In January, 2006, the Jackson County Intermediate School District was awarded a Great Start Collaborative planning grant by the ECIC. Since that time, the 30 member collaborative has been working on:
+ Completing a data assessment and gathering information from the
community about gaps and needs for services in early childhood.
+ Coordinating existing early childhood programs and groups.
+ Engaging stakeholders in the planning, implementation, and
coordination of services for families.
+ Promoting community awareness and support campaigns for early
childhood issues.
+ Advocating for early childhood programs, policies, and services.
+ Engaging parent involvement though the Parent Coalition, which
provides parents a chance to have a voice in a truly "grassroots" effort to advocate for the children of Jackson County.
+ Launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for all children birth to five
in Jackson County to promote early literacy.
+ Launched child care scholarship pilot program to assist working
parents attending a local college or university with their child care expenses.
+ In partnership with the Jackson Intermediate School District, developed
and launched an annual County-wide school readiness assessment initiative that allows us to assess the foundational literacy skills of incoming kindergarteners.
+ Implementing a comprehensive strategic plan for early childhood in
Jackson County
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