Newsletter | September 2024 | Edition 21 |
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2023 Survey Results: Significant Growth in Early Childhood Coalition Partnerships in Doña Ana County
Results from the 2023 Depths of Relationships Survey
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Over the past decade, the Success Partnership has effectively guided the Doña Ana County Early Childhood Education (ECE) Coalition, a key part of its prenatal-to-career initiative. The Coalition's focus—ensuring children are born into healthy homes, ready for school, and supported by a strong ECE workforce—has driven its collaborative efforts to improve the quality and accessibility of early childhood education. This approach is rooted in collective impact, as previously detailed in our newsletter. Collective impact brings together a network of community members, organizations, and institutions to promote equity. By learning collaboratively, aligning efforts, and coordinating actions, we aim to create change at the population and systems levels.
Since 2017, the Center for Community Analysis, Ngage NM, and the ECE Coalition have collaborated to assess the Coalition's growth and evolving collaborations between ECE-related organizations through the Depths of Relationships (DOR) survey. (1) The latest results on our dashboard highlight significant growth in partnerships and collaborations. This data provides our partners with quantitative evidence of increased cooperation and engagement in key initiatives.
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Growth in ECE Related Partnerships
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The Depths of Relationships analysis found steady growth in ECE partnerships and collaborations since 2014. (2) In 2023, 65 local organizations participated in 353 partnerships, a 224% increase from the 109 partnerships in 2014. |
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The dashboard also highlights the types of collaborations partners have engaged in. The analysis examines the number and type of collaborations as reported by the organization. ECE collaborations increased by 440% between 2014 and 2023. For example, as of 2023, organizations reported 304 instances of sharing or being provided data and 431 instances of working together on a collaborative activity. In addition, the communication between organizations increased from 140 in 2014 to 797 instances in 2023. This ongoing increase in collaboration and communication is a positive sign for the future, reflecting the growing support and initiatives benefiting the ECE community. |
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Number and type of self-reported collaborations, 2014 to 2023 |
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Recent Accomplishments in the Action Networks |
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The ECE Coalition's three Action Networks have made significant progress toward its 5-year strategic plan goals. Below are highlights of the most recent accomplishments of the initiative, as well as upcoming projects. (3) |
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Children are Born into Healthy Homes
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The action network distributed over 100 infant and toddler bags to families in need and hosted car seat clinics that distributed and inspected car seats in Sunland Park, Hatch, and Chaparral. In partnership with PCA and Project Echo, the Coalition trained 25 Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors curriculum facilitators to strengthen the caregiver-child relationship. Additionally, the Coalition has started a Family Support Specialist (FSS) Initiative to leverage healthcare providers in assessing the public's need for ECE resources. |
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Children are Ready for School |
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The action network held a School Readiness Campaign, distributing 408 school-ready backpacks and back-to-school materials at various community events in Hatch and Chaparral. Additionally, Vamos Ninos: Play to Learn, a mobile museum dedicated to getting children ready to learn, has hosted multiple STEM outreach events and leveraged collaborations with other organizations to enhance its success. |
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The ECE Workforce is Supported |
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The action network has launched several initiatives to support new and current ECE workers. The first cohort of local ECE professionals attended the Education of Young Children Conference to learn about the best in-field practices. NMSU established an online ECE PhD program, with the ECECD covering 80% of tuition and background check fees through a scholarship fund for program participants. A group of Southern New Mexico ECE champions continue to advocate for fair wages and career advancement opportunities.
The City of Las Cruces is investing $300,000 in a two-year pilot project to provide mentorship, business support, and funding to Las Cruces-based registered family/home child care providers to achieve 3-star licensed status. In addition, two wellness hubs have been set up in rural areas to offer ECE workers a space to rest, eat, and recharge between client visits, with a third wellness hub currently being developed. |
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The Depths of Relationships survey showcases the dedication and collective impact of the ECE Coalition. Since the last survey, the growing number of collaborations and partnerships highlights the Coalition’s expanding reach and commitment to improving access to high-quality early childhood education. This data also offers organizations a valuable tool for quantifying collaborative growth by tracking shared resources, personnel, and data toward common goals.
Stay tuned for the upcoming Depths of Relationships survey for the Kinder through Career Coalition, the second focus area of the Success Partnership! To join the ECE Coalition, please contact Lead ECE Coalition Coordinator Alex Montelongo at https://www.successdac.org/ece/.
Upcoming events:
Health Care Institute Workshop for Parents on September 16th-18th
Worldwide Day of Play on September 28th
If you want to be a be a vendor at the Worldwide Day of Play, please sign up here.
Hatch Car Seat Clinic on October 19th
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