Jacksonville, FL

Overview

The City of Jacksonville has relentlessly advocated for early childhood education through decades of promoting alignment across city and community stakeholders, creating programs designed to enhance early literacy outcomes, and deepen support for the professional and economic well-being of the early childhood workforce. 

The City of Jacksonville’s commitment to early childhood education centers around three key themes: 

• Building Alliances: Through building strategic relationships and working collaboratively with local elected officials, partners across city departments, and among community stakeholders, Jacksonville has broken down silos to improve quality
• Early Literacy: A core component for the creation of the Jacksonville Children’s Committee, early literacy continues to be a priority to engage with families and children early to build the pipeline for academic success.
• Supporting the Early Childhood Workforce: From the Jacksonville Children’s Commission to the development of Kids Hope Alliance, the City of Jacksonville continues to invest in human infrastructure through business supports and relationship-building for the early childhood workforce.

Building Alliances

One of the City of Jacksonville’s most important approaches to developing early childhood programs is its commitment to collaborative, partner-driven discussions. Building alliances has been at the forefront of everything they do. Through the Kids Hope Alliance (KHA), the City of Jacksonville has institutionalized partnerships across sectors, creating a comprehensive support system for young children, families, and the early childhood workforce. This collaborative approach brings together city officials, community organizations, and the early childhood workforce itself to find innovative ways to develop the early childhood landscape.

The city’s approach to building alliances emphasizes both depth and breadth, connecting with partners ranging from the Business Leadership Institute for Early Learning to local healthcare providers and small businesses. Key partners from the community include the Early Learning Coalition of Duval County, Lutheran Social Services, Episcopal Children’s Services, and among city departments such as the Jacksonville Public Library, Parks and Recreation, and Jacksonville Small and Emerging Businesses. Whether KHA is partnering with the parks department to host summer camps at community centers or working with the Public Library to create spaces for literacy events, these partnerships extend beyond administrative relationships, actively engaging other city departments and community partners to work toward children and families thriving.

The City of Jacksonville’s philosophy of partnership centers on trust-building and mutual benefit. Their approach focuses on identifying ways to work together to improve conditions for everyone, cutting through any negative or political divides. This mindset has enabled them to create lasting partnerships that prioritize lifting up participants rather than pulling them down. The city recognizes that building strong alliances requires sharing valuable resources to demonstrate commitment to partnerships, while understanding it’s not always easy to get everyone to the table and on the same page. However, their experience shows that when partners trust each other to do the work, meaningful collaboration becomes possible.

Here’s What They Did:

• KHA’s partnership with Jacksonville Small and Emerging Businesses (JSEB) demonstrates how innovative collaborations can strengthen the early childhood sector. Through this partnership, early childhood providers will be part of a small business cohort program that offers access to financial management workshops, marketing assistance, and proposal writing support. What makes this partnership particularly effective is its personalized approach. Participants receive one-on-one support throughout the certification process, ensuring they can navigate any challenges that arise. Upon graduation, early childhood providers will become a JSEB certified small business, opening doors to a network of vital resources and opportunities available to small businesses in the City of Jacksonville. The partnership extends beyond JSEB and includes access to the Jacksonville Chamber as well as opportunities for grants and funding available for certified small businesses. This recognition of child care as a small business breaks down silos and builds up sustainable opportunities for the early childhood sector.
• The City of Jacksonville demonstrates successful partnership building through its community events [KS1] that bring together city departments and community organizations to support children and families. The city regularly collaborates with partners to host events that provide families with free services, supplies, and information. Their “Back to School” event is just one example of these efforts, where multiple organizations come together to ensure families have access to essential tools and resources for a successful school year. These events showcase how partnerships can create tangible benefits for the community while maximizing resources and impact through coordinated efforts.

