Community Innovation Zone Highlight: Successful Strategies and Significant
Accomplishments in Year One
Feedback from the 2014-15 Community Innovation Zone grantees indicates that while there were
strategies and accomplishments achieved via grants funds, many were low or no cost and were
generated out of the cooperative nature of the grant. Successful strategies and significant
accomplishments included outreach to vulnerable families and children, and developing collaborative
partnerships and events.
Family Engagement
One goal of increasing family engagement was met by a grantee by hiring a bilingual Parent Outreach
Specialist to work with Spanish-speaking families. This led to building a very strong collaborative
foundation with two local agencies serving Spanish-speaking families. The Specialist also assisted in
translating at Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, parent & teacher conferences, and other
meetings. The position has been instrumental in changing the way the district interacts with Spanishspeaking families.
At a grant-funded Spanish language parenting session, Spanish-speaking families were eager for
information and strategies to better support their children, including three fathers who were interested
in learning different strategies regarding discipline and connecting with other families. The families also
requested additional help and information related to school and their children, community resources,
insurance, and differences between pre-k programs and child care.
Another grantee addressed family engagement needs through conducting a single parent needs
assessment to look for ways to support single parent households. As a result of the needs assessment, a
job search resource was created and distributed to families that have lost, or are in need of,
employment.
A collaborative learning workshop was held for families by another grantee, which provided an overview
of the Early Learning System (ELS) and how to approach parent-child activities with intentionality.
Working closely with a community-based organization to connect with other community organizations
and families, another grantee was able to increase family engagement by gathering feedback on gaps
for programming wanted by families. The collaboration allowed the gaps to be filled by additional
parent involvement trainings and opportunities.
Community Support
Community outreach and support was the goals when a grantee conducted door-to-door outreach with
agencies and volunteers to recruit for programs for Birth to Grade 3 opportunities. During two days,
nearly 50 staff and volunteers went door-to-door to interact with families. Thirteen-hundred residents
were reached and 200 young children were identified and received books, as well as a magnet listing
resources for pre-K, development supports, health and mental health resources.
Another grantee focused on the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences impacting
children and families, with their outreach leading to a community level task force. This committee
included representatives of all agencies and programs, working with families and children, and
becoming knowledgeable about trauma and implementing trauma-informed practices.
Hosting workshops and professional development events helped another grantee establish connections
between child care and school district staff. In three workshops, 24 early learning professionals from 11
child care facilities, and four teachers from two public schools made connections to enhance the early
learning and school partnership.
2014-15 Community Innovation Zone grantees
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Allegheny: Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children
Allegheny: Pittsburgh Public Schools
Chester: Chester County Intermediate Unit
Dauphin: The Foundation for Enhancing Communities
Greene: Community Action Southwest
Lebanon: Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13
Luzerne: Greater Nanticoke Area School District
Montgomery: Pottstown School District
Philadelphia: Drexel University
Philadelphia: Parent Power (What Will You Do With Yours?)
Venango: Child Development Centers, Inc.
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) anticipate that other communities and
collaborations can gain insight, replicate strategies, and be inspired by the work in the Community
Innovation Zones.
These initiatives are a part of Pennsylvania's Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge grant. For more
information on other initiatives funded by this grant, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education
website.