Why Is This Important?
The work of the Florida Head Start State Collaboration Office depends upon both national and state priorities. The Florida Head Start Collaboration Office engages in a number of projects and activities designed to enhance early learning systems and services for children, families, and communities.
- Serves on various planning committees: Early Childhood Education Framework, Healthy Families Florida, Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Advisory Council,
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Committee, Home Visiting Coalition, Oral Health Florida, Expanding Opportunities for Inclusion of Children with Disabilities Workgroup, and Florida Transition Project. - Facilitates a Migrant Oral Health Subcommittee of Oral Health Florida to address the unique needs of Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs.
- Partners in the development of a research agenda within Head Start programs that has resulted in the nationally recognized report, "Florida Head Start: A Portrait of Our Head Start Children's Outcomes."
- Collaborated with the University of Florida College of Dentistry and Oral Health Florida and the American Dental Education Association to convene the first Oral Health Advocacy Day.
- Sponsored, with the State of Florida Office of Adoption and Child Protection, an informative session for policymakers on the Strengthening Families Initiative to support positive outcomes for families.
- Presented to Florida’s Children and Youth Cabinet, in partnership with Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Project staff, a proposal promoting the creation of a State Advisory Council on Early Education and Care.
- Coordinated with professional development partners, a draft statewide comprehensive cross-sector professional development plan with the intent to ensure an increase of quality community based options for children with disabilities in Florida.
- Represented Head Start on the State of Florida Early Childhood Standards revision steering committee and the steering committee for the Florida Professional Development Initiative.