Your Next Steps for Getting Started

• Identify partners inside and outside of local government.
• Identify shared goals and resources among potential partners. Take time to understand each partner’s priorities and capabilities, then find areas of alignment that can benefit all parties.
• Establish regular communication channels with partner organizations. Create structured opportunities for partners to discuss common challenges and solutions. Establish regular spaces where partners can openly share difficulties they face and work together to find creative solutions.
• Recognize the advantages of each partner in the relationship and maximize those. Understand that each partner brings unique resources, perspectives, and capabilities that can enhance the overall impact of your initiatives.
• Design collaborative initiatives that leverage each partner’s strengths. Map out what each partner brings to the table and create programs that maximize these unique contributions.

Helpful Tips for Ongoing Success

• Stay grounded in your joint vision to support children and families. Regularly revisit and reaffirm your shared goals to ensure all partners remain aligned and motivated.
• Take partners on program trips to visit both local initiatives and programs in other cities. These shared learning experiences not only build knowledge of what’s working in your own community and elsewhere but also foster trust and strengthen relationships among partners through the shared experience.
• Maintain consistent communication with all partners. Regular updates and check-ins help prevent misunderstandings and ensure everyone stays informed about progress and challenges.
• Build trust through consistent follow-through and transparent communication. Trust is earned through reliability and openness – when you say you’ll do something, do it, and when challenges arise, address them honestly.
• Focus on quality improvement through partnership efforts. Work together to establish quality standards and create systems for monitoring and improving program effectiveness over time.

“It takes a village to raise a child, and the village is really coming together” – Chardae Chaney

Early Literacy

The City of Jacksonville’s commitment to early literacy represents one of the city’s most enduring and impactful priorities, spanning multiple mayoral administrations and evolving into a comprehensive community-wide effort. Since 2004, when then-Mayor John Peyton first identified literacy as a key focus, the City of Jacksonville has developed innovative approaches to engaging families, supporting the early childhood workforce, and creating a culture that celebrates reading and early learning. What began as a strategy to stabilize families and prevent crime has grown into a multifaceted initiative that brings together government agencies, community organizations, media partners, and families.

The city’s approach to early literacy is characterized by its inclusivity and emphasis on family and community engagement. Rather than viewing literacy narrowly as a school readiness issue, the City of Jacksonville has positioned it as a family strengthening tool and community builder. Through the Kids Hope Alliance (KHA), the city implements programs that reach families where they are, with a focus on making reading fun, accessible, and central to family life. This strengths-based approach, which the city describes as focusing on “at-hope” rather than “at-risk” children, has created positive momentum and broad community buy-in.

The City of Jacksonville’s early literacy work is distinctive in its strategic use of mayoral leadership to elevate the importance of reading. Each administration has built upon previous efforts while adding their own emphasis. Mayor Peyton launched the Book Club and focused on getting books into homes, Mayor Curry initiated ReadJax to ensure grade-level reading, and Mayor Deegan continues this legacy with River City Readers and a focus on tracking reading minutes. This consistency of purpose across political transitions demonstrates how early literacy has transcended politics to become a shared community value in working to make reading fun and cool for kids.

Here’s What They Did:

• The City of Jacksonville’s Book Club initiative, started under Mayor Peyton, demonstrates the city’s early commitment to getting books into children’s homes. Understanding that many families had no books at home, the city began mailing books directly to families with four-year-olds throughout the City of Jacksonville. The initiative reached 10,000 members annually and was enhanced through a partnership with local television stations that featured Mayor Peyton reading books and other content related to the books being distributed, creating a multimedia experience for children and families. As the program evolved, the city adapted its distribution approach due to rising postage costs, incorporating book giveaways at community events and an annual literacy festival that brought families together to celebrate reading.
• Under Mayor Deegan, the City of Jacksonville has created a coordinated citywide literacy campaign that leverages multiple platforms and partnerships. The Mayor’s Office and KHA have organized community events and children’s author appearances throughout the city, while implementing a reading challenge through the Beanstack app that encourages children to read for 20 minutes daily. This digital tracking approach has proven highly successful, with participation exceeding goals and spurring the launch of a major summer reading kickoff in 2024. The campaign introduces competitive elements with prizes for schools and children who log the most reading minutes. A key innovation has been the strategic partnership with local media outlets, creating a unified voice across the city. Regular television appearances by city representatives provide updates on literacy initiatives, ensuring consistent messaging and broad awareness. This coordinated media campaign has been instrumental in ensuring that every family in the City of Jacksonville has an opportunity to get connected to literacy resources and supports.

