY INFANT AND CHILD, UH, INFANT AND TODDLER CHILDCARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE HIGH QUALITY ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, IT OBVIOUSLY WILL PROMOTE CHILD DEVELOPMENT, SCHOOL READINESS, LONG-TERM WELLBEING.
BUT WHAT IT, WE, WHAT WE ALSO KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY THE COUNCIL VOTED TO SAY THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD, IS THAT WE ALSO KNOW IT'S A WAY FOR FAMILIES TO GET ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR YOUR FAMILY, IT IS GONNA BE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, WITH TRUE FINANCIAL, WITH ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
WE KNOW THAT FROM A LOT OF STUDY.
SO THAT'S WHY CAMBRIDGE AS A CITY IS REALLY EXCITED AND COMMITTED TO DOING THIS WORK TO SEE HOW WE CAN GET THERE.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE BUILDING ON CAMBRIDGE'S LEADERSHIP.
AND TO BE CLEAR, PART OF WHAT'S THE LAST, UM, BULLET POINT ON THERE, THE CAMBRIDGE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
THIS IS NOT JUST AN EXPANSION OF THE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM.
WE DIDN'T WANNA NAME IT THAT, BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME OUT OF THAT.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY SAYING, YES, IT'S AN EXPANSION OF CHILDCARE, BUT IT REALLY IS TALKING ABOUT HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN INCLUDE EVERYBODY BASICALLY FROM ZERO TO THREE.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT WAS A QUICK RUN THROUGH ABOUT THE TASK FORCE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THAT OUT THERE.
AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, MARK.
UM, SO SOME OF OUR GOALS AND DELIVERABLES, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS LIKE NOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE'RE, UM, NOT JUST ON THE CITY SIDE, BUT UH, THE NON-CITY SIDE.
UH, WHAT SERVICES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, IS BEING PROVIDED, AND WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME GAPS, UH, WE'RE GONNA, UM, LOOK AT EVALUATING SOME POLICY OP POLICY OPTIONS, UH, TO EXPAND ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY, UH, DEVELOP THE FEASIBLE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SO THAT'S GONNA LOOK AT STAFF AND FACILITIES, REGULATIONS AND COSTS.
SO PATTY ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS FOLLOWED SOME OF THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING AT, AT CITY COUNCIL, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, COSTS ARE BECOME MORE IMPORTANT, I THINK, THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THE CITY AS KENDALL SQUARE KIND OF IS STRUGGLING AND REVENUE, UH, COMING INTO THE CITY HAS DECREASED.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S FEASIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR US, FOR US TO DO.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL PRODUCE A FINAL REPORT THAT, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL, UH, DISCUSS, UM, TO, AND TO INFORM THE COUNCIL OF, YOU KNOW, A WAY TO KIND OF MOVE FORWARD.
AND, UH, MAYBE THAT INCLUDES DIFFERENT OPTIONS, RIGHT? WE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, SAY IT'S OPTION A, B, AND C, AND, AND THEY MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT PRICE TAGS, THEY MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT PIECES TO THEM.
BUT WE'LL WORK THAT THROUGH, AND THAT'LL BE OUR FI OUR FINAL DELIVERABLE.
UM, SO HOW DO WE GET THERE? UH, WE'RE GONNA CONDUCT DATA REVIEW AND LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS, LOCAL CONTEXT, NATIONAL MODELS, FINANCIAL MODELS, UM, AGAIN, JUST TO SORT OF HEAR WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE AND, AND GROUND OUR OURSELF IN AND, AND WHAT'S GOING ON, NOT JUST LOCALLY, BUT NATIONALLY.
[00:20:01]
WE WILL INTEGRATE INSIGHT FROM EXISTING WORK.SO OBVIOUSLY CHERYL AND CPP, INFANT, TODDLER, INFANT TODDLER WORKING GROUP, UH, OFFICE OF OUT OF SCHOOL TIME EXPANSION STUDY.
SO LOOK AT SOME OF THE WORK THAT WAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN THE CITY.
UM, WE'LL COLLABORATE ACROSS THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE HEAR OTHER VOICES BESIDES JUST THE ONES AT THE TABLE, THE FOCUS GROUPS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, TO KIND OF GET, UM, OTHER IDEAS AND, AND, AND, AND THOUGHTS ON THE TABLE.
UM, AND WE'LL DO THAT BY ENGAGING FAMILIES, CAREGIVERS, PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, TIMELINE, WHICH AGAIN, AS WE KNOW, THE BEST LAID PLANS CAN SOMETIMES, UH, CHANGE.
UM, AND, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT FROM OCTOBER TO DECEMBER, THAT'S ESTABLISHING OUR GOALS, REVIEWING DATA, EXAMINING THE NATIONAL MODELS, IDENTIFYING POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.
IN JANUARY, WE'LL DO A JOINT ROUNDTABLE MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, UH, FOR ALIGNMENT AND FEEDBACK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, PATTY HAD JUST MENTIONED AND TO TOUCH ON IS THAT, UM, THIS IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN CPP, THAT IS MORE OF A COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOLS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KIDS PRIOR TO ENTERING THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO GETTING SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
AND THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ZERO TO THREE HERE AND NOT NECESSARILY SCHOOL AGED KIDS.
UM, FROM JANUARY TO MAY OF 27, WE'LL DEVELOP THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, INCLUDING STAFFING, FACILITIES, REGULATORY IMPACTS, COSTS, CONSIDERATIONS.
AND IN JUNE, WE WILL SUBMIT OUR FINAL REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND, UM, BY JULY 1ST, WE'LL GET THIS UP AND RUNNING.
WE'RE STILL THINKING, UM, WE LIKE THE A YEAH, YOU KNOW.
UM, SO FOR TODAY, UH, WE'RE GONNA REVIEW THE CURRENT CHILDCARE PROGRAMMING IN CAMBRIDGE.
WE WILL EXAMINE THE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT, IDENTIFY CITY STRENGTHS AND COMMUNITY NEEDS, DISCUSS AND IDENTIFY GAPS AND BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND BUILDING A BASELINE FOR THE NEXT NINE MONTHS, SO FOR THE CONVERSATION.
UM, AND SO I, AND THEN I JUST WANNA ADD ONE THING TO ELABORATE ON WHAT MARK SAID ABOUT OTHER MODELS, RIGHT? YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE GET THERE? WE UNDERSTAND AS MUCH AS WE'RE A LEADER, THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS.
THERE'S OTHER COUNTRIES, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THE NEW MEXICO STATE.
OUR HOPE IS TO BRING THOSE PEOPLE IN WHO HAVE ALREADY DONE SOME OF THIS.
AND WE ARE LOOKING TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE CITY, WHO FOR OTHER MODELS TO BRING THEM IN, BECAUSE WE WANNA BUILD ON BEST PRACTICE.
AND THE COST AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS WE RECOGNIZE IS GONNA HAVE TO BE PART OF IT TOO.
AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE TO DREAM, MARK SAID, WE'RE GONNA GET THERE BY JULY.
WE'D ALL LOVE, WE, IF OUR MAGIC MODULE ARE ONLY WORKING, WE WOULD ALREADY BE THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO READ BEFORE I TURN IT BACK OVER.
I THINK PATRICK'S DOING THE HOUSEKEEPING OR, OR JI, BUT I DIDN'T SAY THIS IN MY INTRODUCTION, BUT IT IS REALLY EXCITING TO BE PART OF A CITY THAT IS EVEN TALKING ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? RIGHT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER CITIES THAT ARE LAYING OFF TEACHERS AND CLOSING PROGRAMS, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'LL SEE THIS WHEN WE GET INTO WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING IN THE CITY.
IT'S ALREADY MORE THAN MOST OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, AND YET, EVEN IN TOUGH FINANCIAL TIMES, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE DO MORE, UH, FOR MORE PEOPLE.
SO IT'S JUST, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF THIS CITY AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WITH THAT EPIC, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE.
UM, YOU'VE ALL BEEN IN ZOOM MEETINGS BEFORE, UM, BUT PLEASE SPEAK LOUDLY EVEN IF YOU'RE IN THE ROOM AND YOU'RE ONLINE.
THE OWL DOES NEED, UM, UH, DEFINING VOICE TO PICK UP.
UM, ONE PERSON SHOULD BE SPEAKING AT A TIME BECAUSE THAT CONFUSES THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND THE OWL.
UM, SO, UM, UH, CO-CHAIRS WILL HELP FACILITATE THAT.
CO-CHAIRS WILL CALL ON YOU THE CO-CHAIRS, UH, COUNCILLOR NOLAN, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, AND, UM, DR. OLSON.
UM, ON THE, UH, SCHEDULING PIECE, WE HAVE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED THESE MEETINGS FOR THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM 4:00 PM TO 6:00 PM IN THIS KIND OF A HYBRID FORMAT.
UM, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU ALL IN PERSON, UM, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A, UH, UH, A BETTER WAY TO INTERACT SOMETIMES.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH FIRST THURSDAYS OF EVERY MONTH AT THIS TIME, UM, PLEASE LET, UM, US STAFF KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE STILL HAPPY TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS AND, AND WORK OUT A DIFFERENT CALENDAR, BUT, UM, WE ARE TRYING TO BOOKMARK THAT IN.
YOU GUYS SHOULD ALL HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL ABOUT CONFLICT OF INTEREST TRAINING.
THIS IS MANDATORY BY THE STATE.
I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE A CITY EMPLOYEE, YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE IT AT SOME POINT.
BUT IF YOU ARE NOT, PLEASE LOOK FOR THAT EMAIL.
UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW UP IN OUR WRAP UP EMAIL TO REMIND YOU AGAIN.
AND ALSO, IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING IT, TELL YOU WHAT SPECIFICALLY TO LOOK FOR.
[00:25:01]
IS MANDATORY.I BELIEVE IT'S WITHIN 90 DAYS OF BEING, UM, APPOINTED.
AND THEN ONE THING JUST GOING FORWARD, WE DON'T EXPECT A TON OF VOTES TO BE TAKEN WHEN THERE, WHEN THEY, WHEN THERE ARE VOTES TO TAKE PLACE, VOTE YES, NO, OR PRESENT.
UM, BUT I THINK THE IDEA OF THIS TASK FORCE IS THAT YOU'RE BUILDING CONSENSUS, UM, AS OPPOSED TO JUST LOOKING FOR A SIMPLE MAJORITY ON DECISIONS SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A, UH, BETTER, MORE, UM, ROBUST AND WRAPAROUND PLAN.
UM, ONE MORE NOTE FOR THE FOLKS ON ZOOM.
UM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE'LL CALL ON YOU.
UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, EYES ON YOU, SO, UM, UH, YEAH, IF YOU, IF YOU WANNA CHIME IN AT ANY TIME, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND AND IF WE DON'T SEE YOU, YOU KNOW, DON'T FEEL FREE TO, OR FEEL FREE TO POLITELY INTERJECT WITH THAT.
WE CAN TURN IT OVER TO CHARLES FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, AS WE JUMP IN, UM, I WANNA START BY SAYING YOU WILL PROBABLY BE HEARING MORE FROM ME TONIGHT THAN I WOULD LIKE.
UM, REALLY A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TONIGHT IS JUST SORT OF LEVEL SETTING, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS, UH, A FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORK THAT HAS HAPPENED, UM, AND SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE INFANT TODDLER LANDSCAPE.
SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS WHEN YOU WILL BE HEARING A LOT MORE FROM MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL AS, AS COUNCILLOR NOLAN MENTIONED, UM, EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE REGION, UM, AND AROUND THE COUNTRY AS WELL, WHO CAN SHARE SOME OF THE WORK, UM, AND THE RESEARCH THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING, SOME OF WHICH WE'LL BE HEARING TONIGHT, UH, PARTICULARLY FOR MY OEC COLLEAGUES ON THE CALL AND SOME OTHERS AS WELL.
YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS WORK, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, AGAIN, HAS THAT FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR AND THE SUPPORTS THAT THE CITY IS ALREADY PROVIDING, UH, FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
SO YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ALREADY THIS EVENING ABOUT CAMBRIDGE'S LONG HISTORY AND COMMITMENT TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
THIS SLIDE, THERE'S A LOT OF TEXT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT THIS JUST GIVES YOU A SENSE OF HOW FAR BACK THAT COMMITMENT GOES AND OF THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO IT.
SO CAMBRIDGE NOT ONLY WALKS THE WALK, UM, BUT REALLY HAS DEDICATED, UM, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMING THAT WE ARE.
UM, IT GOES AS FAR BACK AS JK IN CPS THAT GOES SO FAR BACK THAT I COULDN'T EVEN FIND ANYBODY WHO CAN TELL ME HOW FAR BACK THAT GOES.
SO WE THINK IT'S AT LEAST 25 YEARS THAT, UM, CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS STARTED SERVING YOUNG CHILDREN BEFORE KINDERGARTEN AGE.
SO THAT'S REALLY QUITE IMPRESSIVE.
AND BEFORE A LOT OF CITIES WERE SERVING CHILDREN BEFORE, BEFORE KINDERGARTEN.
