>> PRESIDENT & CEO DENISE MARZULLO

The Early Learning Coalition of Duval is committed to providing high quality child

care to Jacksonville’s children and families. Recognizing parents as the child’s primary

educator, we work hard to ensure our families have the resources they need to help each

and every child reach his or her full potential.

My journey with the ELC has just begun and I am pleased to be part of such an amazing network

of parents and partners who share our mission and vision. I know that “together” we will continue

to offer high-quality early education to our youngest citizens, preparing them for success in school and life.

I am very pleased, as well, to present the 2016-2017 Annual Report and to share with you the many different

programs and services we offer. From quality care and childhood screenings to strengthening family engagement

practices and offering provider trainings, we are giving children and families a strong start.

Over the past few years, I have watched the Early Learning Coalition of Duval raise the

bar for our children and families. Our community has truly come together with dedication,

devotion and a shared sense of purpose. While we still have more work to do and more obstacles to

overcome, I am so proud of what we have accomplished together. We have created positive change by

ensuring more and more of Jacksonville’s children receive the high quality child care they need and deserve.

Quality early education is not only important to our economic growth and workforce, but children who would

otherwise enter kindergarten developmentally behind their peers now enter kindergarten ready to learn. I

could list many more reasons to invest in high quality child care, but instead I encourage you to read this

Annual Report. The ultimate success of the ELC of Duval depends on your response and support.

>> BOARD CHAIR JENNIFER CHAPMAN

MISSION: To lead and support the early learning community in building the best foundation for children, ages 0-5.

VISION: We are Jacksonville’s first stop for early learning through collaborative leadership that ensures all children

receive high-quality care and learning, all families have the support they need for their children to succeed and all

children are ready for their academic and lifelong success.

>> MISSION & VISION

7%

1%

Provider Services

Administration

Quality Initiatives

Family Services

>> FUNDING PARTNERS

Jennifer Chapman, Chair Fidelity Investments

Michelle Braun United Way of Northeast Florida

Evelyn Livingston Ft. Caroline Baptist Academy

Curtis Hart, Vice Chair Hart Resources, LLC

Thomas Connolly, M.D. The Carithers Pediatrics Group

Sandy Ramsey Acosta, Inc.

Marcus Rowe, Finance Chair Bank of America / Merrill Lynch

Toni Crawford Immediate Past Chair

Pauline J. Rolle, M.D. Department of Health - Duval

Theresa Little, Secretary Christ the King Child Care

Bruce Ferguson CareerSource Florida

Vance Stallings Little Britches Child Care

Sunny Gettinger, Member At-Large Google

Dana Ferrell-Birchfield Nemours

Patricia Willis Duval County Public Schools

Cynthia Bioteau, Member At-Large FSCJ, Downtown

Jackie Green FL Department of Children & Families

Ken Wilson Gate Petroleum

Amanda Baggett Baggett Law

Jon Heymann Jacksonville Children’s Commission

LaTanya Wynn-Hall Lutheran Services Florida - Head Start

>> BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Child Care

Quality Initiatives

Family Services

Administration

Provider Services

Provider Services TOTAL

$50,331,729

$3,927,917

$1,925,672

$1,598,975

$820,895

$58,605,188

2016-2017 FISCAL YEAR

QUALITY ~ INTEGRITY ~ RESPECT ~ EDUCATION ~ SERVICE ~ TEAMWORK

ANNUAL REPORT

2016 - 2017

>> earlylearningjax.org

EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF DUVAL

>> FINANCIAL DISTRIBUTION

We are proud partners with the Early Learning Directors Network (DELDN) which empowers directors

of early learning centers through connecting, advocating, and educating. Members speak before panels and

legislative committees and advocate for children, families, and the child care community.

>> DUVAL EARLY LEARNING DIRECTORS NETWORK

Child Care

86%

3%

3%

Guiding Stars of Duval is the Early Learning Coalition of Duval’s quality rating improvement system (QRIS).

It is a systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care

and education programs. Similar to rating systems for restaurants and hotels, Guiding Stars awards quality

ratings to child care centers and family child care homes (FCCH) that meet a set of defined program standards.

