Need To Convince Your Community College?
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Talking Points for Head Starts
First, get to know your community college by reviewing their mission, strategic plan, and college scorecard profile at collegescorecard.ed.gov. If your local community college isn’t immediately on-board or has some reservations about partnering with you on this project, here are some benefits you can share that may help them understand the value.
Remember: Colleges have complicated funding models and watch every dollar, so making the case about how this partnership would benefit not only students, but also their bottom line, is critical.
Benefits for the Community College:
New Potential Students
Students who previously did not enroll due to lack of child care would be able to enroll in the college now that they have accessible, free, high-quality child care. This could include not only parents, but older siblings or other families as Head Start takes a family-wide approach in its support.More Tuition Payments
Head Start programs can pay for their staff to take courses at the college. This benefits the college in terms of tuition payments and the program as staff receive valuable professional development.No Increased Workload for the College
Head Start would be moving their program to campus and they already know how to meet all of the operations requirements. The college would not be asked to take on the additional work of managing the program or adding staffing costs. Head Start is a stable funding source.On- and Off-Campus Federal Work Study Opportunities To Offer Students
Both the Head Start’s on-campus and off-campus centers could provide work opportunities for students if the college is looking for more positions.Opportunities for Academic Programs To Partner
Early childhood education programs would have an on-campus location for students to complete practicums. Facilities could be designed for both student observation and for professors to observe students teaching children.
Other programs on campus that could also benefit from a partnership include: medical assistant and nursing, dental technician, culinary arts, construction, and more.Good Public Relations
As a community college, their charge is to serve the community. Highlighting this partnership in the local media and in ongoing marketing materials will show the college’s commitment to meeting a critical need for their students and their community that is above and beyond their required activities.
Benefits for Students:
Persistence
Parents with support for them AND their children are more likely to persist and graduate.Peace of Mind
Parents will know their children are receiving the highest quality care and education and that their children are nearby. Proximity is not only helpful for family commutes and logistics, but also allows their children to witness their parents going to school and allows parents to visit between classes.Practical Experience
Opportunity for on-campus programs to do practicum or work part-time at a program (early education, special education, nursing, dental students, etc)Community Resources
Head Start programs are required to establish ongoing collaborative relationships and partnerships with community organizations, which also could benefit students and the college.
For more details on the benefits of these partnerships, take a look at this research from the Institute of Women’s Policy Research.
Data Points To Bring With You:
How many families set going back to school as a goal in their Family Partnership Agreement?
How many parents indicated that they have “some college” but no degree, and thus may be interested in going back to school to finish?
Talk to the college and work with them to look at Pell Grant data and identify how many of their students are eligible for Head Start.
Approximate space or square footage your program would need.
Ballpark idea of financial commitment from college with explanation for how that supports the 20% required funding match for Head Start.