UM, AND THEN YOU SEE, AS YOU'VE HEARD, UM, SOME OF MY, MY COLLEAGUES, UM, AROUND THE TABLE TALK ABOUT, UM, THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE PRECURSORS, UH, THAT EVENTUALLY LED TO THE, TO CPP, UM, LED TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD TASK FORCE, WHICH THEN BECAME THE BIRTH TO THIRD GRADE PARTNERSHIP.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM AND ON THE CALL AS WELL, UM, PLAYED REALLY INTEGRAL ROLES WITH ALL OF THAT.
UM, IN 2017, THE COUNCIL, UH, COMMITTED TO PURSUING UPK AND CHOSE A MIXED DELIVERY MODEL, WHICH WE'LL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.
UH, AND THEN THE BIRTH TO THIRD PARTNERSHIP, WHICH THEN EVENTUALLY BECAME THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SET ABOUT MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
AGAIN, SO MANY OF YOU, UM, AROUND THIS TABLE AND ON THE CALL WERE, WERE A PART OF THAT WORK.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF STEPPING IN ONCE ALL THE HARD WORK HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE, UM, JUST FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION PART OF IT.
SO, UH, CPP WAS LAUNCHED OFFICIALLY IN TWO, 2024, I BELIEVE THE APPLICATION, THE FIRST APPLICATION MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED JUST BEFORE THAT, AT THE END OF 2023.
UH, BUT THAT'S WHEN CPP WAS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED AND HAS PRETTY CONSISTENTLY SERVED ABOUT 850 PRESCHOOLERS DURING THAT TIME.
AND WE'LL TALK MORE IN JUST A MOMENT ABOUT WHO THOSE PRESCHOOLERS ARE.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE EVOLUTION OF THAT WORK, REALLY LOOKING AT WHO ARE WE SERVING CURRENTLY, HOW ARE WE SERVING THEM, AND WHAT ARE THE GAPS? AND HOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD IN FINDING WAYS TO FILL THOSE GAPS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE CITY.
SO, CPP, UM, YOU'LL HEAR ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT U-P-K-C-P-P INTERCHANGEABLY.
CAMBRIDGE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM IS THE CITY'S UNIVERSAL, UH, PRESCHOOL PROGRAM.
AND AS I MENTIONED, IT'S THE RESULT OF YEARS OF COLLABORATION FROM FOLKS ALL OVER THE CITY, UM, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MAYOR, UH, FAMILIES, AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THE CITY AS WELL.
UM, IT WAS AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAM, STILL IS AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAM TO EXPAND ACCESS TO PRESCHOOLERS, UH, FOR TWO GOALS.
ONE, CHILDCARE AS, AS COUNCILLOR NOLAN MENTIONED EARLIER.
UM, THERE REALLY ARE TWO MAJOR GOALS WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING HERE.
ONE IS MAKING SURE, LEMME TAKE THAT BACK.
UM, BUT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, WE ARE SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT, MAKING
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SURE THAT THEY'RE SET UP FOR SUCCESS IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND.BUT THERE'S ALSO A WORKFORCE COMPONENT OF THIS, THAT BY PROVIDING CHILDCARE TO FAMILIES, UM, PARENTS AND OTHER CAREGIVERS ARE ABLE, UH, TO ACCESS THE WORKFORCE, TO ACCESS EDUCATION, UM, IN A WAY THAT, UM, SUPPORTS, UH, ECONOMIC MOBILITY IN THE FAMILY.
SO FOR CPP SPECIFICALLY, THE GOALS WERE EXPANDING PRESCHOOL ACCESS AND THEN ALSO ENHANCING PRESCHOOL QUALITY.
AND I'LL TALK MORE MO IN A MOMENT ABOUT THE QUALITY PIECE OF IT.
IN THOSE LITTLE BOXES, YOU'LL SEE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT I WILL KEEP USING THE WORD PRIORITY THIS EVENING.
UM, SO WE'LL SPEND JUST A MOMENT MAKING SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THAT LANGUAGE.
SO, WHO'S ELIGIBLE FOR CPP? ALL FOUR YEAR OLDS WHO ARE CITY RESIDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL THROUGH CPP.
THAT IS A SIX AND A HALF HOUR SCHOOL DAY, AND A SCHOOL ESSENTIALLY A SCHOOL YEAR, SO A 10 MONTH SCHOOL YEAR THAT ROUGHLY FOLLOWS THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL CALENDAR.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SCHOOL DAY, SCHOOL YEAR CARE, THAT IS GUARANTEED TO ALL FOUR YEAR OLDS IN THE CITY.
FAMILIES THAT HAVE, THAT ARE INCOME ELIGIBLE FOR WHAT WE CALL PRIORITY CRITERIA, ALSO GET EXTENDED DAY OR WRAPAROUND CARE.
SO, PRIORITY STATUS IS FAMILIES WITH INCOMES AT OR BELOW 65% OF A MI OR THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME FAMILIES CAN ALSO BE ELIGIBLE IF FOR CPS PROGRAMS, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE LUNCH, OR IF THEY'RE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR A CHILD IS IN FOSTER CARE.
SO FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS THAT HAVE PRIORITY STATUS, AND NOT ONLY ARE THEY GUARANTEED ACCESS TO THAT SCHOOL YEAR, SCHOOL DAY CARE, BUT THEY ARE ALSO ACCESS TO A FREE EXTENDED DAY AND SUMMER CARE AS WELL.
SO FOR THOSE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, THEY REALLY HAVE THAT FULL WRAPAROUND CHILDCARE, UM, THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM FOR THREE YEAR OLDS, FOR CHILDREN, THREE YEAR OLDS.
WITH THAT PRIORITY STATUS, THE SAME THING.
THEY ARE GUARANTEED A-C-P-P-C, THEY ARE GUARANTEED ACCESS TO EXTENDED DAY AND EXTENDED YEAR, UM, WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THREE YEAR OLDS THAT DON'T MEET THOSE PRI PRIORITY CRITERIA.
THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR CPP, BUT THEY'RE NOT GUARANTEED A C.
SO WE SERVE A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE FAMILIES, BUT THEY ARE NOT GUARANTEED A-C-P-P-C.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID ALSO WHEN WE GOT STARTED, GET STARTED, THAT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE IN PLACES IN HERE FOR QUESTIONS, BUT PLEASE FEEL FREE IF QUESTIONS COME UP IN THE MEANTIME AND YOU DON'T WANNA WAIT FOR FOUR OR MORE SLIDES TO COME, UM, TO COME UP.
UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE IF YOU'RE ON ZOOM TO RAISE YOUR HAND OR IF YOU'RE IN THE ROOM, JUST TO GO AHEAD, UH, AND INTERJECT.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE SERVING CURRENTLY.
AGAIN, WE ARE SERVING ABOUT, UH, 850 PRESCHOOLERS.
WE PULL THAT DATA ON THE FIRST OF EVERY MONTH.
I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE DATA YET FOR TODAY, BUT I PROBABLY WILL BY THE TIME I GET BACK INTO MY EMAIL.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, I THINK WE WERE AT 842, AND WE, I THINK WE'VE HAD A FEW, UH, SEVERAL MORE STUDENTS ENROLL SINCE THEN.
SO WE'RE PROBABLY CLOSER TO 850.
UH, CPV IS A MIXED DELIVERY SYSTEM, AND THE THREE SECTORS IN OUR MIXED DELIVERY SYSTEM ARE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS, UM, AND THEN OUR COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS OR OUR CBOS.
UM, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THAT LITTLE, UH, GRAPH AT THE BOTTOM, OUR CPP CHILDREN ARE ROUGHLY, UH, DISTRIBUTED EVENLY ACROSS THOSE THREE SECTORS WITH ABOUT 40% OF THE STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
33 IN CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND 27% OF THEM IN OUR DHSB CLASSROOMS. AND IN THAT TABLE, YOU SEE WHAT THE DISTRIBUTION LOOKS LIKE ACROSS AGES AND ACROSS PRIORITY STATUS.
ONE IMPORTANT CAVEAT WITH THIS IS THE CPS PRIORITY PERCENTAGE LOOKS PRETTY LOW COMPARATIVELY.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES THERE BECAUSE CPS DOES USE A DIFFERENT CRITERION.
THEY USE FREE AND REDUCED PRICE LUNCH, WHICH IS A SLIGHTLY MORE STRINGENT CRITERION FOR THEIR STATUS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER LOOKS, LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN YOU OTHERWISE MIGHT EXPECT.
SO HOW DO KIDS GET PLACED IN SEATS? WE PARTNER WITH, UH, A COMPANY CALLED BRIDGE CARE.
IT'S A SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN DATA TO AND TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS FOR THE NATIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY.
UM, A BIG PART OF WHAT THEY DO IS THESE TYPES OF UPK APPLICATION LOTTERY MATCH SYSTEMS, BUT THEY ALSO DO OTHER TYPES OF DATABASES AND SOFTWARE FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WHEN YOU THINK, WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT A LOT OF THE, UM, LARGE EPK SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BRIDGE CARE IS BEHIND NOT ALL OF THAT WORK, BUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THAT WORK AS WELL.
SO WE WORKED WITH BRIDGE CARE, UM, TO CREATE, TO USE THEIR ALGORITHM ESSENTIALLY, AND TO SORT OF TAILOR IT FOR CAMBRIDGE'S UNIQUE SYSTEM AND CAMBRIDGE'S UNIQUE NEEDS.
SO THEY MANAGE THE APPLICATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FOLKS
[00:35:01]
ON OUR TEAM AS WELL.SO WHEN A FAMILY GOES IN, UH, TO CHOOSE THEIR PRESCHOOLS, THEY CAN CHOOSE, THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE UP TO SIX.
SO THEY CANNOT SELECT FEWER THAN SIX ON THE APPLICATION AND NO MORE THAN 10.
SO THEY SELECT THE PRESCHOOLS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, AND THEN THEY RANK THEM ACCORDINGLY.
FIRST CHOICE, SECOND CHOICE, THIRD CHOICE.
UM, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE LANGUAGE IMMERSION, WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CURRICULA BEING USED.
UM, WE HAVE PROGRAMS ACROSS THE CITY.
SO GEOGRAPHICALLY, A LOT OF, WE KNOW FAMILIES, A LOT OF FAMILIES MAKE THEIR CHOICES BASED ON GEOGRAPHY.
UM, SOME OF MANY, MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS DO OFFER EXTENDED DAY AND SUMMER CARE.
SOME ARE JUST THE SCHOOL DAY, SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAMMING.
UM, CAMBRIDGE PRESCHOOL IS ONE OF THEM.
WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT IN A MOMENT.
UM, AND THERE'S OTHER CHARACTERISTICS AS WELL.
UH, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS ARE VERY, VERY SMALL SINGLE CLASSROOM.
SO FAMILIES HAVE, UH, A GREAT DEAL OF VARIETY WHEN THEY'RE MAKING THEIR CHOICES.
SO THEY GO IN AND THEY MAKE THEIR, THEIR SELECTIONS.
THEY ALSO INDICATE WHETHER OR NOT THEY BELIEVE THEY QUALIFY FOR PRIORITY STATUS.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEY UPLOAD SOME DOCUMENTATION RELATED TO INCOME AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, WHICH IS THEN SCREENED ON THE BACKEND FROM OUR TEAM TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY DO MEET THE PRIORITY CRITERIA.
UM, AND THEN THE ALGORITHM DOES ITS WORK.
SO THE WAY THAT THAT HAPPENS IS ONCE THE APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSES, FAMILIES HAVE MADE THEIR CHOICES, ALL PRIORITY APPLICATIONS GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM FIRST.
AND THEN THE ALGORITHM IS DESIGNED TO MATCH FAMILIES BASED ON THEIR PRIORITY STATUS, BASED ON THEIR RANKINGS, AND BASED ON THE NUMBER OF SEATS AVAILABLE IN A PROGRAM.
AND THEN A COUPLE OF OTHER FACTORS, LIKE IF THEY HAVE A SIBLING THAT'S ALREADY ATTENDING THAT PROGRAM, THEY WILL REPRIORITIZED, UM, IF WE HAVE A FEW FAMILIES EVERY YEAR THAT HAVE TWINS.
SO IT ALSO PRIORITIZES TWINS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PLACED IN THE SAME, IN THE SAME PROGRAMS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO THE ALGORITHM DOES ITS WORK AND PLACES FAMILIES IN THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SEAT FOR THEM.
ONCE THAT FIRST MATCH IS DONE WITH PRIORITY FAMILIES, THEN THE GENERAL FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE PRIORITY STATUS GO THROUGH THE MATCH, AND THEN THEY ARE PLACED IN SIKHS ACCORDINGLY.
UM, AS YOU'LL SEE ON A LITTLE GRAPH ON THE RIGHT, THE VAST MAJORITY OF FAMILIES GET ONE OF THEIR TOP THREE CHOICES.
I THINK THE NUMBERS THERE ARE REALLY PRETTY REMARKABLE FOR PRIORITY FAMILIES.
97% OF FAMILIES ARE MATCHED WITH ONE OF THEIR TOP THREE CHOICES.
UM, 92% OF ALL, ALL FAMILIES ARE MATCHED WITH ONE OF THEIR TOP THREE CHOICES.
