Sunday's Editorial: Early Learning Coalition continues to lead with child care standards

Florida is finally catching up to Jacksonville on quality child care standards.

The Early Learning Coalition of Duval started a pilot program of quality ratings way back in 2004. The first stars were awarded in 2007. Not until a bill was passed in the 2018 legislative session did the state start following Duval's lead.

The Guiding Stars program is a one-stop resource for quality child care. How important is that? Most of a person's brain development occurs by the age of 5.

The mission of Guiding Stars is that all children receive high quality care and learning. Sadly, that's still not the case.

Denise Marzullo, Early Learning's CEO took a successful program that was built by former CEO Susan Main with the foundational support of a strong board led by people like Toni Crawford and W.C. Gentry.

"The biggest thing I've noticed is the disparity among the centers," Marzullo said. "There are really high quality, high performing centers and some really struggle."

Preparing preschoolers for education is a big job. Doing nothing more than babysitting them will leave them starting school behind, struggling to catch up.

Today there are about 170 child care centers and homes in the Guiding Star system. While it once was voluntary, the state of Florida now requires centers to have a similar assessment. Parents can go to the Early Learning website and identify the rating of child care centers.

Unfortunately, there are too few centers in the Guiding Stars system in the high-poverty neighborhoods of Health Zone 1, Marzullo said. She once visited a child care center next to a tattoo parlor.

"It's really sad," she said.

What makes it doubly sad is that centers have all kinds of support from the Early Learning Coalition. Staff can help a center improve its services and its rating. Staff can help parents apply for financial subsidies to help them afford quality child care.

The website even gives parents a checklist for identifying a good or bad center. Do the children look happy and engaged? Do staff members deal with problems by redirecting children or yell at them?

Research shows that quality child care involves skilled staff, small class size, language-rich environment, age-appropriate curriculum with stimulating material and a safe environment.

Guiding Stars grades teacher education, teacher-child interaction, child screenings and curriculum.

One of the model child care centers in Health Zone 1 is St. Thomas Child Development Center on Moncrief Road. Marzullo said that their children are ready for school.

"It's a tough neighborhood but there is a lot going on there with a family engagement component that is really important," she said.

She is still amazed at how many children are not benefiting from early learning programs.

One program, Raising a Reader, involves staff in complexes like Eureka Garden, lending books, reading to children and working with parents.

"We were at Cleveland Arms when a drive-by shooting took place," Marzullo said. "It was amazing how everyone, including the little kids, knew exactly what to do."

With new state standards in place, Marzullo expects more child care providers to sign up to the Guiding Stars program.

Quality matters. The Early Learnign Coalition of Duval is leading the way.

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