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2018-2019 CSAC Funding Application PROGRAM COVER PAGE Organization Name: Redlands Christian Migrant Association Executive Director: Gayane Stepanian Address: 402 West Main Street Immokalee, FL 34142 Program Director: Nydia Guzman Address: 111 N. Maple Street E-mail: gayane.stepanian@rcma.org Telephone: 239-658-3560 Fax: 239-658-3471 E-mail: nydia@rcma.org Telephone: 772-571-9015 Fellsmere, FL 32948 Fax: 772-571-8801 Program Title: Expanding infant and toddler care and enhancing quality in Indian River County Priority Need Area Addressed: Early Childhood Development Brief Description of the Program: RCMA provides high-quality child care and cornprehensive services to low-income families in three child development centers in rural Indian River Counly - specifically, in the "pockets of poverty" of Indian River County. RCMA is requesting 575,500 to offset the high cost of providing services to infants and toddlers. The funding will cover 30%of six teachers' salaries and benefits and a mentor teacher who supports School Readiness -funded classrooms. RCIAA follows ilia Head Start model, which requires two teachers per classroom, a cook, and center support staff that includes an early childhood professional and a family support worker. Research shows that high-quality early care and education is promoted through: low child -teacher ratios, leachers with certifications and degrees, professional development opportunities for staff, a struclured curriculum, parental participation, good nutrition Oral language proficiency has been found to be the key indicator in predicting children's reading success in later years. A recent study shows that the vocabulary gap is evident in toddlers. By IS months, children in different socio-economic groups display dramatic differences in their vocabularies. By two years, the disparity in vocabulary development has grown significantly (Fernald, Mnrchnwn, & Weisleder 2013). Staffing classrooms with two teachers and having the support of an early childhood pro fessionaVmentor leacher is a best practice for high-quality early care and education. State of Florida School Readiness funding is not sufficient to cover these costs. Two leachers in a classroom ensures that each infant/toddler has ilia opportunity to engage in nwaningful language with nn adult, even during limes when one child in a class is uncooperative. Additionally, RCMA recognizes that parents are the child's first teacher, which means conferring with parents (or caregivers) during drop off and pick up. These daily conferences help expand the knowledge of both the leacher and the parent on each child's development. Furthermore, RCMA hosts parent meetings and eonuuunity groups to provide resources, infomnalion and experts to ensure fnmiliei needs are met and they have the knowledge to be successful. The nwntor teacher works with stall to ensure classrooms and playgrounds are providing meaningful learning opportunities. Additionally, the mentor teacher guides staff through lesson planning, the High Scope nariculunn including the Child Observation Records (COR), and any certification and professional development requirements. The mentor teacher's role is critical to ensure that the classroom's learning environment is aligned with increasing language opportunities, that teachers are meeting or exceeding quality compliance, and that RCMA is supporting their professional development. CSAC support will ensure that Ilse children and teachers in the pdckets of poverty are building vocabularies despite the fannilics' economic backgrounds.