UM, SO FAMILIES ARE NOT GUARANTEED ONE OF THEIR TOP THREE CHOICES, BUT I THINK THOSE, THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE REALLY, UM, REALLY PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
AND JUST BELOW THAT, YOU SEE, AND I'M SURE THIS WON'T BE A SURPRISE, UH, FOR ANYBODY, THAT THESE ARE THE FACTORS THAT FAMILIES CONSIDER PRIMARILY WHEN THEY'RE MAKING SELECTIONS.
LOCATION AND AVAIL AVAILABILITY OF AFTERSCHOOL CARE, UM, ARE TWO OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS.
WE KNOW THAT EXTENDED DAY IN SUMMER CARE IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR FAMILIES, UH, WORKING FAMILIES, AND THEY REALLY NEED THAT, UM, THAT WRAPAROUND CARE CURRICULUM, LANGUAGE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE ALSO ALSO TOP CONSIDERATIONS.
SO THIS SHOWS YOU, UM, OUR DEMOGRAPHICS BASED ON THE LAST MATCH.
SO I MENTIONED THAT THE FAMILIES APPLY, UM, EVERY YEAR.
THE APPLICATION OPENS ON OCTOBER 1ST.
I SAY EVERY YEAR HAS ONLY BEEN A FEW, BUT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND WE DON'T ANTICIPATE CHANGING THIS ANYTIME SOON.
SO TODAY OUR APPLICATION LAUNCHED AND IT'LL REMAIN OPEN, UM, THROUGH MID-NOVEMBER.
THEN WE GO THROUGH SEVERAL WEEKS WHERE THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE ALL REVIEWED.
WE MAKE SURE THAT THE FAMILIES ARE IN FACT CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS, UM, AND ARE THEREFORE ELIGIBLE FOR CPP.
AND WE SCREEN FOR PRIORITY STATUS AS WELL.
AND THEN THE MATCH HAPPENS, UM, IN DECEMBER.
AND THEN WE GO THROUGH TO CHECK FOR ANY ANOMALIES.
AN ANOMALY MIGHT BE, FOR EXAMPLE, TWINS THAT WERE PLACED IN, IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND SO THEN WE GET THE RESULTS IN JANUARY.
SO THIS REFLECTS WHAT OUR DATA LOOKED LIKE FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WHAT THE DATA LOOKED LIKE IN JANUARY.
AND I SAY THAT TO SAY THIS IS, THIS WILL HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE EVEN AFTER JANUARY, FAMILIES CONTINUE TO TRICKLE IN AND ENROLL, UM, AS AS TIME GOES ON, EVEN UP THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK I THINK WE EVEN HAD A, A FAMILY REACH OUT, UM, SAYING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A SEAT.
SO THIS IS BASED ON THAT, THAT MATCH THAT HAPPENED LAST WINTER.
UM, AND WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT THE DATA REALLY CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AND CPS DEMOGRAPHICS.
UM, AND SO THAT TELLS US THAT FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB REACHING FAMILIES AND MAKING SURE, UM, THAT FAMILIES HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED ABOUT CPP, UH, TO MAKE THEIR CHOICES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO THINK ABOUT AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT IS HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT WHO WE'RE NOT REACHING, UM, IN THE PRESCHOOL WORLD IN CAMBRIDGE? AND THEN WHY? IT MIGHT SIMPLY BE THAT FAMILIES, PRESCHOOLER FAM PRESCHOOL FAMILIES THAT WE ARE NOT SERVING
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HAVE MADE OTHER CHOICES AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY DON'T WANNA PARTICIPATE IN CPP.UM, BUT WE DO WANNA FIGURE THAT OUT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT FAMILIES DO HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED SO THEY CAN MAKE THE CHOICES THAT ARE BEST FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
SO A BIG PART OF THE WORK OF THE TEAM IS THAT LOGISTICS OF JUST MAKING THIS ALL WORK, GETTING FAMILIES INTO SEATS, FIGURING OUT HOW MANY SEATS WE NEED IN THE SYSTEM EACH YEAR, UM, AND THEN DISTRIBUTING THOSE SEATS ACCORDINGLY.
UM, BUT ANOTHER EQUALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK IS MAKING SURE THAT THE PROGRAMS ARE HIGH QUALITY.
AND SO WE'VE MADE THE COMMITMENT TO FAMILIES OF CAMBRIDGE THAT CPP PROVIDES ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
SO IT REALLY IS INCUMBENT UPON US, UM, AS A CITY AGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS REALLY ARE HIGH QUALITY AND THAT THEY MEET THE, THE VERY HIGH STANDARDS, UM, THAT WE HAVE SET, AND THAT THEY RECEIVE SUPPORT, UM, IN MAINTAINING THAT QUALITY.
SO WE RE, UH, PROVIDE A RANGE OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SUPPORTS.
WE HAVE A ROBUST EDUCATOR COACHING TEAM, UM, WHICH WORKS WITH OUR CPP PROVIDERS.
THEY ALSO WORK WITH NON CPP PROVIDERS ACROSS THE CITY AS WELL TO PROVIDE DIRECT EDUCATOR COACHES COACHING.
UM, WE PROVIDE DIRECTOR MENTORING, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY UNIQUE.
I HAVE NOT SEEN ANOTHER SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY THAT PROVIDES THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT TO DIRECTORS, WHERE SOMEBODY GOES IN AND WORKS WITH AND DOES ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING, UM, WITH PROGRAM DIRECTORS TO SUPPORT THEM WITH ANYTHING RANGING FROM THEIR EDUCATOR DEVELOPMENT, THEIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT TO THEIR FINANCES, THEIR ENROLLMENT, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, AND CURRICULUM TRAINING AND SUPPORT AS WELL.
OH, WE HAVE RITA ZUKI AND ZOOM JOIN US.
DO WE WANT RITA INTRO INTRODUCE HERSELF? UM, I, I JUST TRY TO PROMOTE YOU AS PANELISTS IF YOU ACCEPT THAT AND WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF REALLY QUICKLY.
RITA IS ACTUALLY RIGHT ON CUE BECAUSE SHE IS PART OF THE AMAZING TEAM THAT PROVIDES TO SUPPORTS TO SO MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS. SHE WORKS REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR FAMILY CHILDCARE IN PARTICULAR, UM, TO SUPPORT THAT SECTOR.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE, UH, A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, AREA OF WORK.
A LOT OF THAT WORK IS RELATED TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO THAT TEAM PUTS TOGETHER A VARIETY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, TRAININGS, THAT TYPE OF THING FOR EDUCATORS ACROSS THE CITY, NOT JUST FOR CPP.
AND THOSE TRAININGS HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IT INCLUDES JUST STANDALONE SORT OF ONE-OFF TRAININGS ALONG WITH PD SERIES THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE GROUPS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
UM, PART OF THE CPP REQUIREMENTS IS WE DO HAVE FAIRLY, UM, ROBUST AND STRINGENT CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CPP EDUCATORS.
AND SO OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOLKS PART PARTNERED WITH OUR CPP EDUCATORS TO SUPPORT THEM IF THEY DON'T ALREADY MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE CREDITS THAT THEY NEED, THAT THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ADDITIONAL COURSEWORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO THEY CAN MEET THOSE, UH, CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, FAMILY SUPPORT.
AND SO MEGAN ON THE CALL, AND ALSO MY COLLEAGUE MICHELLE, WHO'S AT THE TABLE WITH US, ARE A REALLY BIG PART OF THIS WORK.
UM, WE PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO FAMILIES THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
WE ALSO SUPPORT THEM, UM, THROUGH THEIR WHOLE, UH, TENURE WITH CPP.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A CHILDCARE INFORMATION SPECIALIST WHO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN FINDING CARE OUTSIDE OF CPP.
SO FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR FOR FAMILIES WHO NEED AFTERCARE, UM, THAT TYPE OF THING.
THE CHILDCARE INFORMATION SPECIALIST CAN HELP THAT AS WELL.
DID WE HAVE A QUESTION, PATRICK COMING IN, OR NO? IS THAT JUST A NO, I THINK SO.
UM, AND THEN CAN WE ACTUALLY GO BACK, PREACH TO THAT SLIDE JUST FOR ONE SECOND.
WE'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS IN A MOMENT.
BUT WE ALSO PARTNER VERY, VERY CLOSELY, UM, WITH THE CENTER FOR FAMILIES, UM, IN PARTICULAR SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE CPP FAMILIES THAT CAN USE, UM, AN GREATER SUPPORT, UM, AND CAN BENEFIT FROM FROM CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORTS, WE PARTNER CLOSELY WITH MICHELLE'S TEAM AT THE CENTER FOR FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE SUPPORTS.
SO HOW ARE WE DOING WITH CPP? WE HAVE JUST STARTED OUR THIRD YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION, AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT I THINK THE SYSTEM IS WORKING REALLY, REALLY WELL FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES, AND ALSO FOR OUR PROVIDERS WHO WE PARTNER WITH.
UM, OUR FAMILY SURVEY LAST YEAR SHOWED THAT OVERWHELMINGLY FAMILIES REPORT POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH CPP.
THERE WERE QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT QUESTIONS ASKED, NO MATTER THE QUESTION.
WE, FOR THE MOST PART, WE LANDED
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UP RIGHT AROUND 94% OF FAMILIES REPORTED.UM, EITHER SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED, OR GOOD OR EXCELLENT.
AS YOU SEE HERE, TWO EXAMPLES.
HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU? AND THEN HOW WELL DOES YOUR PRESCHOOL SUPPORT YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT? SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF FAMILIES ARE HAVING REALLY, REALLY POSITIVE PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCES.
A SMALL BIT OF THAT IS THE AMAZING WORK THAT OUR OFFICE DOES AND THAT THE CENTER FOR FAMILIES DOES IN SUPPORTING FAMILIES.
A HUGE PART OF THAT IS WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS ON THE GROUND IN THE PRESCHOOLS.
UM, SO ALL OF THE PRESCHOOLS THAT WE PARTNER WITH REALLY CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR A LOT OF THAT.
AND THE FACT THAT OUR, OUR FAMILIES ARE REALLY, REALLY HAVING GREAT PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCES AS, AS THEY'RE PART OF CPP.
UM, WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR CPP PROVIDERS, UM, AND SURVEYS SHOW THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PROVIDERS ALSO FEEL THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTED AND HEARD, UM, BY, BY OEC OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR, UM, WAS AN ADVISORY BOARD WITH OUR PROVIDERS.
AND SO WE WORK, UH, WE MEET MONTHLY WITH A GROUP OF THE DIRECTORS FROM CPP PROVIDERS ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, AND THEY REALLY SUPPORT US IN GIVING US FEEDBACK, UM, AND LETTING US HEAR THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO HELPING US SHAPE POLICY AND DECISIONS.
AND SO THAT HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF OUR WORK FOR THE LAST, UH, LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, FOUND, FOUND THAT CPP PROGRAMS LAST YEAR PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS.
I WON'T GO INTO A LOT OF THIS, BUT AS YOU'LL SEE HERE, UM, WE DO A NUMBER OF THINGS TO ASSESS QUALITY ACROSS OUR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM.
SO WE DO THE CLASS ASSESSMENT ANNUALLY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD FOLKS IN THE ROOM.
YOU KNOW, WHAT CLASS IS, UH, IS SORT OF CONSIDERED TO BE THE GOLD STANDARD OF QUALITY ASSESSMENT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD, UM, CENTERS.
AND IT'S USED NATIONALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
HEAD START USES IT IN THEIR PROGRAMS AS WELL.
AND THEN WE DO OUR OWN OBSERVATIONS, AND THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUALITY MEASURES AS WELL.
UM, AND OUR PROGRAMS ALMOST UNI UNIFORMLY, ARE PERFORMING VERY WELL ON ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT MEASURES.
WITH CPP, WE IMPLEMENTED DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS.
SO ALL CPP PROVIDERS HAVE TO DO DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS OF THEIR CHILDREN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
WE USE THE AGES AND STAGES QUESTIONNAIRE, THAT'S THE A SQ, UM, WHICH AGAIN, NATIONALLY NORMED, UM, HIGHLY REGARDED DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING.
THE GOAL THERE IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, TRACKING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUNG CHILDREN, AS THEY'RE ENTERING PRESCHOOL, UM, ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY ON TRACK IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DOMAINS.
AND THEN THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE DEVELOPMENTAL EVALUATIONS OR A DIFFERENT, OR, OR ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS, UM, IF THEY ARE, UH, SHOWING UP AS BEING MAYBE BEHIND IN ONE OR MORE AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT.
SO THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
THIS IS JUST A HANDFUL OF THEM.
UM, WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING ON, UM, CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, BUT THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT HAVE POPPED UP, UH, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE ARE REALLY LOOKING CLOSELY AT ACCESSIBILITY OF INFORMATION.
UH, AS I MENTIONED AT THE START, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY FABULOUS ABOUT CPP IS THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHOICES FOR FAMILIES, BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT CAN ALSO BE REALLY COMPLICATED FOR FAMILIES TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM AND MAKE CHOICES THAT WILL WORK FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHOICES, AND THAT'S A LOT TO FIGURE OUT.
THERE ARE SOME COMPLEXITIES IN OUR SYSTEM IN THAT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS OFFER EXTENDED DAY, SOME DO NOT.
