Ideal Solutions Lab
WeVision EarlyEd also serves as an “evergreen” Ideal Solutions Lab that builds and tests solutions generated by families, educators and administrators. Although this work is currently focused on Washington, D.C., the insights we gain can be applied across the country. Each of our solutions will be tested to ensure its quality, accessibility and sustainability before sharing the results with the community. The Bainum Family Foundation has committed an initial $6 million to begin to test two of these solutions.
Quality-centered workplaces
Early childhood education professionals do complex work that is emotionally, physically and intellectually demanding. Compared to K-12 educators, educators in the child care system are poorly paid, work longer days without seasonal breaks, and their schedules include less time for planning, professional development and personal care. These professionals must be supported to do their jobs well. Their competence and well-being are the most important ingredients for quality but often the least funded. Solutions to be tested may include:
- Flexible scheduling patterns
- Additional days of professional development and well-being breaks
- Larger teaching teams to allow educators to take breaks while still providing the staffing coverage and stability young children need
- Expanded staff roles to reduce the burden on administrators, who are wearing too many hats to be effective
- Expanded staff roles to support educator competence and effectiveness
- Weekly planning time both for individual educators and teaching teams
Early childhood education microsites
Small, isolated child care businesses are too frail — financially and operationally — to offer consistent quality and services. They also place a heavy cost and administrative burden on program owners/administrators and staff. Because of this, WeVision EarlyEd will explore new business models that increase the sustainability and quality of smaller programs. This will include leveraging the capacity and resources of large programs to support the growth and sustainability of smaller programs, while at the same time maintaining their independence and increasing their revenue. Models could include:
- Leveraging co-habited and low-rent real estate spaces like public schools, hospitals or apartment buildings
- Co-creating new franchise models