Shaping a Partnership | Assessing Need for Collab | Collab Practices & Process

Shaping a Partnership

QUILT Partnership Checklist: Shaping a Partnership

The QUILT project developed this checklist to assist early education programs in developing strong partnerships that provide high quality, full day, full year comprehensive services to young children.  Partners can use this tool to raise questions and prioritize critical issues to work together in building a partnership.

Part I Partnership Components

Part I identifies questions to consider when planning and developing a strong and sustainable partnership.  Since the issues are interrelated, partners may approach the list in any order that works best for them.  Use the checkboxes at the beginning of each question for prioritizing or grouping questions.  Plan to eventually consider all items.

  1. 1. Systems
    • Planning and Decision Making
    • Communication
    • Record Keeping and Documentation
    • Oversight and Continuous Program/Partnership Improvement
    • Staff Development
  2. 2. Staff
  3. 3. Services
  4. 4. Resources

Part II State/Tribal Early Education Systems

Part II raises questions about the early education systems in the partners’ state or tribe to help partners understand decision making processes and systems in early education, the policies that affect partnerships, and key people to contact for assistance.

  1. 1. Decision Making
  2. 2. Child Care and Development Fund
  3. 3. Prekindergarten
  4. 4. Head Start

QUILT 2001

QUILT Partnership Checklist: Shaping a Partnership, Part I

PARTNERSHIP COMPONENTS

Not Yet
Addressed

Under
Discussion

Finalized

Action Steps

1.a. SYSTEMS – PLANNING & DECISION MAKING

 

 

 

 

How will partners assess community & partners’ data, services, strengths & needs?

 

 

 

 

How will this information be used to tailor partnership design, services & decisions?

 

 

 

 

Who from each program will guide the partnership?

 

 

 

 

How will partners, staff & parents be part of the decision making?

 

 

 

 

What resources, such as technical assistance, an advisory committee, consultants & colleagues can the partnership use to assist them in planning & decision making?

 

 

 

 

How will decision making bodies, such as boards of directors, parent groups & Head Start Policy Councils be involved?

 

 

 

 

How will issues be resolved?

 

 

 

 

How will the partners develop the written partnership plan to document design & services?

 

 

 

 

How will the partnership record & track ongoing decisions?

 

 

 

 

1.b. SYSTEMS – COMMUNICATION

 

 

 

 

How will the partners communicate?  How often will meetings occur?  When?  Who will attend?

 

 

 

 

How will the leadership inform staff about the partnership’s development & goals?

 

 

 

 

What ongoing opportunities will the staff have to give input to the partnership?

 

 

 

 

How will the staff be oriented to partnership operations?

 

 

 

 

What procedures will ensure that the issues of the parents, staff & administrators are raised & addressed?

 

 

 

 

How will partners ensure two-way communication with parents?

 

 

 

 

Who will make final decisions?

 

 

 

 

Does the partnership have a conflict resolution strategy?

 

 

 

 

How will technology be used to enhance communication?

 

 

 

 

1.c. SYSTEMS – RECORD KEEPING AND DOCUMENTATION

 

 

 

 

What documentation and service review system will be used?

 

 

 

 

How will technology be used to enhance this system?

 

 

 

 

How will records be maintained to ensure integrated service delivery?

 

 

 

 

Who will have access to records?  What is the partnership’s confidentiality policy?

 

 

 

 

How will records be reviewed and feedback given?

 

 

 

 

1.d. SYSTEMS –OVERSIGHT & CONTINUOUS PROGRAM/PARTNERSHIP IMPROVEMENT

 

 

 

 

How will observation of practices and services occur?

 

 

 

 

Have the partners determined what information and data need to be tracked to ensure high quality?

 

 

 

 

Who will review written documentation, records & data and how often will it be done?

 

 

 

 

How will the analysis of information & observation occur & be communicated with others?  Who is responsible?

 

 

 

 

What written reporting systems will the partnership use & how often?

 

 

 

 

How will identified areas translate to measurable goals?

 

 

 

 

How will progress be assessed?

 

 

 

 

 

PARTNERSHIP COMPONENTS

Not Yet
Addressed

Under
Discussion

Finalized

Action Steps

1.e. SYSTEMS – STAFF DEVELOPMENT

 

 

 

 

How will staff development needs be determined?

 

 

 

 

Does the partnership have an overall plan for staff development goals as well as individual goals for each staff member?

 

 

 

 

What approaches, such as formal training, coaching, mentoring, supervision strategies, academic courses, or technical assistance best facilitate staff development goals?

 

 

 

 

What resources can the partnership draw on for staff development?

 

 

 

 

What process will partners use for allocating training resources?

 

 

 

 

What are each partner’s and their funders’ staffing policies and qualification requirements?