SOME OFFER, SOME ARE CARE, SOME DO NOT.
AND SOME, UH, A FEW CASES WE HAVE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS, E AND DHSP, PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS IN THE SAME BUILDINGS, BUT WE OFFER DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING.
SO SOMETIMES FAMILIES WILL SAY, WELL, I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING THAT CLASSROOM, BUT IT TURNS OUT I'M GETTING THIS ONE.
UM, SO THE, THE TEAM HAS REALLY DONE TREMENDOUS WORK OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS TO WORK WITH BRIDGE CARE TO MAKE SURE THAT FAMILIES HAVE THE ACCESS THAT THEY NEED FOR SOME OF THOSE MORE COMPLICATED SITUATIONS, LIKE THE ONE I JUST MENTIONED.
UM, FLAG GOING POP UP ON THE ACTUAL APPLICATION TO SAY, HEY, JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU'RE APPLYING TO THIS ONE, UM, MAKE A SWITCH IF THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE APPLYING FOR.
UM, AND WE, WE REALLY THINK THIS IS WORKING.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE THINK THIS IS WORKING IS BECAUSE FROM YEAR ONE TO YEAR TWO, AND THEN AGAIN IN THIS LAST YEAR, THE NUMBER OF TRANSFER REQUESTS THAT WE GOT AFTER THE MATCH AND THROUGH THE SUMMER WENT DOWN DRAMATICALLY.
SO IN, AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, WE HAD A LOT OF FAMILIES COMING BACK SAYING, HEY, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS ISN'T GONNA WORK FOR MY FAMILY.
UM, THIS YEAR WE HAD A HANDFUL OF THOSE, BUT THE NUMBERS REALLY WENT DOWN TREMENDOUSLY.
SO FOR THE MOST PART, UM, THAT TELLS US THAT FAMILIES WERE REALLY ACCESSING THE INFORMATION THEY NEEDED TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL WORK FOR THEIR FAMILY.
EXTENDED DAY AND AFTERCARE, UM, CONSIDERS CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO DO, DO NOT HAVE THE PRIORITY ACCESS.
ANOTHER CHALLENGE, AND WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THIS, UM, IS THAT CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOES NOT OFFER EXTENDED DAY AT THE PRESCHOOL LEVEL.
SO FOR SOME FAMILIES, THEY, FOR SOME FAMILIES WITH PRESCHOOLERS,
[00:50:01]
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY WANNA TAKE THAT CPSC BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY WANNA BE.THAT'S WHERE THEY WANT THEIR CHILD TO MATRICULATE THROUGH THE YEARS.
UM, BUT THEY NEED EXTENDED DAY.
AND SO FOR FAMILIES WHO DON'T HAVE THE OPTION OF HIRING, UM, YOU KNOW, AND ANY OR OTHERWISE FINDING AFTERCARE THAT, UH, THAT CREATES A CHALLENGING SITUATION.
UM, IT'S ALSO CHALLENGING FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH IEPS, UM, WHEN THEY'RE RECEIVING THEIR, THEIR SERVICES, UM, IN A CLASSROOM, IN A SPECIAL START CLASSROOM IN CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, IN CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH IEPS WHO ARE RECEIVING SERVICES THROUGH SPECIAL START ALSO CAN ACCESS THE EXTENDED DAY AND SUMMER, UM, CARE THAT THEY MEET FOR WORKING FAMILIES.
UM, AND THEN QUALITY IS ALSO ANOTHER PART.
THAT'S OKAY, WE CAN, WE CAN KEEP GOING.
SO THIS AGAIN, TALKS ABOUT THIS A LITTLE, BUT AS WE START TO TRANSITION, UM, TO WHO WE'RE NOT SERVING, THIS, THIS TABLE, I THINK REALLY LAYS OUT PRETTY CLEARLY WHO WE'RE SERVING AND WHO WE'RE NOT SERVING, AND WHERE THE GAPS ARE.
SO AS YOU'LL SEE IN THE GREEN FOR PRIORITY FAMILIES, AGAIN, FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS AND FOR THREE YEAR OLDS, THEY ARE GUARANTEED ACCESS TO A-C-P-P-C AND THEY'RE GUARANTEED ACCESS TO FULL DAY, FULL YEAR CARE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS FROM A CHILDCARE PERSPECTIVE, FROM WORKING FAMILIES WHO NEED THAT WRAPAROUND CARE, THEY'RE GUARANTEED THAT CARE.
WE ARE SERVING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THOSE FAMILIES WHO COME TO US.
FOR GENERAL FAMILIES WHO DON'T MEET THE, THAT INCOME CRITERION, YOU'LL SEE IN THAT RED BOX, IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER, THEY'RE GUARANTEED ACCESS TO CPP, MEANING FREE SCHOOL DAY, SCHOOL YEAR CARE, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF FAMILIES WHO COME TO US, UM, FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS HAVE ACCESS AND RECEIVE A CPP AND C THEY'RE NOT, HOWEVER, GUARANTEED ACCESS TO EXTENDED DAY.
UM, AND SUMMER PROGRAM FOR GENERAL THREE YEAR OLDS WHO DON'T MEET THE PRI PRIORITY CARE, UH, CRITERIA, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR CPP, BUT THEY'RE NOT GUARANTEED A SEAT.
SO THERE ARE, UM, A, A NUMBER OF THREE, THREE GENERAL 3-YEAR-OLD FAMILIES WHO DO NOT RECEIVE A-C-P-P-C FOR THESE GENERAL FAMILIES.
UM, IF THEY'RE IN CPP AND THEY NEED EXTENDED DAY, UM, AND SUMMER ARE CARE, THAT IS, THE FAMILY PAYS FOR IT.
UM, AND SO FOR ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE PAID FOR EXTENDED DAY OR WORKING PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE A PRETTY CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE FOR SOME PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE AS MUCH AS 15, 16, $17,000, UM, A YEAR.
SO IT IS A, A CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE FOR A, FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES.
AND THEN AS YOU'LL SEE, THE ZERO TO TWO AND THE TWO YEAR OLDS INCLUDE REALLY ALL THE WAY UP TO THREE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK IN TERMS OF MONTHS 2.1, 2.2, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE, THEIR THIRD BIRTHDAY.
UM, WE DO NOT PROVIDE ACCESS OR CHILDCARE SUPPORTS.
UM, THE CITY DOES PROVIDE A RANGE OF NON-CHILD CARE SUPPORTS TO THOSE FAMILIES, WHICH WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IN, IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT THE CITY DOES NOT PROVIDE CHA CHILD CARE SUPPORTS CURRENTLY FOR THESE FAMILIES.
SO THIS REALLY IS WHERE OUR, WHERE OUR WORK AS A BODY, UM, WILL LIE.
LEMME SEE IF MY VOICE WORKS THIS TIME.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT INCREDIBLY COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW.
IT REALLY PUTS DATA AND INFORMATION TO THE STORY THAT, UM, THE COUNSELORS HAVE BEEN SHARING AS WELL, AND THE HISTORY IN CAMBRIDGE.
JUST IN, UM, THINKING ABOUT THE LANDSCAPING, AND FORGIVE ME IF THIS COMES LATER, BUT I FLIPPED THROUGH THE SLIDES.
IS THERE A PLACE WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A PICTURE OF THE LANDSCAPE OF SUPPLY OF CHILDCARE IN CITY FOR ZERO TO THREE? SO HOW MANY CENTER PROGRAMS, HOW MANY OF THEM SERVE HAVE HOW MANY INFANT AND TODDLER SLOTS? SAME WITH FAMILY CHILDCARE.
UM, AND OF COURSE, THEIR SERVICE TO INFANTS AND TODDLERS CAN VARY BY THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY, UM, OFTEN THAT CAN EXCEED THE PER CAPITA CAPACITY IN CENTERS.
JUST TO GET A SIZE OF WHAT'S, AND THEN OF COURSE, ON THE FLIP SIDE, WHAT'S THE ZERO TO THREE POPULATION THAT WE MIGHT BE TRYING TO SERVE? UM, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW OUT.
THE QUESTION IS HOW OUTTA WHACK.
AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT DATA TONIGHT.
THERE'S MORE DATA THAT WE WANT AND NEED, WHICH YOU'LL, WHICH WILL BECOME OBVIOUS WHEN YOU SEE THE DATA THAT WE DO HAVE.
UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY OVER THE COURSE OF THESE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK, WE'LL BE DIGGING EVEN DEEPER.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME OF THAT DATA.
ONE THING THAT'S INTERESTING THAT PROBABLY WON'T BE A SURPRISE TO YOU IS THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY AN OVERSUPPLY OF SEATS IN THE CITY AT THE PRESCHOOL LEVEL, RIGHT? AND MORE AND MORE PRESCHOOLS KEEP OPENING
[00:55:01]
UP MM-HMMUM, AND SO WHAT WE HEAR FROM PRESCHOOL PROVIDER, MANY PRESCHOOL PROVIDERS ACROSS THE CITY IS WE HAVE EMPTY SEATS.
AND THEN THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS, ESPECIALLY AT THE INFANT LEVEL WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REVERSE IS TRUE WHERE THERE'S WAY MORE INFANTS AND TODDLERS IN THE CITY THAN THERE ARE SEATS.
SO I JUST WANT AT SOME POINT, DOES THAT MEAN WHEN WE GET TO, AND I KNOW YOU CAN, YOU, YOU MAY BE ON THE DOCKET AGAIN FOR A LOT MORE, BUT AS WE, THAT'S THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE, CAN THOSE SEATS BECOME THOSE INFANT TODDLERS CAN, CAN THOSE PRESCHOOL SEATS BECOME INFANT TODDLER? RIGHT.
BECAUSE PART OF IT IS PEOPLE STARTED, OH, CAMBRIDGE IS GONNA, THERE, THERE'S NOT AS MUCH RISK FOR ME.
THERE'S ONE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME.
BILINGUAL CHILDCARE AS YOU KNOW, WHO, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS GONNA BE HELPFUL, HASN'T QUITE HELPED YET BECAUSE OF SOME OTHER ISSUES.
BUT IS THAT, THAT'S PART OF WHAT I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT AND HOPING FOR, RIGHT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD ILLUSTRATION OF HOW I THINK, AND FOR ALMOST EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WHO WAS PART OF DEVELOPING CPP, WHICH I WAS NOT, UH, THERE WAS NOTHING ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
THIS, I THINK, WILL MAKE THAT LOOK SIMPLE IN SOME WAYS, BECAUSE I THINK WITH THE PRESCHOOLERS COMING UP WITH THE MONEY, DEVELOPING A SYSTEM TO MAKE THIS ALL WORK WAS COMPLICATED, BUT THE SEATS WERE THERE.
IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF HOW DO YOU PAY FOR IT? HOW DO YOU CREATE A SYSTEM, AN EQUITABLE SYSTEM THAT GETS FAMILIES INTO THOSE SEATS THAT PRIORITIZES FAMILIES AND ALL OF THAT, UM, AT THE INFANT TODDLER LEVEL, THE SEATS AREN'T THERE.
SO EVEN IF THE CITY WERE TO SAY, TONIGHT WE'VE GOT THE MONEY WE COULD PAY FOR EVERY INFANT AND TODDLER IN THE CITY FOR CHILDCARE RIGHT NOW, THERE JUST ISN'T A PLACE TO PUT THEM AND THERE AREN'T ENOUGH EDUCATORS TO, TO EDUCATE THEM, UM, AND TO STAFF THOSE CLASSROOMS. SO THERE WAS A, THAT'S A HUGE PART OF WHAT I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE ALL THESE VERY SMART PEOPLE, UM, TO HELP US THINK THROUGH IS, IS HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE DO THAT WORK? AND I THINK, UM, HOW DO YOU, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE IS IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONVERT SOME OF THE EXISTING PRESCHOOL SEATS? POSSIBLY.
UM, AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT, A BIG PART OF WHAT I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH OVER THESE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
I JUST SAID THAT THERE'S ALSO NUANCES IN TERMS OF STAFFING, UH, YOUNGER KIDS SOME COST.
IF YOU'RE A PRIVATE BUSINESS OR A NON-PROFIT, YOU'RE SORRY.
IF YOU'RE A PRIVATE BUSINESS OR A NON-PROFIT AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE COSTS, UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE NUANCED BECAUSE IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
LIKE THE RATIO IS A MUCH SMALL, UH, SMALLER, UH, SPEAKING AS THE PARTNER OF A PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR, UM, IT, UH, YOU TEND TO MAKE MORE REVENUE ON THE REVENUE SIDE, UH, WITH SOME MORE OLDER STUDENTS.
AND EVEN THINGS LIKE, AND AGAIN, FOR MANY OF YOU, YOU LIVE AS EVERY DAY, THE FA EVEN THE FACILITY NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT FROM LICENSING.
INFANTS AND TODDLERS, YOU KNOW, AND I MEAN, AN EXAMPLE IS YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO PUSH CRIBS OUT IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE.
SO YOU CAN'T PUT INFANTS IN MOST CASES ON A SECOND FLOOR.
LIKE, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF ADDITIONAL COMPLEXITIES TO SERVING INFANTS AND TODDLERS.
