IMPROVING CHILDCARE OUTCOMES RESEARCH

Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc., Anchorage AK

Investigators

Abstract

Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. (CITC), a tribal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Lead Agency designated in accordance with 45 CFR 98.10 and 98.16(a), is conducting a research implementation project, Improving Childcare Outcomes Research (ICOR) in collaboration with the Center for Alaska Education Policy Research (CAEPR) at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). ICOR builds on work that was accomplished during Phase I, Cohort 2 research implementation planning. It brings together Lead Agency staff, an external research partner, and local stakeholders to assess the efficacy of a strategy for implementing policies called for by the CCDBG Act of 2014 with particular relevance to tribes and others serving Alaska Native/American Indian families. The CCBDG Act of 2014 creates a pressing need to gather, analyze, and share information for effectively implementing policies in four critical areas: the health and safety of children in child care; informed consumer choices and access to information to support child development; equal access to stable, high quality child care for low-income children; and the quality of child care and the early childhood workforce. ICOR addresses the fourth area, focusing on identifying implementation strategies to enhance the quality of child care, and of the workforce that delivers this care, available to Alaska Native and American Indian families in Anchorage, Alaska. ICOR is testing a strategy for investing the increased quality spending set asides for the care of infant and toddlers in professional development to improve culturally responsivepractice in early care and learning settings. We will develop professional development interventions based on results of a preliminary analysis of local caregiver and provider understanding of needs and desired outcomes regarding culturally responsive practice. The efficacy of these interventions will be tested on two cohorts of educators working at a facility providing Early Head Start services to low income Alaska Native/American Indian families in Anchorage. A set of standards, indicators, and evidences for culturally responsive practice in an early learning environment aligned with current State of Alaska Cultural Standards for K-12 educators will be developed and used to assess intervention efficacy. A formative evaluation will guide refinement of interventions prior to training the second teacher cohort. Results of this research will have broad policy applicability across Alaska, and in other regions of the United States with significant Native American populations. The final results and intermediary products of the research (analysis of survey results, an assessment tool, and a professional development toolkit for early childhood educators),will be disseminated locally, regionally and nationally.