 

 

 

 

Who will the partnership track progress toward meeting these requirements?

 

 

 

 

How will the partners handle staff release time for development?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. STAFF

 

 

 

 

Do all partnership staff meet the qualification requirements specified by funders?

 

 

 

 

How will new staff be hired?  Who decides?

 

 

 

 

How will parents be involved in staff selection?

 

 

 

 

How will position descriptions reflect partnership responsibilities?

 

 

 

 

What orientation will staff receive about their new partnership responsibilities?

 

 

 

 

How will staff evaluations integrate new partnership responsibilities?

 

 

 

 

Are partners familiar with each other’s compensation packages?

 

 

 

 

Have staff compensation issues occurred as a result of the partnership?

If yes, what plan does the partnership have to address these issues?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. SERVICES

 

 

 

 

Has each partner shared its funder’s eligibility and service requirements?

 

 

 

 

How will partners learn more about each other’s service policies, philosophy & strengths?

 

 

 

 

What program will provide which service?  Why?  When, where & how?

 

 

 

 

How will the partnership determine child and family eligibility?

 

 

 

 

How will the partnership families be identified, recruited & selected?

 

 

 

 

What is the partnership’s intake process?

 

 

 

 

How will partners introduce the fee collection policies to partnership families?

 

 

 

 

Have the partners considered service options if parents are unable to pay fees?

 

 

 

 

How will staffing plans ensure comprehensive, integrated services for families?

 

 

 

 

How will parental involvement & parent education occur?

 

 

 

 

How will home visits to families occur?

 

 

 

 

 

PARTNERSHIP COMPONENTS

Not Yet
Addressed

Under
Discussion

Finalized

Action Steps

4. RESOURCES

 

 

 

 

What resources does each partner bring to the partnership?

 

 

 

 

What additional resources can partners access?

 

 

 

 

How will resources be blended/braided for partnership?

 

 

 

 

Which agency will have financial responsibility for what resources?

 

 

 

 

How will the partnership’s financial and resource decisions be made?

 

 

 

 

What financial reports will the partnership generate?  Who will receive them, when & how?

 

 

 

 

What is the fee payment policy and schedule for partnership families?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use this space to list additional issues that you and your partners need to track.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QUILT Partnership Checklist: Shaping a Partnership, Part II

PARTNERSHIP COMPONENTS

Not Yet
Addressed

Under
Discussion

Finalized

Action Steps

5.a. STATE/TRIBAL EARLY EDUCATION SYSTEMS – DECISION MAKING

 

 

 

 

  What role do each of the following groups plan in your state’s early education decision making – state legislature, state agency or department, boards, tribal council, county councils or groups, tribe?

 

 

 

 

  Are there local, tribal or county decision making councils or groups?

 

 

 

 

  Do the program partners have representation on this group?

 

 

 

 

  How do partners receive information and influence the decisions of the group?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.b. STATE/TRIBAL EARLY EDUCATION SYSTEMS – CHILD CARE & DEVELOPMENT FUND

 

 

 

 

  Which state or tribal agency administers the federal Child Care & Development Fund?

 

 

 

 

  Is there a local, county or tribal government child care office?  Where is it located?

 

 

 

 

  With whom do you need to meet from that office?

 

 

 

 

  What additional information does the partnership need about child care to ensure smooth operations?

 

 

 

 

  How will the partners obtain this information?

 

 

 

 

  How are the partners kept abreast of new issuances from the federal Child Care Bureau?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.c. STATE/TRIBAL EARLY EDUCATION SYSTEMS – PREKINDERGARTEN (PreK)

 

 

 

 

  Is there PreK funding available in your state or locality?

 

 

 

 

  Which state or tribal agency administers the PreK funding?

 

 

 

 

  Is there a local or county PreK office?  Where is it located?

 

 

 

 

  With whom do you need to meet from that office?

 

 

 

 

  What information does the partnership needs about PreK to ensure smooth operations?

 

 

 

 

  How will the partners obtain this information?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.d. STATE/TRIBAL EARLY EDUCATION SYSTEMS – HEAD START

 

 

 

 

  Has your state or tribe appropriated funds for Head Start programs (state Head Start funds)?

 

 

 

 

  Are there state level or tribal policies and resources that affect partnerships with Head Start programs?

 

 

 

 

  What are the state level or tribal policies and resources?  How do they affect the partnership?

 

 

 

 

  Do the partners know where they can get additional information about Head Start standards?

 

 

 

 

  How are the partners kept abreast of new issuances from the federal Head Start Bureau?

 

 

 

 

  What other Head Start information do partners need to ensure smooth operations?

 

 

 

 

  How will the partners obtain this information?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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