FIRST 5 SCHOOL READINESS WALNUT GROVE PS

The Child Signature Program (CSP) is a coordinated effort between First 5 California and First 5 Sacramento to bring a comprehensive set of high quality early learning and development services to children ages 0- 5 in Sacramento County. CSP was designed to prepare children at greatest risk to enter school ready to learn and to be successful in school. First 5 Sacramento targets school communities with higher rates of poverty, special needs, and English language learners to receive services, as children and families in these areas typically don’t have access to community support services.

CSP improves the quality of programs and services for children ages 0-5 and their families, and is aligned with several program quality improvement efforts at both the state and national level. CSP builds on the successes of other programs—such as state-funded preschool and child development programs, Early Head Start and Head Start, and First 5’s Power of Preschool (PoP), and School Readiness Initiative—to strengthen and improve them, and positions us to leverage additional federal, state, local and philanthropic funds to create a system that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Sacramento County currently targets 34 classrooms in eight school districts to participate in CSP, including 1 infant-toddler classroom. Participating classrooms and program administrators completed a comprehensive Readiness Assessment in the Spring of 2013, and will use the information to identify gaps and develop Program Quality Improvement Plans. First 5 California, through a partnership with West Ed, will provide training and technical assistance to address the identified gaps through an “Early Education Effectiveness Exchange” (E4).