northern virginia early learning shared services alliance sharing together in business services for...
TRANSCRIPT
Northern Virginia Early Learning Shared Services Alliance
Sharing together in business services for stronger and more efficient Child Care Centers
Better … Together…
“ If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. ”
~ African proverb
Presenters and co-founders
Linda Dunphy, MSW
Julie Shuell, MPA
Combined 40+ years of early childhood programming, nonprofit management, and
leadership experience on national, state, and local region.
Partnership of small businesses (nonprofit or not-for-profit) within an industry or sector working together to share costs
and deliver services in a more streamlined and efficient approach.
What is a Shared Services Alliance?
Centers choosing to come together to share business & professional development functions
by creating back office alliances. To strengthen business practices and enhance program quality toward the best early learning
and care possible for children.
What is a Early Learning – Child Care Shared Services Alliance?
Child Care Alliance Common Purpose
Range of business models with a common purpose– strengthen child care businesses so more efficient &
financially sustaining – positioned to deliver higher quality education & care for
children.
Ultimately child care center staff more focused on important work of educating and caring for children.
Key Challenges
• Running a child care program requires two completely different skill sets:– it’s a business and has to keep the doors open – Specialized in the professional discipline of caring for
and educating young children. • Challenging to be excellent in both areas when a
small business– Possessing extensive skills or staffing – Limitations to scaling up to become more efficient in
their administrative functions.
The Cost-Quality Gap
• Higher quality ECE costs more than most families can afford
• Market-based ECE encourages price competition – low tuition fees –which discourages investments in quality
• Many ECE expenses are fixed costs(e.g., by regulation or industry practices).
Roots of Challenge
1. Abilities to gain advantages of economies of scale, and maintain accessibility, size, location and operating hours for families.
2. Center Directors frequently isolated, overburdened with administrative and program functions and work long hours – Jill of all Trades
The Many Roles of an ECE Director
Investing in management or administrative capacity in child care offers significant dividends in improved child outcomes.• Forge new alliances within the industry – to gain economies
of scale but keep the benefits of small sites • Reduces costs in administrative functions and expenses
redirecting savings into program enhancements. • Unburdens the Center leadership from administrative roles
typically found least desirable as well as introduce more business-savvy administrative practices.
The Answer Is Not Just Money: It’s a Paradigm Shift
• Enhances working conditions, wages and benefits for staff.
• Pedagogical leadership improves for teacher mentors, coaches, and communities of practice.
• Technology tools to streamline business and help teachers plan curriculum, tailor it to each child and individualize teaching. Technology can support outcomes tracking, generate data to continuously improve classes, site and administrative quality.
How Does Shared Services
Improve Quality?
Forge Alliances to Share Costs & Services
• Management/Administration (e.g. team of directors/supervisors)
• Fiscal (Billing and Fee Collection• Marketing• Fundraising• Human Resources & Staffing• Purchasing goods & services• Food Services• Quality Support (QRIS, curriculum, child
assessments, etc.) • Health/Mental Health/Family Support
Benefits -- Time & Money Reinvested• Time saved via more efficient administrative practices• $ saved via discounted purchasing• $ earned via improved billing • $ earned via increased enrollment• Stronger Team of Professionals• Better Cash Flow and Fiscal Stability• Stronger Fundraising• Better Working Conditions for Staff• Better Quality Services
New Business Models: Administrative Structures
• ECE Program Alliance – Independent ECE businesses contract with common administrative agency (Chattanooga, TN; Columbus, OH; Colorado ELAs)
• ECE Consortium – Group of providers merge into single non-profit (Seattle, WA)
• ECE Provider Trust – Group of providers form Trust, which contracts with administrative agency (Fairfax, VA)
• ECE Cooperative – Jointly owned entity
A Potential ECE Network
Happy Acres Day
Care
Tender Tots Pre-School
The Newberry
After School
ProgramMary’s Family Child Care
Home
Annie’s Nursery School
Green Hills Child
Care Center
NetworkHub
(Shared Staff)
Human Resources including health &
retirement benefits,Unemployment Insurance,
etc.
Research & Development:Information Technology,
data collection & analysis, etc.
Classroom Supports: mentor teachers, classroom
assessments, QRIS support, etc.
Administrative Services: payroll, billing, fee collection, marketing,
tax/finance support, etc.
Comprehensive Services: health, mental health, social services,
family support
Fundraising and Fund Development (from public
and private sources)
Staff Recruitment & Screening, including
substitutes
Bulk Purchase of Goods and Services
A Potential ECE Network
The Newberry After School
Program
Mary’s Family Child Care HomeAnnie’s Nursery
School
Research & Development
Payroll, billing, fee collection, etc.
Shared Staff: health, MH, SS, family support, etc.