UM, OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THERE'S NO ONE ON ZOOM, SO I THINK
UH, SO I MIGHT'VE MISSED IF THIS, IF YOU INCORPORATED THIS VERY QUICKLY, BUT LIKE, IS THERE A PLAN FOR SORT OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY HERE IN TERMS OF CAPACITY AND, AND WHAT IS POSSIBLE? SO LIKE A CENTER THAT, UM, DOESN'T SERVE INFANTS OR TODDLERS, BUT THEIR SPACE COULD BE CONVERTED WITHOUT COST OR HIGH COST AND THEY'RE OPEN TO IT AND THEY HAVE EITHER STAFF WHO ARE TRAINED AND CERTIFIED OR WILLING TO BE.
IS THERE A WAY TO GATHER THE POTENTIAL DATA AROUND THE POTENTIAL? I THINK ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK SOME OF WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT AND THEN NEXT MONTH, MONTH AS WELL AS WHAT DATA DO WE HAVE.
UM, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU ARE, ARE HINTING AT JESSE, I THINK WOULD BE AN AMAZING PART OF THE SOLUTION.
UM, PARTICULARLY IF THERE ARE, UM, CENTERS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY SET UP TO DO THIS WORK, UM, AND, AND WOULD BE WILLING AND ABLE, I THINK THEY'RE TO CONVERT, UM, TO CONVERT SOME SLOTTS TO INFANT AND TODDLER SLOTTS.
UM, KATIE PUT IN THE CHAT, UM, GREAT INFORMATION AND PRESENTATION.
LICENSING IS DIFFERENT CREDENTIALS REQUIRED OR DIFFERENT GROUP SIZES ARE DIFFERENT.
I THINK THIS WAS A COUPLE MINUTES
[01:00:01]
AGO, THE, YEAH.AND SOME OF THIS IS AT LEAST ON A FEW PAGES AHEAD LOOKING THAT PEOPLE GOT A 10TH LOOK AT IT.
THERE, THERE IS AN ANALYSIS OF THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT CHART OF SEATS OR INFANTS PER ACTUAL AVAILABLE SEATS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANNA SKIP AHEAD TO THAT, BUT THAT'S, YEAH, I WANNA MAKE SURE BEFORE WE GET TO THAT DATA, WE, AS WE TALK ABOUT INFANTS AND TODDLERS, AS I MENTIONED, THE, THE CITY CURRENTLY DOES NOT PROVIDE CHILDCARE SUPPORT, BUT THE CITY DOES AND HAS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS PROVIDED A VARIETY OF OTHER SUPPORTS AND RESOURCES, RIGHT, FOR FAMILIES OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS.
SO I WANNA GIVE MY COLLEAGUE MICHELLE, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK TO SOME OF WHAT'S ON THIS SLIDE.
UM, I THINK THE CITY HAS, AND IT WAS SO GREAT TO SEE THE TIMELINE BECAUSE I REMEMBER THOSE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSIONS AND ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS, AND A LOT STILL EXISTS TODAY.
UM, THE CENTER FOR FAMILIES HAS BEEN A PRIMARY SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES WITH VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, UH, STARTING AT BIRTH, UM, WHICH REALLY HAS LESS OF A CHILDCARE FOCUS AND MORE OF A FAMILY SUPPORT, PARENTING, CHILD DEVELOPMENT FOCUS, UM, RUNNING PLAYGROUPS, INFANT DEVELOPMENT CLASSES, UH, LOTS OF TODDLER PARENT-CHILD ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, REALLY HELPING TO FOCUS EARLY LITERACY FOR FAMILIES WITH VERY YOUNG CHILDREN.
UM, CASE MANAGEMENT THAT DOES BOTH SUPPORT CPP FAMILIES, BUT ALSO SUPPORTS FAMILIES FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
UM, THE CITY HAS PUT DOLLARS TOWARDS MAKING SURE, UM, FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS AT THE VERY START, ESPECIALLY FIRST TIME PARENTS.
UM, EVEN THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGET HAS BABY BOXES FOR ALL NEW PARENTS.
UH, THE AGENDA FOR CHILDREN'S LITERACY INITIATIVE HAS BEEN DOING, UM, LITERACY BAGS FOR NEWBORNS AT THE HOSPITAL.
SO EVERYTHING BORN IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AT THEIR SIX MONTH MARK, HE SEEMS A BAG OF NEW BOOKS, UH, FROM THE LIBRARY AND FROM THE AGENDA.
UH, WE DO A TON OF HOME VISITING, UH, FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG KIDS, MOSTLY TO ACCESS SORT OF AGES AND STAGES AND HELP THEM CONNECT.
ALL OF THESE SERVICES ARE UNIVERSAL, BUT VERY TARGETED APPROACHES TO FAMILIES.
SO MOST OF THE PROGRAMMING IS HELD IN PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, UM, AND NEW CENTERS AND ALL FAMILIES ARE WELCOMED, BUT WE DEFINITELY PULLED THEM IN PLACES, UH, WHERE OUR MOST VULNERABLE FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WANNA LIFT UP IN THIS TOO IS THERE HAS BEEN, UH, FOR YEARS IT'S BEEN VERY QUIET, BUT A REAL NEED WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SORT OF THIS CHILD'S CARE WORLD, NOT NECESSARILY FOR FULL-TIME CARE, BUT FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE TRYING TO ACCESS ENGLISH CLASSES, UM, WHERE THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE.
THEY MAY BE INCOME ELIGIBLE FOR VOUCHERS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FROM LIKE A WORK, UH, OR SCHOOL STANDPOINT.
AND SO THERE IS, THE CENTER FOR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH CLC TO OFFER CLASSES TWO DAYS A WEEK AND PROVIDE CHILDCARE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THEIR FAMILY LED CLASSES.
SO THERE IS A NICE BASE FOR A TI FOR THIS INFANT CHILD TO WORK, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE WHAT COMES NEXT.
IS, I KNOW THERE'S NO FREE CHILDCARE ACCESS FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS, BUT IS THERE A SENSE OF HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE USING, UM, VOUCHERS TO ACCESS CHILDCARE IN CAMBRIDGE? OR ALSO A SENSE OF LIKE WHAT THE NEED OR DEMAND IS FROM FAMILIES AND ALONG THOSE LINES, LIKE HOW IS PFML IMPACTING LIKE INFANT NEED VERSUS TODDLER NEEDS? SO, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY, LIKE PFML IS IMPACTING ENROLLMENT AND LIKE THEY'RE SEEING INFANTS COMING LATER AND THAN THEN LIKE EIGHT OR NINE WEEKS, AND SOME OF 'EM ARE STARTING AT SIX MONTHS.
SO IS THERE LIKE A SENSE OF WHAT THE NEED IS ACROSS INFANT AND TOLER? WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DATA ON THAT.
NOT AS MUCH, I THINK AS, I DON'T HAVE DATA ON THE, UM, THE PFML.
UM, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF, OF DATA, WHICH WE'LL SEE IN A MOMENT ON DEMAND, BUT NOT THE NUMBER WITH OF FAMILIES WHO ARE ON VOUCHERS.
BUT WE CAN LOOK TO GET THAT IN THE, FOR SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS, CERTAINLY.
MICHELLE, I THINK TOO, UM, IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE VOUCHER DATA BECAUSE AS MOST OF US PROBABLY KNOW, UM, ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR WHO IS CURRENTLY RECEIVING VOUCHERS.
THEY, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, I THINK 10 MILLION OVER OR SOMETHING
[01:05:01]
LIKE THAT, THAT THEY ARE.AND SO THE LIST HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I THINK THAT ALSO IMPACTS WHAT DEMAND LOOKS LIKE FOR VOUCHERS.
SO IF YOU APPLY FOR A CHILDCARE VOUCHER, YOU ARE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS PREGNANT TO BE ABLE TO APPLY.
AND THEN WE ARE TELLING YOU IT'S ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS.
SO JUST TO GET, YOU KNOW, IS THAT CAMBRIDGE OR STATEWIDE? THAT WAS STATEWIDE.
SO I SEE SOME MOVEMENT HAPPENING, BUT YEAH, AND JUST GIVE A, A SLIGHT POSITIVE UPDATE ON THAT, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS VERY NEW AND JUST PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE, BUT, UM, MICHELLE IS RIGHT, ACCESS, UM, UH, SO THE ACCESS TO INCOME ELIGIBLE CHILDCARE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, WHETHER YOU GET A VOUCHER OR GET ACCESS TO A CONTRACTED SLOT AT A PROVIDER INCOME ELIGIBLE CARE HAS BEEN FROZEN SINCE MARCH OF 2024 UNTIL THIS MONTH.
SO IN THE MOST RECENT BUDGET, UM, THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED, AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE FIRST EXPANSION FOR INCOME ELIGIBLE ACCESS IN THREE YEARS.
IT'S $31 MILLION, UM, WHICH IS A LOT THAT COULD, UM, PROVIDE CARE TO AS MANY AS 2000 FAMILIES.
IT IS, UM, DISTRIBUTED IN THREE SLICES.
ONE GOES TO CONTRACTED PROVIDERS BECAUSE THAT'S THE EASIEST SPIGOT TO TURN ON FASTEST.
THE VOUCHERS MAY BEGIN, START EXPANDING AS EARLY AS NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AND THEN A SMALLEST, UH, SMALLER TRANCH IS RESERVED FOR, UM, THE WORKFORCE CHILDCARE.
SO THOSE ARE CHILDCARE EDUCATORS WHO ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE.
SO IT'S VERY HOPEFUL, UM, AT LEAST IN THEIR BEING AN INCREASE IN SOME ACCESS.
BUT YES, THE WAIT LIST IS VERY LONG.
DO YOU HAVE, I THINK ANOTHER THING TO LOOK AT YOU IS SORT OF WHAT THE DTA DATA IS, WHAT THOSE, WHAT THAT VOUCHER DATA LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY WERE NOT FROZEN IN THE SAME WAY.
THOSE ARE ENTITLED, THOSE ARE, YEAH.
SO I THINK, UM, WE MIGHT WANNA SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS WELL.
I DON'T THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO SPEND MUCH TIME ON THIS SLIDE BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS GROUP ALREADY KNOWS WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT THIS? WHY ARE WE EVEN HERE? WE KNOW, UM, FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, WE KNOW THAT, UM, THIS, THAT HAVING FOLKS IN THE WORKFORCE ACTUALLY HAS AN IMPACT.
THIS IS NATIONAL DATA AND ESTIMATED 122 BILLION IS LOST FROM THE NATIONAL ECONOMY, UM, DUE TO THE, UM, THE NOT QUITE WORKING CHILDCARE SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN WE KNOW AS SOMEONE OR SEVERAL PEOPLE MENTIONED AT THE START THIS EVENING, THAT IT HAS AN IMPACT NOT ONLY ON CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO ON FAMILIES, UM, ON THEIR ABILITY TO BE IN THE WORKFORCE, ON THEIR EARNINGS POTENTIAL, ON THEIR CA CAREER TRAJECTORIES, UM, ON THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM AND ON THEIR E ECONOMIC, UM, THEIR INCOME MOBILITY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WOMEN ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED, UM, BY THIS AS WELL.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE MY COLLEAGUE, MARK, ARE YOU WILLING TO READ THAT QUOTE, UH, AT THE BOTTOM FOUR? UH, THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE IS AN EQUITY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IN CAMBRIDGE WHERE THERE ARE STARK INCOME GAPS BETWEEN THE WEALTHIEST AND POOREST RESIDENTS WITH HOUSEHOLDS IN THE TOP QUINTILE EARNING ON AVERAGE, ON AVERAGE $343,000 A YEAR VERSUS $13,000 A YEAR FOR THE LOWEST INCOME GROUP, APPROXIMATELY 12% OF CAMBRIDGE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 MOVED IN POVERTY.
AND THAT NUMBER, THE 12% GOES UP SIGNIFICANTLY IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THAT WAS, BUT I THINK IT WAS OVER OVER 30%.
UM, AND THAT QUOTE COMES FROM A REPORT, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO SEVERAL OF US IN OUR OFFICE AND, AND ACROSS THE CITY, MICHELLE INCLUDED AND, AND OTHERS AS WELL, HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK OVER THE LAST YEAR, UM, RELATED TO STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT RELATING TO TRYING, STARTING THIS PROCESS OF DOING THE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS TO, UH, TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE COULD.
SO THE TWO BIG BODIES OF WORK THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IS, UM, A STUDY FROM THE HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL.
THERE WERE, UH, TWO HARVARD KENNEDY STUDENTS LAST YEAR WHO, UH, DID A RESEARCH REPORT ON THIS WORK WITH OUR OFFICE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THE FINDINGS FROM THAT REPORT THIS EVENING.
AND YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT DATA IN THERE.
THERE'S ALSO, IT RAISES SOME OTHER QUESTIONS OF ADDITIONAL DATA THAT WE NEED.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S AN INFANT TODDLER WORKING GROUP THAT HAS BEEN MEETING FOR, I THINK OVER THE LA MORE THAN THE LAST YEAR.
UM, THAT GROUP IS CO-CHAIRED, UH, BY MEGAN, WHO'S ON THIS CALL.
