First Focus on Kids

Our community’s children must be prepared to enter school ready to learn and succeed, and be engaged in safe, productive after-school activities.

Early Education

Our early education initiative supports the vision that all children in Tucson and Southern Arizona are in safe and supportive environments that promote their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being. 

In 1999, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona (UWTSA) established First Focus on Kids (FFK), the regional partnership to improve the well-being and school-readiness of children in Pima County.  FFK today has grown to more than 70 members, and its focus is on improving child care quality, promoting early literacy, increasing access to health/nutrition services, supporting parent education, improving teacher education, and enhancing community awareness of the importance of quality early care and education. 

Beginning in 2006, the Diamond Family Foundation pledged $1 million to First Focus on Kids’ early education initiatives by establishing the Diamond Challenge Fund to encourage other foundations and donors to contribute to early education goals.  That means the Diamonds match every new dollar received by United Way for early education, up to $200,000 a year for five years. 

First Focus on Kids has expanded its early education efforts to include Health & Nutrition strategies.  These strategies include nutrition education, oral health promotion activities, CPR and First Aid training, and nurse consultation to child care centers.  These programs are helping children, youth, and their families become more aware of critical health issues that may affect children's ability to succeed in school.

United Way’s Early Childhood Partnership (ECP) is First Focus on Kids’ affiliate partnership supporting quality in early care and education in the Southern Pima County region.  The ECP works with childcare programs, preschools, and registered home providers in the region, benefiting caregivers and over 60 families with young children.

Documents available for download:

FTF Learning Communities Calendar June – December 2010

For more information about First Focus on Kids, please contact:
LaVonne Douville
Vice President, Community Development
ldouville@unitedwaytucson.org
520.903.9000 ext. 430

Are you a child care provider interested in providing scholarships for working families?
http://www.emergencyscholarships.org/

In 1999 United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona established First Focus on Kids (FFK), the regional partnership to improve the well-being and school-readiness of children in Pima County.  First Focus on Kids began as United Way’s flagship initiative with initial funding support from the Bank of America Foundation ($476,000).  Local service agencies with specialized expertise in parent development, early literacy, and quality childcare standards were recruited to join the partnership.  The State School Readiness Board and others recognize First Focus on Kids as the premier Regional Early Childhood Partnership in Arizona.

Because First Focus on Kids is based on the belief that the solutions to community problems exist within the community, it is committed to working in partnership and to bringing a diversity of perspectives to the table to raise the quality of child care in Tucson.  The First Focus on Kids Impact Council is responsible for planning, implementing strategies, and allocating resources to community partner agencies to create measurable impact and encourage collaborations. The Impact Council (totaling over fifty members) is comprised of a diverse range of community volunteers including: educators; business leaders; early childhood and literacy experts; youth and family development agencies; state and local government representatives; and parents.

The five-year action plan is as follows:

• High Quality Child Care: Increase the number of children receiving high quality early childhood education to 5,000 and engage 60 area child care centers in a comprehensive self-improvement process to meet and maintain NAEYC accreditation standards.

• Early Literacy: Distribute 30,000 books a year to parents and coach them to expand the early literacy skills of their children.

• Skilled Early Childhood Educators: Award 20 or more scholarships each year to early childhood professionals to increase their skill and ability to implement school readiness strategies in the classroom and make sure that at least 80% of them remain in FFK-supported child care centers.

• Parent Education: Increase early education success for children in 500 families by teaching parenting skills in interactive parent education, training, and group activities.

 Documents available for download:

United Way First Focus on Kids Annual Report 2007-2008

United Way First Focus on Kids Professional Development Continuum Spring 2009
Guide for early childhood professionals to support higher education coursework

FFK Impact Council roster

The Diamond Challenge Fund at United Way

Because they believe strongly that a child’s education begins at birth not the first day of school, the Diamond family has made a five-year, $1 million funding commitment to the work of United Way’s First Focus on Kids (FFK). Beginning in July 2006, a Diamond Challenge Fund for First Focus on Kids was created to encourage other foundations and donors to contribute to early education goals. Donald Diamond, his wife Joan and daughter Helaine know that the timing is right to expand and enhance the FFK school readiness goals.

The Diamond family did their homework and made their decision based on recent, compelling research. Scientific evidence shows that investing in the early development and health of our youngest children is a sound investment. We know that a child's brain structure is 90% developed by age three. The very foundation for a child's ability to grow healthy and learn is laid long before a child enters a classroom.  World renowned economists say that investing at the very earliest ages will have the most impact on creating a world class economy. If we act now, we can make a profound difference on this generation and those to come. By investing in the very earliest development of our children, they will be prepared for success later in life.

When looking for where to invest their early education funds, the Diamonds were directed to United Way’s First Focus on Kids. Because First Focus on Kids is the leading early childhood education initiative in the State of Arizona, the Diamonds are investing in First Focus on Kids. Together with United Way, the Diamonds have laid out ambitious goals for preparing children for school and life.

What will the investment support?
With this funding, First Focus on Kids will achieve the following results by July 2011:

• Children’s readiness for Kindergarten will increase based on local school district assessment scores by at least 10%.

• 5,000 children in targeted neighborhoods will receive the highest quality early childhood education and care each year.*

• 30,000 families a year will have age-appropriate books and read to their children on a regular basis.

• Early childhood development certificate and degree program graduation rates at Pima Community College will increase by 100% (from 38 in 2004-2005 to 76 in 2010-2011).

The Diamonds believe strongly that First Focus on Kids will achieve these goals with new funding and want other investors in our community to contribute to this early education effort. For every new investment of $5,000 or more for First Focus on Kids, the Diamond family will provide a 100% match.

Documents for download:

Early Learning Partnership: Diamond Challenge Fund Annual Progress Report 2007-2008

Quality First!

En Español!

Quality First is Arizona’s voluntary quality improvement and rating system for early care and education programs serving children birth through age 5.  The purpose of Quality First is to improve the quality of early care and education so young children can begin school safe, healthy and ready to succeed.

If accepted, a regulated center or home will be identified as an early care and education provider committed to delivering a quality program to Arizona’s youngest children.  Supports for participation include:

• Financial incentives for three years to help reach quality milestones

• Access to professional development and T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) Early Childhood® Project scholarships

• Access to child care health consultants, experts in child health issues

• Coaching, individualized to provider needs

• Observational assessments to obtain a baseline and measure quality improvements

• Ability to use participation as a marketing tool with families looking for quality programs for their children

United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona is providing coaching and financial incentives to Quality First participants in Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Mohave, La Paz, and Yuma counties.  United Way will deliver these services in partnership with Child & Family Resources, Easter Seals Blake Foundation, and Community Extension Programs. 

For more information about Quality First, please contact:

Jill Morgan
Quality First Director
jmorgan@unitedwaytucson.org
520.903.9000 ext. 432

Please visit our partner’s sites for further information:

<!--Documents available for download:<-->