Your Next Steps for Getting Started

• Map key partners across sectors including city departments, media outlets, and community organizations. The strength of early literacy initiatives comes from widespread collaboration.
• Create a consistent brand and messaging strategy for your early literacy initiative. Clear branding helps build recognition and deepen community buy-in and commitment. Develop a compelling logo, tagline, and core messages that communicate the importance of early literacy.
• Establish multiple book distribution channels to reach diverse families. Consider direct mail programs, community event distributions, and strategic placement in locations where families gather. Remember that getting books into homes that previously had none provides significant impact for relatively low cost.
• Develop digital tracking tools or adopt existing platforms like Beanstack to engage families and create friendly competition. Digital engagement can significantly extend your reach and provide valuable data on participation. Include incentives and recognition to motivate ongoing participation.
• Build relationships with local media partners who can amplify your literacy message. Journalists inherently understand the importance of literacy and can become valuable allies. Create a regular cadence of media appearances and updates to maintain visibility.

Helpful Tips for Ongoing Success

• Clearly educate people about available resources and create direct connections to support services. Literacy initiatives provide an entry point to connect families with other valuable programs. Train staff to make warm handoffs to related services when meeting families at literacy events.
• Use the mayor’s “bully pulpit” to consistently elevate the importance of early literacy. Regular public messaging from city leadership signals that literacy is a true priority. Ensure the community regularly hears about literacy initiatives through mayoral communications and appearances.
• Make literacy fun and celebratory through events, competitions, and public recognition ensuring reading is seen as enjoyable rather than obligatory leads to increase in participation. Consider annual festivals, author visits, and public celebrations of reading achievements.
• Build sustainability by securing diverse funding sources and documenting outcomes through multiple administrations by demonstrating impact. Regularly collect and share data showing how early literacy efforts can make a difference for children and families.
• Engage the business community by connecting literacy to workforce development and economic prosperity. Framing early literacy as an economic development strategy can broaden support. Invite business leaders to participate in early literacy events and contribute resources.
• Recognize that transportation barriers may limit participation, especially in geographically large cities like the City of Jacksonville. Consider using bookmobiles, neighborhood-based events, and technology solutions to reach families who cannot easily travel to central locations.

“Bring in as many partners as you can that will echo your message and then make it fun. Do everything you can to make it fun. Because for kids, that’s what it’s about.”  Mayor Donna Deegan

Supporting the Early Childhood Workforce

The City of Jacksonville’s approach to supporting the early childhood workforce has evolved through decades of strategic development, partnership building, and quality improvement initiatives. What began as a recognition of the critical role the early childhood workforce plays in children’s development has grown into a comprehensive system of supports, standards, and professional development opportunities. The city’s journey reflects a deep understanding that investing in this critical workforce directly impacts educational outcomes for children and the overall health of the community.

The history of the City of Jacksonville’s workforce quality initiatives can be traced back to the city’s early focus on quality standards. Leaders recognized that they needed a common definition for quality in early childhood settings, which led to citywide conversations about how to develop an effective Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). The Gold Stars program emerged from these discussions, taking advantage of Kids Hope Alliance‘s unique position as both a city agency with access to funding and a pass-through entity for state subsidized funding. Over time, this initial program morphed into the more comprehensive Guiding Stars quality rating system that continues today.

