DEFINITIONS USED THROUGHOUT REPORT

This study addresses the following research questions:  How will removal of 4-year-olds from the child care system impact child care providers?  Will child care providers remain financially sustainable once public pre-k is made available for all 4-year-olds?  What is the current landscape (types of facilities, geographic locations, facility sizes, programs available, children on subsidy, etc.) of child care providers for children ages 04 in FWISD?  What will be the landscape (types of facilities, geographic locations, facility sizes, programs available, children on subsidy, etc.) of child care in FWISD once public schools offer pre-k to all 4-year-olds?  Will there be any specific areas of disadvantage or need created as a result of FWISD universal pre-k expansion?

Through their generosity and profound interest in early childhood education, several local foundations (The Morris Foundation, the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, the Community Foundation of North Texas and the Thomas M., Helen McKee & John P. Ryan Foundation) provided Camp Fire First Texas with the funds to commission a research project with the Center for Nonprofit Management to analyze and determine the anticipated impact of universal pre-k on private child care providers in the Fort Worth Independent School District.

Camp Fire First Texas is a 501(c)3 organization committed to improving the lives of children and youth and those who care about them, and improving those conditions in society that affect children, youth and their families. To that end, Camp Fire programs focus on developing children's physical, cognitive and social-emotional skills; teaching respect for the environment; and enhancing citizenship through service learning opportunities. Camp Fire offers all families life-enhancing experiences and the opportunity to serve, play and grow together. Camp Fire’s ‘Promise’ serves as the organization’s mission: Young people want to shape the world. Camp Fire provides young people the opportunity to find their spark, lift their voice, and discover who they are. In Camp Fire, it begins now. Light the fire within.

The Center for Nonprofit Management is a recognized leader in the capacity building field and has worked with nonprofits for more than 30 years to improve results through effective business practices by offering a wide range of training and certificate programs and consulting services. Each year, more than 1,000 nonprofits, of all sizes and causes, choose CNM to help them bring greater value to the community.

Definitions Used Throughout Report

Pre-kindergarten, pre-k and preschool are often synonymous terms and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Throughout this report the terms pre-kindergarten (pre-k), universal prekindergarten (UPK), and at-risk children are frequently used. To ensure consistent understanding, these terms are defined as follows:

Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K)2 Pre-Kindergarten (pre-k) programs are educational programs designed to make sure that preschoolers are ready for kindergarten and will be succeeding in school by third grade. Pre-k programs may be offered publicly or by private child care providers and schools. All pre-k programs have three characteristics in common:  They are governed by high program standards  They serve 4 year-olds and sometimes both 3 and 4-year-olds  They focus on “school readiness”

Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK)3 The term Universal Pre-Kindergarten or UPK refers to publicly-supported pre-k programs that are available to any child regardless of family income, children’s abilities or other factors. States with pre-k programs that are not universal have targeted audiences, either children from families with low incomes or children from families with various risk factors that could affect their learning. UPK is sometimes misused or misunderstood to mean any publicly provided prek, but any reference to UPK herein refers specifically to public pre-k programs (and students) without eligibility requirements.

At-Risk Children4 In addition to Universal Pre-k, FWISD currently provides pre-k to a targeted audience of at-risk children who reside within the FWISD boundaries. At-risk children must meet the following Texas Education Association (TEA) criteria to be eligible for the FWISD pre-k program:  Limited English proficiency or  Economically disadvantaged or  Homelessness or  Foster Care or  If the parent/guardian is in the military on active duty or was in active duty and is now injured or deceased.

Child Care Provider, Child Care Program

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)5 authorize four types of child care programs. While this research focuses on the latter three types, all four types of child care provisions are defined below:

Listed Child Care Homes – Care for one to three unrelated children provided by an adult in a private residence. Listed homes must be listed with the state and agree to make their

2 (NAEYC, 2009) 3 (NAEYC, 2009)

4 (Fort Worth Independent School District)