AND, AND MICHELLE, UM, AND ALSO JEN BAILEY AS WELL.
AND SO THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN LOOKING CLOSELY, UM, AT THE INFANT
[01:10:01]
TODDLER LANDSCAPE DOING A LOT OF DIRECT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TO GET INFORMATION FROM FAMILIES ALSO.SO WE WILL BE SPENDING A GOOD PART OF NEXT MONTH'S MEETING HEARING FROM THEM SO WE CAN LEARN ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE FOUND.
SO THIS IS BOTH AT THE STATE AND ALSO LOCAL LEVEL.
WHAT SUPPORTS ARE AVAILABLE? WE'VE MENTIONED THAT THE CITY DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE CHILDCARE SUPPORT.
SO SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT ALREADY.
UM, THE VOUCHER PROGRAM IS THE STATE LEVEL PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES CHILDCARE SUPPORTS.
I BELIEVE WE'RE STILL AT AROUND 31,000 CHILDREN ON THE WAITING LIST, REALLY SIMILAR TO WHAT, UM, LAURA MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO.
SO THAT IS A GREAT PROGRAM, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT IS STILL NOT SERVING ALL OF THE NEED.
I BELIEVE, LAURA, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT IT, IT SERVES ONLY ABOUT 50% OF THE ELIGIBLE FAMILIES.
YEAH, I DON'T, I CAN DOUBLE CHECK THAT DATA, BUT I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
YEAH, SO MORE NEED, MORE NEED THAN IT THAT, THAN WHAT IT IS SERVING.
UM, THE STATE ALSO HAS A, WHAT THEY CALL C3 PROGRAM, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS STARTED DURING COVID THAT PROVIDES SOME DIRECT FUNDING TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS TO OFFSET THEIR COSTS.
UM, PART OF THE GOAL OF THIS WAS TO OFFSET TUITION INCREASES, SO TO HELP PR PROVIDERS, UM, MAKE ENDS MEET WITHOUT HAVING TO RAISE, UM, RAISE TUITION FOR FAMILIES.
THEY DID A STUDY RECENTLY THAT SHOWED THAT ABOUT ALMOST HALF OF PROVIDERS SAID THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DELAY FUNDING INCREASES SINCE COVID LARGELY, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT GRANT FUNDS, BUT STILL OTHER PROGRAMS HAVE, HAVE HAD TO RAISE TUITION CONSIDERABLY.
AND SOME PROVIDERS SAY THAT THE, THE PAYMENT INCREASES HAVE NOT COME UP, UH, KEPT UP WITH COSTS, UM, IN A LOT OF CITIES, THE EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM, WHICH SERVES THE INFANT TETHER POPULATION SPECIFICALLY BEFORE CHILDREN BECOME HEAD START ELIGIBLE AT THE AGE OF THREE IN A LOT OF CITIES, UM, EARLY HEAD START IS A CENTER-BASED PROGRAM.
AND IN SOMERVILLE AND CAMBRIDGE, THEY OPERATE EARLY HEAD START TOGETHER IN THAT PROGRAM THAT IT DOES OPERATE AS A HOME VISITING MODEL.
SO IT DOESN'T PROVIDE, UM, CENTER-BASED CARE FOR FAMILIES.
UM, SO THERE'S AGAIN, A NUM A LARGE NUMBER OF FAMILIES, AND PARTICULARLY LOWER INCOME FAMILIES IN CAMBRIDGE, UM, THAT ARE STILL WITHOUT THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED.
OKAY, SO THE HARVARD STUDY I MENTIONED, YOU MAY HEAR ME SOMETIMES REFER TO THAT AS THE MAYA AND ALI REPORT.
MAYA, UM, AL JAHARI AND THEN ALI EPSTEIN WERE THE AUTHORS OF THAT REPORT.
THEY LED THEIR, THAT RESEARCH.
UM, AND SO WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY DID A FAMILY SURVEY.
THEY RE THEY GOT RESPONDENTS, UM, RESPONSES FROM 127 FAMILIES FROM THAT SURVEY.
ABOUT 20 PER 28% OF THOSE WERE UNDER FAMILY INCOME OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
SO THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS WERE SOMEWHAT SKEWED TO FAMILIES WITH, WITH MORE RESOURCES.
UM, LOWER INCOME FAMILIES WERE SLIGHTLY UNDERREPRESENTED.
THEY ALSO DID THREE FAMILY FOCUS GROUPS.
THEY SURVEYED PROVIDERS AND THEY DID INTERVIEW OF PROVIDERS AS WELL.
AND THEY DID A, A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ANALYSIS, UM, WHICH GIVES SOME OF THE INFORMATION, UM, THAT, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BRIEFLY.
AND THEN THEY DID SOME, SOME CASE STUDIES.
THEY LOOKED AT MALOMA COUNTY, UM, NEW YORK AND SOME OTHER PLACES, UH, TO LOOK AT SOME OF WHAT OTHER PLACES ARE DOING TO SUPPORT CHILDCARE.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA READ THAT VERY LONG QUOTE TO YOU,
UM, SO IT DOESN'T SHOW UP IN THE STATE LEVEL RANKINGS.
UM, MASSACHUSETTS MIGHT BE NUMBER TWO IF YOU COUNT WASHINGTON DC UM, BUT CONSISTENTLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE, UM, STATE FOR INFANT TODDLER CARE, WHICH IS WHAT ITC STANDS FOR, UM, INFANT TODDLER CARE IN THE STATE IS THREE TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEEMS AFFORDABLE.
SO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SAYS THAT A FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO SPEND NO MORE THAN 7% OF THEIR ANNUAL INCOME ON CHILDCARE.
UM, MASSACHUSETTS IS NOWHERE NEAR THAT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT CAMBRIDGE SPECIFICALLY, I THINK THE NUMBERS WILL LOOK EVEN, UM, EVEN EVEN MORE DIRE.
MOST FAMILIES IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS SPEND AN AVERAGE OF $22,000 A YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT 20% OF THEIR INCOME.
AGAIN, COST OF LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE IS SO MUCH HIGHER.
SO THE, THAT NUMBER WOULD PROBABLY BE EVEN GREATER.
UM, AND SO JUST FOR SOME, FOR COMPARISON, THE COST OF CHILDCARE IN THE STATE IN, IN, IN CAMBRIDGE AND IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS IS MORE THAN PAYING FOR UMASS BOSTON FOR COLLEGE TUITION FOR A YEAR.
SO WE HAVE MANY, MANY FAMILIES, THEY'RE ACTUALLY PAYING MORE FOR INFANT AND TODDLER CARE, UM, FOR THEIR LITTLE ONE THAN THEY WILL BE PAYING FOR, UM, COLLEGE FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR CHILD AS WELL.
SO THAT JUST HELPS TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE MAYA AND ALLY REPORT ALSO GAVE US
[01:15:01]
A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION FROM FAMILIES.UM, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THIS SLIDE.
I THINK THE KEYS HERE, AGAIN, FAMILIES ARE PAYING WAY MORE THAN 7% OF THEIR INCOME FOR CHILDCARE.
UM, MORE THAN 80% OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID THEY DON'T RECEIVE ANY CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE, AND THAT COST IS THE MAJOR DRIVER IN THEIR CHILDCARE DECISIONS.
UM, LOWER INCOME FAMILIES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY MORE LIKELY TO PROVIDE FULL-TIME PARENTAL CARE.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE REALLY INTERESTING THINGS, UM, IN THIS STUDY WAS IT SHOWED THAT LOWER INCOME FAMILIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO NOT BE USING OUT-OF-HOME CHILDCARE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE TAKING CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN THEMSELVES AT HOME.
THEY'RE ALSO MUCH MORE LIKELY TO SAY THEY WANT CENTER-BASED CARE FOR UPPER INCOME FAMILIES.
AND THIS IS NOT A BIG SURPRISE.
THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE SATISFIED WITH THE LEVEL OF CHILDCARE BECAUSE THEY HAVE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES.
SO IF THEY WANT TO BE HOME WITH THEIR CHILD, UM, IN MANY CASES THEY CAN, THEY CAN AFFORD TO DO, DO SO, BUT HAVING MORE RESOURCES ALLOWS FAMILIES TO MAKE MORE CHOICES.
SO THERE IS THIS LITTLE BIT OF A MISMATCH IN TERMS OF LOWER INCOME FAMILIES LESS LIKELY TO BE USING OUT-OF-HOME CHILDCARE, MORE LIKELY TO BE WANTING OUT-OF-HOME CHILDCARE AS WELL.
GENERALLY, AS YOU'LL SEE, OOPS, IF WE CAN GO BACK FOR JUST ONE SEC, SORRY, PATRICK.
UM, ONLY 13% OF RESPONDENTS, UM, IDENTIFIED IN-HOME PARENT OR CAREGIVER CARE AS THEIR IDEAL ARRANGEMENT.
UM, BUT YOU'LL SEE 30% REPORT THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY THE ARRANGEMENT THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE.
UM, WHICH SHOWS THAT MANY FAMILIES ARE RELYING ON PARENTAL CARE OUT OF NECESSITY MORE THAN PREFERENCE.
AGAIN, THIS, THIS SURVEY WAS SLIGHTLY SKEWED TOWARDS UPPER INCOME FAMILIES.
AND SO IF WE WERE TO LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT LOWER INCOME FAMILIES, THOSE NUMBERS MIGHT LOOK, THEY MIGHT, IT MIGHT EVEN BE GREATER, UM, GREATER DISPARITIES THERE.
CAN I ASK QUESTION? UM, IN TERMS OF THAT, THE, THE STUDY THAT TO 28% WERE FAMILIES I MAKE UNDER A HUNDRED THOUSAND, DID THEY, WHAT, WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT THAT NEXT BRACKET UP WAS? BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER PAM, BUT I CAN GET IT BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE, THERE'S A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT ARE EARNING OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND YEAH.
CORE
SO I THINK SOMETIMES WE, YOU KNOW, WE FOCUS ON THE FOLKS AT THE LOWEST ENDS AND WE FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE AT THE HIGHER END.
AND THEN WE HAVE ALL THESE FAMILIES IN THE MIDDLE WHO EARN TOO MUCH TO QUALIFY FOR A VOUCHER, BUT ARE STILL PAYING A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING OR CHILDCARE.
AND THOSE FOLKS KIND OF GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE.
UM, BUT IT'S A, I THINK IT'S A PRETTY BIG ABSOLUTELY, PRETTY BIG NUMBER.
YEAH, IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
UM, AND, AND YOU ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT REPORT.
UM, AND, AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT DATA IS IN THERE AND, AND WE CAN, WELL, IF IT'S THE THREE ON A COUPLE PAGE, THERE WERE, THERE WERE THREE INCOME LEVELS ON A COUPLE PAGES UNDER A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED TO 200, 200.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT THERE'S MORE DATA.
THERE'S, YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S THIS, THE REPORT IS FANTASTIC.
SO IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK, THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD DATA IN THERE.
SO THIS JUST SHOWS YOU FOR THE FAMILIES THAT ARE USING OUT-OF-HOME CHILDCARE OR NON PARENTAL CARE, UM, THIS SHOWS YOU WHERE THOSE KIDS ARE.
YOU'LL SEE THE VAST MAJORITY ARE IN CHILDCARE CENTERS AND THE OTHERS ARE, ARE SPRINKLED ABOUT IN TERMS OF HAVING A NANNY OR A BABYSITTER OR OTHER, OTHER, UM, CAREGIVER AT HOME, UM, IN A FAMILY CHILDCARE CENTER, THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO THOSE, THOSE GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS.
IS THIS ALL BASED ON THE 127 FAMILY? IT IS, YES, IT IS.
SO WE THINK IT'S REPRESENTATIVE, BUT NOT ENTIRELY SURE.
REPRESENTATIVES SLIGHTLY SKEWED TOWARDS FAMILIES THAT ARE IN THOSE.
I DON'T, I EVEN HESITATE TO YOUR POINT MARK TO CALL THEM UPPER INCOME BRACKETS.
UM, BUT, UH, LOWER INCOME FAMILIES THAT WERE BELOW THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WERE SLIGHTLY UNDERREPRESENTED.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT THE DATA.
AND SO THIS WAS A QUESTION BASED ON DO YOU WANT MORE CHILDCARE? AND IF SO, UM, HOW MUCH MORE? AND SO YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT BREAKDOWN HERE.
SO FOR FAMILIES THAT WERE UNDER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, 32% OF THEM SAID THAT YES, THEY WANT A LOT MORE CHILDCARE.
AND THEN THAT GOES DOWN TO WHEN YOU'RE AT $200,000 AND ABOVE, ONLY 4% SAID THEY, UM, WANTED MORE CHILDCARE.
AGAIN, MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT IS BECAUSE FAMILIES IS, YOU GO UP IN THE INCOME AS THEY, THEY HAVE MORE CHOICES AVAILABLE TO THEM WITH THEM MORE RESOURCES.
UM, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THE, THE FLIP SIDE.
SO THE FAMILIES, UM, IN THOSE UPPER INCOME BRACKETS, BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE, UM, 56% OF THEM WERE SAYING THAT THE AMOUNT OF CARE THAT THEY HAVE IS SUFFICIENT VERSUS 40% FOR THE UNDER, UNDER A HUNDRED
[01:20:01]
THOUSAND.UM, AND THIS IS CHILDCARE PREFERENCES.
