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Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee Counties Inc . RFP - Indian River County Board of County Commissioners B. PROGRAM NEED STATEMENT (Entire Section B not to exceed one page) 1. a) What is the unacceptable condition requiring change? b) Who has the need ? c) Where do they live? d) Provide local, state, or national trend data, with reference source, that corroborates that this is an area of need. The extremely high incidence of children who live in poverty and are at risk of school failure due to lack of needed resources is the condition to be addressed. Too many families in Indian River County are unable to afford the cost of quality child care for their children. Families must be able to access child care in order to work and be self-sufficient. Too many children, often those from low-income families, are not ready to be successful when they enter Kindergarten. For this group of children, especially, studies show that a quality child care experience with trained professional teachers, low teacher-student ratios, and use of a developmentally appropriate curriculum, can greatly increase each child' s chances for success in school. Children from many low-income families in Indian River County depend on school readiness programs to assist their parents in paying for child care. "Working Poor" families can earn no more than 150% of the Federal Poverty Level in order to qualify for assistance through this program . There are currently 478 unduplicated children enrolled in this category. Children in our Child Care Services Program reside throughout Indian River County. Data is derived from census and community needs. Data sources include : www.answers.com — demographics http ://csc. fmhi.usf.edu/flkc.htm - child demographics http://factfinder.census . gov/ - demographics www.myflorida.com — health, employment, education hiip://guickfacts. census. eov/qfd/states/ 12/html - census information www.sustainabletc.oriz/documents/CSTC FINALREPORT 11 -02-05Interim.pdf 2. a) Identify similar programs that are currently serving the needs of your targeted population; b) Explain how these existing programs are under-serving the targeted population of your program. Similar programs include Head Start, Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA) Child Care, and Child Care Resources (CCR) . Each of these programs serves as many children from low-income families as they can with available funding. With 8% of the population living below the poverty level, there is a tremendous need for dollars to provide the resources necessary for the children in these situations to be afforded the same educational opportunities as their peers in settings with higher standards of living. Providing subsidized child care to families between 0 — 200 % of the federal poverty level will reduce the number of children not currently receiving educational opportunities and help to increase the number of working families who will rise above the 200% FPL. It is the intent of the Legislature that school readiness programs not exist as isolated programs, but build upon existing services and work in cooperation with other programs for young children, and that school readiness programs be coordinated and funding integrated to achieve full effectiveness for all children. School readiness programs depend on federal and state funding, grants from foundations, and business and individual contributions. Each program continues to have a waiting list — there is insufficient funding to provide child care for all the eligible families and children The Coalition is able to fill gaps in the services provided by similar programs by arranging wrap-around care (before and after school, on holidays or school breaks), or night or weekend care when available. 5