Pre-K Class at Lakewood
Elementary
Employee Benefits
Wage Subsidies / Employment Tax
Credits
Staff Recruitment & Screening
Network Hub
QRIS Support
Green Hills Child Care Center
Happy Acres Day Care
Tender Tots Pre-School
Briarwood CCR&R
Annie E. Casey FoundationDavid and Laura Merage FoundationWilliam Penn FoundationMiriam and Peter Haas FundGoizuetta FoundationUnited Way in CO, IA, NH, OH, TN, WA,Community Development Agencies
….and many other local funders
Growing Philanthropic Engagement
Getting Started
Examples from new Alliances Philadelphia Atlanta Colorado
PhiladelphiaShared Services on the Web• Led by Delaware Valley AEYC • Web platform (ECE Shared Resources) from CCA Global • Goal is to reach scale in center participation
Shared Services in Depth• Led by Philadelphia Health Management Corporation• Back-office fiscal management (automated system) • Additional management supports (automated staff scheduling,
staff recruitment/screening, etc.)
Strategic links to Keystone Stars (QRIS)Start-up Funding from the William Penn Foundation
AtlantaShared Services on the Web• Led by Quality Care for Children (QCC)• Web platform (possibly customized version of ECE Resources site)• Goal is to reach scale with centers, working collaboratively with other CCR&Rs
Shared Services in Atlanta Metro• Coordinated by QCC in partnership with others• Services to be determined but could include: mentor teachers, classroom assessments, TA
visits, affinity groups, child assessment, centralized staff/sub recruitment, training and screening, food program sponsor for small centers
Peer to Peer Shared Services in Atlanta Metro• QCC will help match needs/resources and foster shared strategies• Services to be determined but could include: fiscal management; bookkeeping and
accounting, child and family comprehensive services, food preparation, transportation, marketing, family enrollment and referral management, janitorial and maintenance services
Start-up Supported by the Annie E. Casey and Goizueta Foundations
Colorado
Early Learning Ventures (ELV) is a private operating foundation – established by the David and Laura Merage Foundation that focuses on operational
efficiencies in the early care and education industry.
ELV Alliance Benefits• Legal Structure and Documents• Business operations/Financial modeling
templates• Start-up technical assistance • ELVA Marketing Templates and Brand
Recognition• ELV IT Platform-Services/Supports• Centralized relationship with Child Care
Licensing• Policy & Finance Reform• Quality Rating Improvement System Supports
Tender Tots Preschool
The Newberry
After School Program
Mary’s Family Child Care
Home
Annie’s Nursery School
Green Hills Child Care
Center
Human Resources & Employee
BenefitsTuition and Subsidies Collection
Business Operations & Shared Staff
Quality Improvement & Professional Development
Procurement and Cost Savings
Marketing & Family
Recruitment
Tiny Blessings Child Care
Alliance
Maintain records on a web-based IT Platform for streamlining &
efficiencies
“My center is licensed for 300 part-time children, 130 per day, and I am on track to save $50,000 in my first year with ELVA.”
– Brian Scott Conly, Executive Director, ELVA @ Bal Swan Child Care Center
• “The ELVA technology has easily saved our five member staff an average of 25 to 30 hours a week in paperwork. We can spend much more quality time with the children, more face time with the babies, and more time to engage the parents and tell them how their kids are doing.”
– Ty Johnson, ELVA Affiliate, Program Director, Baby Haven
Weaving our gifts, we nurture teachers and directors so students can thrive.
Together we are better!
www.soundchildcare.org
Accreditation
Sound
SCCS Better
Together
Undoing Institutio
nal Racism
Joint Purchasi
ngDirector Training
& Support
ResourceDevelopm
ent
Technology R&D
Financial Managem
ent
Relief Squad & Teacher
Recruitment
Professional
Development &
Pedagogical
Leadership
HR and Benefits
Management
SCCS Center Responsibilities
• Directors remain in charge of day-to-day operations• Hire and fire center staff• Classroom planning and curriculum
implementation• Relationships with parents, including billing• Child assessment, classroom and teacher
evaluation• Daily staffing to ensure ratios• Enrollment
Early Learning Connections Meeting
Month 0th, 2011
Nashville, Tennessee
ECE Business Models and Structures:
The PA Shared Source Initiative(PASSI)
Building the Seacoast EarlyLearning AllianceOctober 4, 2011
Planting the Seeds for
New Hampshire’s Prosperity
Jackie Cowell, Co-ChairSeacoast Early Learning Alliancec/o Early Learning NHTwo Delta Drive, Concord, NH 03301
An Alliance in Northern Virginia?
• Is their an interest and need among enough Centers to take the next step.
• Knowing needs and wants helps you design a product of value to the customer
• Understanding the customer’s ideas, attitudes and beliefs
• Organizing an effort to build the right business model design
LISTENING: How?
HOW• Surveys• Focus Groups• Interviews• Provider Councils
We love to know your thoughts
and questions!