UM, IT SHOWS THAT CENTER-BASED CARE, UM, IS THE, THE PREFERRED CARE FOR MANY FAMILIES.
SO THERE WERE A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT REALLY DO PREFER FAMILY CHILDCARE AND SOME OF THESE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS AS WELL.
BUT CENTER-BASED CARE DOES SEEM TO BE, UM, THE CARE ARRANGEMENT OF CHOICE FOR MANY FAMILIES.
AND THEN THIS GETS AT THE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS RAISED EARLIER.
AND SO THIS STUDY HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION WHICH YOU WILL SEE IN THE REPORT ON AVAILABILITY OF CARE.
LIKE WHAT ARE THE SEATS? IT DOESN'T HAVE NEARLY ENOUGH.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME GREAT INFORMATION IN HERE AND IT ALSO RAISES SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT ADDITIONAL WORK WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF GETTING MORE.
SO IN TOTAL, THERE ARE ABOUT 1500 LICENSED SEATS FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS IN THE CITY, AND THERE'S ABOUT 2,700 INFANTS AND TODDLERS LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE.
SO A COUPLE OF CAVEATS ABOUT THIS.
AND SO TECHNICALLY AS I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE IN A MOMENT, BUT WE CAN STAY ON THIS SLIDE, I'M NOT, UM, IS THAT TECHNICALLY WHAT, WHAT THIS REPORT SHOWS IS THAT THERE IS NO ZIP CODE IN CAMBRIDGE THAT QUALIFIES TECHNICALLY AS A CHILDCARE DESERT.
SO HUD HAS ITS OWN FORMULA OF DETERMINING, UM, A CHILDCARE DESERT.
BUT YOU DO SEE HERE, THERE IS A MISMATCH IN THE NUMBER OF SEATS VERSUS THE NUMBER OF BABIES AND TODDLERS.
UM, AND A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT THIS, THE CHILDCARE DESERT METHODOLOGY DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IS A LOT OF THESE SEATS MAY VERY WELL BE FILLED BY NON CAMBRIDGE FAMILIES.
SO WE KNOW HOW, WE KNOW HOW MANY SEATS THAT WE, THAT, THAT THERE ARE.
WE KNOW MOST OF THEM ARE FILLED.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THEM ARE FILLED BY CAMBRIDGE FAMILIES AND HOW MANY OF THEM ARE FILLED BY FAMILIES FROM SURROUNDING, UM, YOU KNOW, SURROUNDING, UH, CITIES AND TOWNS.
AND THE OTHER THING, WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY KEY PIECE OF THIS IS THIS DATA DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TUITION.
SO I THINK IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT TUITION, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR THEIR, THESE SEATS? LIKE, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF SEATS AND SAY, CHILD CAMBRIDGE IS NOT A CHILDCARE DESERT.
I THINK IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT TUITION, I THINK WHAT WE FIND IS FOR MOST FAMILIES THEY WOULD SAY, I ABSOLUTELY LIVE IN A CHILDCARE DESERT 'CAUSE THERE'S NO WAY I CAN AFFORD THIS.
THE COST OF THESE SEATS, I MIGHT HAVE PLENTY OF CHILDCARE CENTERS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I THINK PART OF THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO IS FIGURING FIGURE OUT, LIKE LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT TUITION LEVELS AND HOW MANY OF THESE SEATS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, IF WE'RE SAYING THERE'S 1500 SEATS, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE? RIGHT? FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF, OF CAMBRIDGE FAMILIES.
'CAUSE I THINK THE DATA WOULD THEN LOOK VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE SEATS 73, UM, WE HAVE 73 CENTER-BASED PROVIDERS.
UM, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE 17 FAMILY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
THE NUMBER OF FAMILY CHILDCARE PROVIDERS IN THE CITY HAS GONE DOWN OVER THE NUMBER OF YEARS.
I THINK IT'S BEEN INCREASINGLY HARD TO SUSTAIN THOSE BUSINESSES.
I KNOW NURTURE HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AROUND THIS.
UM, SO REALLY EXCITED FOR, UM, FOR NURSERY TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE FIND HERE.
UM, THE, AND THERE'S AN A DATA POINT HERE ABOUT CPP.
UM, ONLY 28 OF THE CENTERS THAT PROVIDE INFANT TODDLER CARE ARE PART OF CPP.
SO 28 OF THOSE 73, THE REASON THAT'S RELEVANT IS THAT FOR THE UPK PROGRAMS UNIVERSALLY HAVE AN IMPACT AND NOT A GOOD IMPACT ON THE AVAILABILITY OF INFANT TODDLER CARE IN A CITY.
I THINK THERE WAS A DATA POINT THAT I SAW THAT IN NEW YORK CITY WHEN THEY IMPLEMENTED DPK, I THINK THEY LOST OVER 2000 INFANT TODDLER SEATS.
PART OF IT IS BECAUSE INFANT TODDLER CARE, AS YOU MENTIONED, IS SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO IF PROGRAMS CAN GET REIMBURSED FOR PROVIDING PRESCHOOL CARE, IT'S JUST LESS COSTLY.
UM, EDUCATORS SOMETIMES WANNA LEAVE THEIR INFANT TODDLER CLASSROOMS AND WORK IN A PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM BECAUSE THEY CAN GET PAID MORE MONEY.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT IMPACTS.
UM, AND WHEN PROGRAMS ARE GETTING SUBSIDIES FROM THE CITY TO SUPPORT THEIR PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM, THAT INDIRECTLY SUPPORTS ALL THEIR OTHER CLASSROOMS AS WELL.
SO IT CAN HELP TO OFFSET COSTS.
SO ONE OF THE VERY, VERY MINOR TWEAKS THAT WE'VE MADE IS THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WELCOMING NEW PROVIDERS INTO THE CPP SYSTEM, WE DO PRIORITIZE PROVIDERS THAT ALSO OFFER INFANT TODDLER CARE TO HELP, HELP, HELP SUBSIDIZE THEM IN SOME WAY.
BUT WE KNOW THAT'S NOT ANYWHERE NEAR ENOUGH.
IT'S INTERESTING IF YOU TAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO NUMBERS, THE NUMBERS OF EXISTING SEATS AND THE NUMBERS OF ACTUAL INFANTS AND TODDLERS, I JUST, WHEN MY BRAIN WORKS, DIVIDE THAT BY THE, THE ACTUAL RATIOS THREE TO ONE, A FOUR TO ONE.
[01:25:01]
ABOUT ROUGHLY AROUND 335 ADDITIONAL STAFF THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO ONBOARD TO MEET THOSE BASIC NEEDS.SO PART OF THE, PART OF BUILDING IT OUT ALSO REQUIRES LIKE THAT INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF BUILDING THE PIPELINE FOR EDUCATORS AND ENSURING THAT THERE'S AN ACTUAL LIVABLE WAGE S PAY, YOU CAN FIND THE, UM, EMPLOYMENT IN THAT WORK AND STAY IN, YOU KNOW, JUST QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL KEEP, WE'LL KEEP, SO, SO THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS YOU, I MENTIONED THE, THAT TECHNICALLY CAMBRIDGE DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA OF A CHILDRE DESERT.
TAKE THAT WITH A BIG GRAIN OF SALT.
UM, THIS SHOWS YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
ZIP CODE BY ZIP CODE, UM, AND THE SHARE OF SEATS RELATIVE TO THE INTERIM POPULATION.
AND THEN THE SHARE OF SEATS RELATIVE TO THE TODDLER POPULATION.
IT DOESN'T NECESS THE GOAL DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE TO HAVE A ONE-TO-ONE MATCH.
'CAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE FAMILIES WHO CHOOSE NOT TO, AND THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.
UM, BUT WE PROBABLY DO WANNA SEE A GREATER, YOU KNOW, NUMBERS THAT ARE CLOSER TOGETHER.
AND CERTAINLY THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE SEATS, UM, IS A REALLY BIG, A REALLY BIG FACTOR AS WELL.
THERE'S SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT LACK SUFFICIENT CARE OPTIONS.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE CERTAINLY ALL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT LACK AFFORDABLE OPTIONS.
THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT WE'LL BE GETTING MORE DATA ON IN THE COMING MONTHS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS, THE SEATS ARE SEATS, NOT NECESSARILY SEATS FOR CAMBRIDGE KIDS.
SO WE REMEMBER THAT THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE EVEN HIGHER HAVING SEMI KIDS AND ON THE BOARD OF A CHILDCARE CENTER.
HALF OF THE SEATS WERE FOR FAMILIES WHO WORKED IN CAMBRIDGE, BUT THEY DIDN'T LIVE HERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, THROUGH THIS REPORT, THEY, UM, THEY SURVEYED AND SPOKE TO A NUMBER OF PROVIDERS.
UM, FOR MOST OF YOU, THIS PROBABLY WON'T BE SURPRISING, BIGGEST COST DRIVER IS THAT STAFFING COST AS, AS YOU MENTIONED.
SO STAFFING IS ALMOST UNIVERSALLY THE LARGEST COST DRIVER, UH, FOR INFANT, THE INFANT AND TODDLER LEVEL.
UM, IN PARTICULAR, ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES, UM, OPERATING COSTS.
SO AGAIN, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REALLY UNIQUE FACILITIES NEEDS AND OPERATIONAL COSTS WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS.
EVEN THINGS LIKE INSURANCE TENDS TO BE HIGHER WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS OBVIOUSLY, UM, BECAUSE OF THE, THE TREMENDOUS, UM, TREMENDOUS RISK THERE.
UM, HIRING OR TRAINING QUALIFIED EDUCATORS, STAFF BURNOUT AND FATIGUE, MEETING CHILDREN'S, UM, DIVERSE NEEDS SINCE COVID IN PARTICULAR, MORE PROVIDERS, AND THIS IS NOT CAMBRIDGE DATA, BUT THIS IS NATIONALLY AS WELL.
UM, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO ARE SHOWING, UM, DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES, UM, HAS GONE UP.
UM, THERE'S SOME, SOME MIXED OPINIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT WE KNOW THE NEEDS HAVE GONE UP A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND THEN MEETING LICENSING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF WHAT THIS GROUP WILL BE DIGGING INTO TO THINK ABOUT.
NOT ONLY AGAIN, HOW DO WE PAY FOR SEATS TO MAKE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT SEATS ARE AFFORDABLE? UM, BUT THEN HOW DO WE ADDRESS SOME OF WHAT MAKES PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY INFANT AND CHILDCARE SO CHALLENGING.
I THINK THE QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, CONVERSATION.
WELL, THERE'S ALSO THESE QUESTIONS PLUS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, RIGHT? DO WE WANNA START WITH ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE DATA THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT? OR DO WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE ADDRESSED ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE GROUP HAS HAD? I JUST, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD A LOT THROWN AT US, ALTHOUGH SOME OF IT WE KNOW, BUT IT, IT'S A REALLY HELPFUL, LET'S ALL MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME, HAVE THE SAME GROUNDING.
WE HAVE ABOUT HALF AN HOUR LEFT TO DIG INTO.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
AND I THINK ANOTHER ONE THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT TO JUST PUT IN YOUR MIND FOR THE FUTURE IS WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR FUTURE MEETINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING IN EXPERTS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR IF ANY OF YOU WOULD WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PRESENT SOMETHING TO, TO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT, THAT THIS IS AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT IN THE COURSE OF WHAT, EIGHT MONTHS WE SAID WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH A REPORT AND, AND IT'S JUST ONE MEETING A MONTH, BUT IN BETWEEN.
SO THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE, I THINK HERE, WHICH ARE IN YOUR PACKET ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT RESONATES, WHAT'S MISSING, BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT IF THERE'S SPECIFIC PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US MOVING FORWARD.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A LIST AND WE'RE, WE'RE DEVELOPING IT AS WE GO, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE REACHED OUT TO YOU TO SAY WHO ELSE WE SHOULD MAKE SURE NOT RELATED TO THESE QUESTIONS.
BUT IS THERE A FOLDER THAT WE CAN PUT RESOURCES OR REPORTS IN? LIKE JEFF LEEMAN'S NEW REPORT I THINK WOULD BE GREAT TO LIKE FOR GAP CONSIDER, UM, YEAH.
UH, WE ARE A PUBLIC BODY HERE, SO WE, UM, CAN'T EXACTLY, UM, COLLABORATE AS A WHOLE
[01:30:01]
GROUP OFFLINE.UM, BUT IF YOU SHARE WITH STAFF, WE COULD SHARE WITH THE WHOLE GROUP.
IN FACT, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE WEBSITE? UM, YES.
UH, REAL QUICK, AND WE WILL GO OVER SOME OF THIS AT THE END.
UM, THE, WE WILL HAVE A WEBSITE LAUNCHED FOR THIS, UM, PAGE ALSO, ALL OF THE MATERIALS LIKE THE, UM, THE HARVARD REPORT, UM, THAT DR. OLSON REFERENCED ARE ON THE CITY'S, UH, OPEN MEETING PORTAL, UM, WHICH YOU CAN ACCESS RIGHT ON THE CAMBRIDGE MA DO JOV, UM, WEBSITE.
