Senate Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2276 Institute of Excellence in Infant and Toddler Development
Requester:	Erin McColskey		Organization:		Palm Beach Community College
Project Title:	Institute of Excellence in Infant and Toddler Development		Date Submitted:		01/31/2000 2:18:58 PM
District Member:	Ron Klein		Service Area:		Regional
Counties Affected:	Broward, Martin, Palm Beach
Recipient:	Palm Beach Community College		Contact:		Erin McColskey
	4200 Congress Avenue		Contact Phone:		(561) 439-8153
	Lake Worth 33461-4796
Project Description:
The Institute of Excellence serves as a focus point in the community for the development of professional child care providers, related professionals, and parents regarding the development of children from birth to age three. Proposed initiatives for the Institute include enhanced training for family child care and center-based providers, rated license requirements, and other such umbrella services. The Institute has several missions, including outreach, demonstration and training. Palm Beach Community College has received one year of funding. While the funding has allowed the program to get off the ground, additional funds will be needed to expand and continue the services created.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
The latest brain research shows that a child's greatest window of opportunity for learning and developing the emotional and intellectual skills necessary for learning occur between birth and age three. This project, a prototype for institutes at all community colleges and universities, serves to disseminate this critical information and training to parents and professionals to maximize the learning potential of the children of Florida.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
The First Words Project: participating early care and education providers will show an increase in their knowledge for earlier detection of communication/developmental probelms in young children as measured by a test, pre and post training; tracking of referrals to the Part C program as a result of First Word evaluations - with parental consent; an increase in ability to enhance early communication skills in young children as measured by an observation schedule to be developed by Institute staff; acceptability will be measured by a questionnaire; all community colleges and central agencies in the state will be offered access to the results of the study and to the materials. Environmental Rating Scales: all providers participating in the most intense onsite technical assistance will score in the Good to Excellent range on all items of the Environmental Rating Scale; providers participating in community-based training will improve their scores by at least one point on each item of the Scale. Rated Licensing System: a rated licensing system will be developed; at least 10 centers will volunteer to take part in a rated licensing visit; a report will be distributed to all interested parties.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$300,000
Total cost of the project:		$550,000

Request has been made to fund:			Operations
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?						Yes
				In-Kind Amount:		$250,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?						Yes
	Fiscal Year:	1999-2000		Amount:		$250,000
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?						Yes
	Amount:	$300,000
	Purpose for future year funding:				Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?					Unknown
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?						No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?						No
Is there a documented need for this project?						Yes
	Documentation:	First Words Project by the Dept. of Communication Disorders at FSU
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?						Yes
	Hearing Body:	Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation
	Meeting Date:	02/01/2000