Focus areas include: teacher-child interaction, staff qualifications, assessments and professional development.

Family Engagement has a positive impact on a child’s academic future. As a result, ELC of Duval works with

providers and community partners to ensure children benefit from a wide variety of programs and resources,

including: United Way’s Born Learning parenting classes, provider trainings, and individualized child care

program support to strengthen family engagement efforts.

Professional Development delivers quality trainings to early child care educators. Our International

Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) accreditation shows our commitment to best

practices in adult learning, and we are proud to be one of only four coalitions in Florida to successfully master

this rigorous accreditation process.

The “Grow Up Great Children’s Closet,” located at the Gateway to Heaven

Christian Church, is open the first Friday of the month to all families, first come, first

served. Thanks to sponsors, PNC Bank, Gateway to Heaven and Clothes 4 Souls,

the closet has free and gently used clothing for children, ages 0-5.

>> FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

>> CHILDREN’S CLOTHING CLOSET

>> PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

127 Trainings to 2,075 Providers = 425 Training Hours

Inclusion Warm Line: 344 Referrals, 1,160 Contacts, 50 Referrals to Outside Agencies

Jacksonville Journey is a comprehensive community-wide anti-crime initiative designed to support programs that

make our neighborhoods safer through education, literacy, stability, intervention and positive youth development. In

2016-2017, the ELC of Duval received two Jacksonville Journey grants.

>> JACKSONVILLE JOURNEY

The Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program provides free pre-k to 4-year-olds

living in Florida. This high quality program equips children with the skills they need to enter

kindergarten ready to learn.

Private Schools

Licensed

Centers Public Schools

Licensed Exempt

Family Child Care Homes

400+ child care providers offered VPK

services to nearly 10,000 children

The School Readiness (SR) program

enables income-eligible families to work

or attend school while ensuring their

children are in safe, high-quality

child care programs.

Total Children Served = 11,533

Total Served = 258 Families, 563 Children

>> SCHOOL READINESS >> DEVELOPMENTAL HEALTH & INCLUSION All children, ages 0-5, who participate in the School Readiness (SR) program and get financial assistance, receive

a developmental screening. ELC partners with the United Way of NE Florida and Florida’s “Help Me Grow” (HMG)

program to link families with resources to address concerns about the health and development of their children.

In partnership with Lutheran Services Florida/Early Head Start (EHS), the ELC also offers comprehensive

services to support our most vulnerable children. In return, child care providers offer flexible, convenient full-day

and full-year services to working families.

The Navy’s Exceptional Family Member (EFM) program serves active military families who have a child

with special needs. This program provides families with 40-hours a month respite care at no charge.

Jacksonville is one of only 5 homestead areas selected due to a large Navy population, a Navy

Hospital, and remarkable resources and facilities for families. Each family selects their providers

based on referrals from the ELC of Duval, who locates, trains and refers providers to the EFM

program.

>> VOLUNTARY PRE-K

Northside Office

Southside Office

Westside Office

TOTAL OFFICE VISITS

TOTAL OUTREACH

>> GUIDING STARS OF DUVAL

>> EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER CHILD CARE RESOURCE & REFERRAL (CCR&R) is the front door for early learning services at the ELC

of Duval. CCR&R helps families enroll their children in Florida’s free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program,

apply for child care financial assistance (school readiness), or apply for the United Way’s Success by 6

scholarship program. CCR&R also connects families with community resources and information.

The chart below reflects the number of families that visited our offices in 2016-2017 and total outreach efforts,

including phone calls, emails and events.

>> CHILD CARE RESOURCE & REFERRAL

Child Care Centers: 505

Family Child Care Homes: 150

Private Centers and Schools: 10

Guiding Star Centers Guiding Star Family Child Care Homes

Child Care Enhancement Services

Social/Emotional Screenings & Behavioral Health Services

• Scholarships to 125 SR children to attend a

Guiding Stars Center with a 4 or 5 star rating

• Literacy education and resources to families

• Weekly “get togethers” for mothers and caregivers

in Cleveland Arms and Washington Heights

• Support to 300-400 SR and Non-SR children

(ages 1 month to 5 years)

• Screenings, education and resources to families

• Speech therapy, mental health therapy

and referrals