SO TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT, THERE WILL BE A WEBPAGE, RIGHT? THAT LIKE THE MAYOR'S CITY MANAGER CHILDCARE AT CAMBRIDGE SHOCK YOUR ACCESS TASK FORCE.
AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE TRIED TO DIG INTO CAMBRIDGE'S WEB PAGES, THEY'RE SOMETIMES EASY TO GET THROUGH AND SOMETIMES TOTALLY OPAQUE AND DIFFICULT.
SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT THERE WILL BE MEETINGS HERE.
THEY ARE TASK FORCE MEMBERS, HERE'S A TAB DOCUMENTS, HERE THEY ARE.
AND WE CAN ADD ANY DOCUMENTS, ANY OF YOU HAVE TO, TO THAT JUST AS RESOURCES.
I THINK WE CAN EITHER SAY, YOU KNOW, MEETING DOCUMENTS OR BACKGROUND INFORMATION, BUT THAT, AND I WOULD LOVE FOR INSTANCE, THAT KIND OF THING.
I, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT REPORT, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, BUT I WAS, I WOULD LOVE TO UNLESS I WAS OPPOSED TO I DID, I SAID I SUPPOSED TO DO IT AS HOMEWORK AND I FAILED ALREADY.
UM, ON PAGE 32, THERE'S UM, THIS HAS A LOT MORE YES.
CAN YOU JUST WHAT THAT MEANS CREDIBLE? YEAH, YEAH.
SO THAT QUESTION WAS ASKED OF, SO THERE WAS A SUBSET OF FAMILIES, UM, WHO DID NOT NO, THIS QUESTION WAS ACTUALLY ASKED OF ALL FAMILIES REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE USING CHILDCARE.
AND SO THE QUESTION WAS SIMPLY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF OUT OF THE HOME CHILDCARE OR NON PARENTAL CHILDCARE, DO YOU WANT MORE? IS IT THE RIGHT AMOUNT? DO YOU WANT A LOT MORE? SO THAT WAS BASICALLY THE QUESTION.
AND SO FAMILIES COULD RESPOND, NO, I'M GOOD.
THE CURRENT AMOUNT IS SUFFICIENT.
OR YOU SAID LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE OR YOU SAID LIKE A LOT MORE.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ALL OF YOU.
NOT IN THE CITY HOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST QUESTION, HOW DOES THIS RESONATE AND THE KIND OF IMPLEMENT WE'RE SEEING PRETTY MUCH MESH, MESH WITH WHAT YOU ARE THINKING OR WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF WAYS THAT WE ALREADY, WE WROTE DOWN, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE DATA, MORE DATA ON SUPPLY, WHICH WE HAVE SOME OF, BUT I GET A LITTLE MORE, UH, KATIE DONOVAN HAS HER HAND RAISED.
UM, I, I THINK THIS MATCHES VERY WELL WITH OUR EXPERIENCE WITH ENROLLING FAMILIES AND, UH, FAMILIES SEEKING CARE.
UM, I AGREE WITH THE EARLIER COMMENT THAT PFML IS, UH, CHANGING THE NATURE OF, UH, INFANT APPLICATIONS IN MANY CASES.
SO WE HAVE FAMILIES WHO ARE PUTTING OFF ENROLLMENT PER UNTIL CHILDREN ARE FIVE OR SIX MONTHS OLD, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ADJUST.
UM, WE HAVE THAT LUXURY, BUT WHERE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR INFANT TODDLER SPOTS AT CAMPUS CHILDCARE ARE FULL.
THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT ALL OF OUR PRESCHOOL SPOTS ARE FULL.
BUT, UM, I THINK THE, THE, THE REALLY STRONG NEED OR, OR THE TI THE PLACE WHERE FAMILIES REALLY WANNA START TO ENROLL KIDS IS AROUND 15 MONTHS.
UM, AND SO IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE ARE PRIORITIES, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, THAT 15 MONTHS TO, TO THREE IS REALLY, UM, A TIME WHEN KIDS WANT THEIR, UH, FAMILIES WANT THEIR CHILD TO START BEING IN A MORE GROUP SETTING.
UM, AND MAYBE THAT'S JUST A FUNCTION OF FINANCES, UM, BUT UH, ALSO I THINK IT'S A FUNCTION OF, UH, CHILD DEVELOPMENT A LITTLE BIT.
ONE, ONE THING I WAS, I WAS JUST SAYING NOT FOR TODAY, BUT JUST TO KIND OF THROW UP THERE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SPACE, YOU KNOW, IS, UH, FOR US TO THINK ABOUT IS, AND MAYBE WE CAN GET A INVENTORY, I KNOW IT EXISTS SOMEWHERE OF CITY BUILDINGS TOO, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A COUPLE CITY BUILDINGS THAT, UM, ARE VACANT AND, YOU KNOW, IS THAT A WAY TO KIND OF HELP, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THE CITY WERE TO OPEN A CHILDCARE CENTER RIGHT? OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR A GAZILLION YEARS.
UM, BUT IF WE ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE SPACE? NO CONCERN.
ONE THING I JUST WONDER AND HOPE TO PUT SORT OF A PIT IN SOMEWHERE IS AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS AND THINKING ABOUT THE MODEL THAT WE JUST SOLD OUT WITH CPP, WHAT WITH INFANT TODDLER CARE, THERE'S ANOTHER LEVEL OF FLEXIBILITY THAT I THINK WE NEED TO SORT OF BRING INTO THE ROOM AND WHAT PEOPLE NEED NEED.
UM, UH, JUST LISTENING TO SORT OF WHAT AVERAGE,
[01:35:01]
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE AGE PEOPLE ARE SIGNING THEIR KIDS UP FOR, UH, TODDLER CARE, YOU KNOW, SEE THAT 15 MONTHS.BUT I DO WONDER HOW WE HOLD THE SPACE FOR FAMILIES, PARTICULARLY LOWER WAGE WORKERS WHO MAY NEED LIKE, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS OF CARE FOR YOUNGER KIDS.
I THINK WE JUST DON'T SEE ENOUGH DATA AROUND THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE SEEING TRENDS HAPPEN WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SHUTTLING KIDS, SORT OF IN OUR FAMILY SUPPORT WORLD THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PROVIDERS WATCHING THEIR VERY YOUNG KIDS TO DO THEIR DUNKS SHIFTS.
YOU KNOW, DUNKING DONUT SHIFTS TWO DAYS A WEEK, THREE DAYS A WEEK.
UM, WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THE PMFL, YOU KNOW, THE THE PAID LEAVE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A JOB AT THAT POINT.
RIGHT? OR THEY'RE JUST ENTERING THE WORKFORCE.
AND WE SEE THAT A LOT WITH SOME OF OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN THE FAMILY SUPPORT WORLD.
SO IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, JUST ON A PART-TIME AS OPPOSED TO FULL-TIME, FULL YEAR, BUT A COUPLE DAYS A WEEK, YOU'RE SEEING A GREATER NEED IN THAT ZERO TO 15 MONTHS WITH YOUNGER, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT SUPER YOUNG BABIES.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SEEING, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTH OLDS MM-HMM
PEOPLE MAKING ARRANGEMENTS OF BEING SHUTTLED AROUND.
AND WE SEE A LOT OF IT IN OUR CASE MANAGEMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, AND US HELPING PEOPLE.
SO WHO'S GONNA WATCH THEM THIS DAY? WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO THIS DAY? AND I THINK IN OUR MODEL AND THE MODELS I'VE SEEN, WE'VE OFTEN THINK ABOUT THIS AS LIKE, FULL-TIME CARE.
AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO PUT A PIN IN THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE NEED, ESPECIALLY WITH INFANTS, BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T SO KEEN TO SEND THEIR VERY YOUNG CHILDREN OUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE FOLKS STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THIS RESOURCE? YEAH, I THINK THE, THE, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, IF YOU LOOK AT SLIDE 33 AND YOU ACTUALLY START TO TALLY UP, UM, THE PREFERENCES ON IN TERMS OF, I'M READING THIS, RIGHT, CHILDCARE VERSUS SORT OF, I WOULD CALL INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE WHERE IT'S AN IDENTIFIED PERSON THAT THEY KNOW.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT 13.7%? IT'S CLOSER TO ABOUT 40% IF YOU TOTAL THAT UP, THAT SIGNALS THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S SOMEWHAT OF A CULTURAL, IT'S, IT'S THE, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT MICHELLE WAS SAYING ABOUT THE FLEXIBILITY, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT, I THINK MEETING FAMILIES WHERE THEY'RE AT.
THERE'S A CERTAIN SENSITIVITY WITHIN CHILDREN THAT THIS MAY BE A CULTURAL SHIFT FOR MANY PEOPLE IN TERMS OF TRUSTING, SENDING SUCH YOUNG CHILDREN OUT TO CENTRAL CENTER.
SO I'M, I'M NOT SURE, SO HOW WE LEAVE THERE, BUT IT'S A QUESTION THAT'S RESONATING IN MY MIND NOW.
LIKE, CULTURALLY, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE INTO, UH, ACCOUNT AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE TRY TO BUILD THIS OUT FOR FAMILIES? MM-HMM
UH, WE HAVE JESSE WITH OUR HAND RAISED, BUT KATIE ALSO, UM, PUT IN THE CHAT THAT SHE PREVIOUS, UM, SAYING MORE FOLKS WANT PART WEEK PART-TIME FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN, UH, THAN THEY DO FOR PRESCHOOL AGE CHILDREN.
DID YOU, LAURA? AND THEN DID YOU WANT GO TO JESSIE AND THEN LAURA? OH, I'M SORRY.
AM I RIGHT IN ASSUMING THAT WE WANT TO, UM, APPROACH THIS IN THE MIXED DELIVERY SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE CITY TAKING OVER AND AIMING TO SERVE ALL THE KIDS THROUGH SOME PROGRAMMING? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE PART-TIME AND THE CULTURAL AND TRUSTED ARE VERY, VERY WELL SERVED WITH FAMILY CHILDCARE AND THAT, UM, STRENGTHENING THAT NETWORK AS PART OF THE NETWORK, UM, MAY BE A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
ALSO, HEAD START, LIKE OUR PROGRAM IS WE ARE GOING TO CONVERT SLOTS TO EARLY HEAD START AND DO CENTER-BASED CARE FOR TODDLERS.
WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR THINKING ABOUT INFANTS BECAUSE IT'S, IT ALSO, THERE'S A LOT OF HIGH RISK THERE THAT I'M, I'M NOT READY TO TAKE ON.
UM, AND THAT MAY FEEL TRUE FOR OTHER PROVIDERS OUT THERE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE PRESCHOOL GAME THIS WHOLE TIME AND COULD, COULD WRAP THEIR HEADS AROUND, UM, SCALING DOWN FOR TODDLERS.
INFANTS ARE A WHOLE OTHER BANANA.
SO I'M WONDERING IF, IF THERE IS ROOM ALSO FOR US TO THINK ABOUT SOME PHASES THAT FOCUS INITIALLY ON TODDLERS OR HAVE SORT OF THESE DUAL PATHS WHERE TODDLERS CENTER INFANTS FAMILY WERE SORT OF PROMOTING IT THAT WAY.
ANYWAY, THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF, I WAS JUST ASSUMING THAT MIXED DELIVERY IS PART OF IT OR IT'S NOT PART OF IT.
YOU, YOU, YOU SAW SEVERAL HEADS NODDING IN THE ROOM IF YOU COULDN'T SEE THAT WHEN YOU SAID MIXED DELIVERY HYBRID.
[01:40:01]
IS DEFINITELY PART OF THE PLAN AND, AND, AND IT WOULD BE UP TO US TO SAY WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING, BUT I CERTAINLY THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF HEAD SHAKING.SO THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
WAS THAT YOU ARE DONE OR DID YOU HAVE MORE, LAURA? UM, I JUST WANTED TO BUILD ON THE QUESTION OF SORT OF PART-TIME CARE.
UM, I THINK THAT IS A PARTICULAR NEED WHICH CAN ALSO BE VERY CHALLENGING FOR PROVIDERS.
SO I THINK THAT GOES IN THE PROBLEMS TO SOLVE CATEGORY.
HOWEVER, I WOULD BE CAREFUL TO EXTRAPOLATE TOO MUCH ON PARENTS' CHOICES IN A BROKEN SYSTEM.
SO THEY MAY BE STITCHING TOGETHER, RIGHT? MY FRIEND DOWN THE HALL IS GONNA WATCH HER ON MONDAY, YOU KNOW, HER FATHER'S GONNA TAKE HER ON TUESDAY, MY NEIGHBOR ON WEDNESDAY.
AND THAT'S NOT AN OPTIMAL SYSTEM, THAT'S A SUBOPTIMAL SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE BETTER CHOICES EITHER BASED ON ACCESS OR AFFORDABILITY.
I MEAN, I WOULD IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE WERE TO PRESENT TO THOSE FOLKS, THE CHOICE IS DOING KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW AND GOING, YOU KNOW, TO DIFFERENT PLACES THREE OR FOUR DAYS A WEEK VERSUS A FREE PROGRAM.
I, I WOULD IMAGINE FOLKS WOULD PROBABLY PREFER THE FREE.