Alabama Kidstuff Programs

Kidstuff® Partnerships
At the state level, the APC represents a broad public-private partnership supported by state agencies, business, and advocates. The goal is to create a structure for early care and education that enables us to use our resources most efficiently to ensure that:

"Every Alabama Child Will Have the Opportunity to Succeed in Life"

In 2002, local communities received planning grants to form a Kidstuff Partnership in order to facilitate the collaboration necessary at the local level to begin the development of a comprehensive system of early care and education for children zero to five. The Kidstuff partnerships are as follows:

Cherokee County
Conecuh County
Covington County
DeKalb County
Escambia County
Geneva County
Hale County
Houston County
Jefferson County
Lauderdale County
Lee County
Madison County
Montgomery County
Shelby County
Talladega County

To view the 2004-2005 Children's Policy Council Needs Assessment click on the respective county above.

The purpose of the Kidstuff Partnerships is to empower local communities to:
• Bring all relevant partners together to focus on the needs of children zero to five
• Identify the specific needs of children zero to five and current community assets and resources
• Develop and implement a strategic plan consistent with APC priorities and the local Children’s Policy Council, based on priority needs
• Develop a public awareness plan to maintain the FOCUS – Focus On Children Under Six and become the voice for early care and
education issues
• Maintain the connection with the state Partnership and local Children’s Policy Council

For more information on the Kidstuff Partnerships email Michele Smith Piggott, Director of Public Awareness.

Kidstuff® Parenting Kit
The Kidstuff Parenting Kit is a comprehensive tool designed for parents of newborns in order to give them immediate access to important information to assist in their difficult and joyous job of being new parents. The Kit is distributed primarily through birthing hospitals throughout select counties in Alabama (based on funding availability).

The Kidstuff Parenting Kit is designed to:
• answer frequently asked questions of new parents
• provide information on children’s health, safety and childcare products
• provide easy access to toll-free telephone numbers and websites of state agencies and public programs
• provide parents information about the importance of quality childcare
• provide information for parents that will continue to be useful through all stages of development

The Kidstuff Parenting Kit includes:
• The Alabama Guide for Families - a comprehensive resource and referral guide
• Baby’s First Year Calendar
• A congratulatory card to parents with Kit partners recognized
• A message from the State Superintendent of Education emphasizing the importance of early literacy
• A child’s first book to highlight the importance of reading and talking to children from birth
• A video, Parenting Right From the Start (click to view video)
Alabama Partnership for Children videos require RealPlayer for Windows

Progress since 2002:
• Five pilot counties participated in parenting kit distribution (Cherokee, Houston, Jefferson, Madison and Marengo)
• The Alabama Medicaid Agency's Maternity Care Program distributed over 15, 000 Kits to its network of 14 Primary Care Contractors
statewide
• The Alabama Early Intervention Systems distributed over 2,000 Kits to its network of families and providers
• Over 50,000 parenting kits have been distributed since the beginning of the project in 2002

The Kidstuff Parenting Kit is one of the most important recommendations from the 2001 Governor’s Early Learning Commission Report.
According to the report, there is a lack of understanding that learning begins long before children enter school. Parents are their children’s
first and most important teachers, and Alabama must emphasize the critical importance of early learning and childcare experiences and
support parents in these early years. Therefore, Alabama seeks to develop a public awareness, education and follow-up program to support
parents in their roles by providing information concerning child growth and development and related resources available in their communities.
Effective distribution and follow-up with parents will be the most important component of the project.

For more information on the Kidstuff Parenting Kit email Aretha Bracy, Kidstuff Parenting Kit Director.

T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) Early Childhood® ALABAMA
In June 2002, Child Care Services Association in North Carolina licensed the Alabama Partnership for Children to implement T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® ALABAMA. With the support of Alabama Department of Human Resources, Alabama became the 20th state licensed and currently offers scholarships statewide to center teachers, directors, family home providers, and preschool paraprofessionals. T.E.A.C.H. is administered by the Alabama Partnership for Children with funding from the Alabama Department of Human Resources. A portion of the funding for this project is provided by a NCLB Title II and V State-Level Activities Grant through the Alabama State Department of Education.

What is T.E.A.C.H.?
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® ALABAMA is a scholarship program that was developed to increase the level of education and effectiveness of early learning professionals by making the educational process more affordable, increasing wages, and reducing staff turnover rates. Scholarships are currently offered for the CDA (Child Development Associate) Credential Assessment Fee and Associate Degrees in Child Development or Early Care and Education, and in some cases Early Childhood Education.

Why is T.E.A.C.H. needed in Alabama?
The most critical indicator of the quality of an early learning program is the educational level of the early learning program.

» Research indicates that both higher education and specialized training in early childhood education are critical indicators of quality in a child’s care experience. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® ALABAMA provides scholarships to center teachers, directors, family home providers, and preschool paraprofessionals to go back to school to earn more formal education.

» Alabama child care professionals receive very low wages. On average, child care teachers in Alabama earn $6.08 an hour, according to the 2002 Alabama Child Care Workforce Study. T.E.A.C.H. addresses the low wage issue by providing financial bonuses upon successful completion of each scholarship contract. The wages of T.E.A.C.H. associate degree recipients increased an average of 7.5% in 2004.

» The 2002 Alabama Child Care Workforce Study revealed that 62% of the child care teachers surveyed indicated that they had been in their current jobs less than 3 years, and 1/3 reported they were either “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to leave their current jobs in the coming year. T.E.A.C.H. addresses turnover issues by requiring participants to remain at their child care program at least one year following the completion of each scholarship contract. Turnover among T.E.A.C.H. associate degree recipients was 3.4% for 2004.

What are the goals of T.E.A.C.H.?
• To enhance the quality of early learning settings throughout Alabama
• To increase the education and effectiveness of early learning professionals
• To increase compensation
• To decrease the turnover rate in early learning settings
• To promote professionalism and ongoing professional developmen

Who benefits from T.E.A.C.H.?
Recipients:
• More training and education leading to higher professionalism, confidence, and self-esteem.
• Increased compensation and reward for increased education.
• Professional contacts and networks are developed.

Sponsoring Programs:
• Enhancement of the quality of their early learning programs.
• Increased compensation encourages providers to stay at their program.
• Increased support for higher education levels for their staff, with minimal investment
• Reduced staff turnover.

Children and Parents:
• Trusting, caring, consistent relationships are formed
• Their provider has early childhood knowledge and experience and knows about their important developmental milestones.
• Higher quality programs better prepare children for school success and lead to better outcomes

How much will T.E.A.C.H. pay?
Associate Degree Scholarship:
• 80% of tuition
• 80% of books
• $40 travel stipend
• Release time, when applicable (to learn more about release time click here)
• Educational bonus and incentives

CDA Assessment Fee Scholarship:
• 85% of Assessment Fee ($276)
• $200 bonus upon receipt of credential

T.E.A.C.H. scholarship applications are available online for your convenience. Click here to download.

Current T.E.A.C.H. recipients click here to download forms.

For more information on T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® ALABAMA or for additional information on deadlines and qualifications please contact the T.E.A.C.H. staff by calling toll-free 1-866-711-4025 or by emailing.

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