Throughout this evolution, the City of Jacksonville has maintained a balanced focus on both improving educational practices and strengthening the business capacity of early childhood providers. The city recognized that significant investment in certification, education, and economic mobility was needed to create sustainable careers in the field. This dual focus has shaped the City of Jacksonville’s approach to workforce development, creating pathways for professional growth while also addressing the practical business challenges that providers face.

The City of Jacksonville’s philosophy of holistic provider engagement is evident in its workforce support initiatives. The city meets providers where they are, building strong relationships with directors and teachers through responsive programming and consistent support. Coaching plays a central role in this approach, with the Kids Hope Alliance providing critical individual coaching to center directors and providers. This relationship-centered approach has allowed the City of Jacksonville to create programs that respond to real needs while building capacity throughout the early childhood system, viewing providers through a strengths-based lens that recognizes their potential and value to the community.

Here’s What They Did:

• The City of Jacksonville’s partnership with Jacksonville Small and Emerging Businesses (JSEB) demonstrates the city’s innovative approach to building business capacity among providers. Through this program, cohorts of early childhood business owners learn essential skills needed to effectively manage their centers, including QuickBooks and other financial management tools. The program offers providers comprehensive support in becoming certified small businesses, opening doors to vital resources and opportunities, such access to the resources of the Jax Chamber. Additionally, the City of Jacksonville supports coaching and training programs, such as those offered by the Lastinger Center for Learning at the University of Florida, to improve teacher performance. These programs provide certification and coaching designed to help teachers become more effective in their classrooms by enhancing their teaching practices. This dual focus on business skills and teaching practices creates more sustainable programs with higher quality instruction.
• The Duval Early Learning Director’s Network (DELDN) exemplifies the City of Jacksonville’s commitment to peer learning and professional community building. This network brings together early childhood directors and providers regularly to discuss common challenges, share best practices, and develop collaborative solutions. By creating a dedicated space for leaders to connect and learn from each other, the City of Jacksonville has fostered a professional community that extends beyond individual centers or programs. The network has become a valuable forum for disseminating information, gathering feedback on city initiatives, and identifying emerging needs in the field. This peer-to-peer approach acknowledges the expertise within the community and leverages it to strengthen the entire early childhood system, creating a sustainable model for professional growth and problem-solving.

Your Next Steps for Getting Started

• Conduct a landscape analysis of your early childhood workforce, including who they are and where they work, their qualifications, compensation, and professional development needs. Understanding the current state of your workforce provides the foundation for targeted interventions.
• Identify community partners that can offer specialized training in both educational and business management practices. This balanced expertise supports the dual nature of early childhood programs as both educational services and businesses.
• Identify and convene stakeholders to learn more about what is currently available and where there is need. Develop a common definition of quality for early childhood programs. Having shared standards creates a foundation for improvement efforts across your community.

• Establish multiple pathways for professional development that accommodate diverse needs and circumstances. Offer a variety of formats, schedules, and content areas to ensure accessibility for all of the workforce.
• Build partnerships across agencies to create a coordinated system of workforce support. Establish formal coordination mechanisms to reduce duplication and fill gaps in services.

Helpful Tips for Ongoing Success

• Create cohort-based learning opportunities that build both skills and professional networks. Learning alongside peers creates community and support that extends beyond formal training periods.
• Leverage coaching models to provide individualized support that translates learning into practice. Pair formal training with follow-up coaching to ensure new skills are implemented effectively.
• Address compensation issues through creative funding mechanisms and quality incentives. Explore multiple strategies to improve wages while maintaining program affordability for families.
• Develop a quality rating system that includes clear standards and financial incentives for improvement. Connecting quality improvement to tangible benefits motivates participation and makes improvement financially sustainable.
• Adopt strength-based language and approaches when working with early childhood providers and the children they serve. Positive framing creates motivation and dignity while setting higher expectations for achievement.

“It’s our goal to be the small business capital of the Southeast. And if we can help child care providers with training and accreditation, that’s extraordinarily help to them both as small businesses, and to our small business community” – Mayor Deegan