Arkansas Department of Education-Division of Elementary and Secondary Education-Office of Early Childhood provides services to 164 Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership children and families in Chicot, Drew, Garland, Pulaski, Sharp, and Woodruff counties.
For more information contact:
Mr. Thomas Sheppard, CEO,
Mr. Theodore Beck, Director,
700 Main St, Little Rock, AR 72201
Central Office Staff
First name | Last name | Title | Phone Number | |
Ted | Beck | Education Program Manager | 501-320-8915 | |
Christie | Campbell | Program Administrator | 501-320-8964 |
Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Centers
Better Beginnings | Center Name | Address Line 1 | City | State | ZIP | County | Congressional District |
Phone | Total Slots | Child Care Partner Site |
Mother Goose Daycare | 239 Swanigan St | Eudora | AR | 71640 | Chicot County | AR-001 118th Congress | (870) 355-8565 | 16 | Yes | |
Jelly Bean Junction | 849 N Gabbert St | Monticello | AR | 71655 | Drew County | AR-004 118th Congress | (870) 367-3014 | 12 | Yes | |
Hot Springs Childcare III | 802 Emory St | Hot Springs | AR | 71913 | Garland County | AR-004 118th Congress | (501) 623-7320 | 48 | Yes | |
Kiddie Kollege | 1604 Wolfe St | Little Rock | AR | 72202 | Pulaski County | AR-002 118th Congress | (501) 681-7388 | 16 | Yes | |
Little Sprouts Learning Center | 6701 Geyer Springs Rd | Little Rock | AR | 72209 | Pulaski County | AR-002 118th Congress | (501) 562-9132 | 24 | Yes | |
Highland Wee Care Child Enrichment Center | 1693 Hwy 62 and 412 | Highland | AR | 72542 | Sharp County | AR-001 118th Congress | (870) 856-5437 | 8 | Yes | |
Kiddo College | 2985 Highway 62/412 | Highland | AR | 72542 | Sharp County | AR-001 118th Congress | (870) 710-1768 | 8 | Yes | |
ARcare Center for Education and Wellness | 800 Main St | Augusta | AR | 72006 | Woodruff County | AR-001 118th Congress | (870) 347-3400 | 32 | Yes | |
Total | 164 |
- The HSSCO will engage, support, coordinate, and build positive early childhood Systems to align with early care and education services, allowing access to quality comprehensive services to support foster care, homeless children and families, EHS/Head Start, and childcare partners.
- The HSSCO will work collaboratively with state and local agencies to coordinate and align school readiness, data systems, and transition services, and family engagement services to EHS, HS, and MSHS programs in order to prepare children for public school and for life.
- The HSSCO will work collaboratively to support the expansion of the Arkansas Better Beginnings/QRIS and ensure that EHS, HS, MSHS, and EHS/CC programs’ have access to quality professional development and career development opportunities to maintain skilled and competent staff.
- The HSSCO will support all Head Start, Childcare, and EHS-CCP programs by providing technical assistance, resource materials, state updates, and networking opportunities to maintain connectivity among programs.
- The HSSCO will work collaboratively with state school systems, colleges & universities, and other educational agencies to ensure continuity of care between EHS/Head Start, AR Better Chance (ABC), Childcare, the public schools, and other early childhood agencies.
- In working with different agencies and organizations, the HSSCO will design a process to ensure that program integration and coordination is in place to improve working relationships and educational programming in the areas of Education, Homelessness, Family Literacy, and Disability Services.
- The HSSCO will identify appropriate state partners to discuss, create, and provide quality information and resources in Health Education, Mental Health, Community Services, and Child Welfare for families enrolled in EHS/Head Start and MSHS programs.
- As a member of the Equity Leaders Action Network (ELAN) team with the 2015 -2018 National BUILD Initiative, the HSSCO will create opportunities for EHS/Head Start programs to enhance their skills in recognizing and eliminating racial educational disparities in the early childhood education system.
- The HSSCO will work closely with the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Dallas Regional Office (DRO) in coordinating activities, initiatives, and other priorities to support EHS, Head Start, and Migrant-Seasonal programs in AR.
- The HSSCO will create new initiatives along with the new priorities from the OHS in the areas of background checks, quality improvements for programs, and providing ongoing services to families who are incarcerated and military families.
(i) assist Head Start agencies to collaborate with entities involved in State and local planning processes to better meet the needs of low-income children from birth to school entry, and their families;
(ii) assist Head Start agencies to coordinate activities with the State agency responsible for administering the State program carried out under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) and entities providing resource and referral services in the State, to make full-working-day and full calendar year services available to children;
(iii) promote alignment of curricula used in Head Start programs and continuity of services with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early learning standards;
(iv) promote better linkages between Head Start agencies and other child and family agencies, including agencies that provide health, mental health, or family services, or other child or family supportive services, such as services provided under section 619 or part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.); and
(v) carry out the activities of the State Director of Head Start Collaboration.
The State Director of Head Start Collaboration shall:
(A) not later than 1 year after the State receives a collaboration grant under paragraph (2), conduct an assessment that--
(i) addresses the needs of Head Start agencies in the State with respect to collaboration, coordination and alignment of services, and alignment of curricula and assessments used in Head Start programs with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early learning standards;
(ii) shall be updated on an annual basis; and
(iii) shall be made available to the general public within the State;
(B) develop a strategic plan that is based on the assessment described in subparagraph (A) that will—
(i) enhance collaboration and coordination of Head Start services by Head Start agencies with other entities providing early childhood education and development (such as child care or services offered by museums), health care, mental health care, welfare, child protective services, education and community service activities, family literacy services, reading readiness programs (including such programs offered by public and school libraries), services relating to children with disabilities, other early childhood education and development for limited English proficient children and homeless children, and services provided for children in foster care and children referred to Head Start programs by child welfare agencies, including agencies and State officials responsible for services described in this clause;
(ii) assist Head Start agencies to develop a plan for the provision of full working-day, full calendar year services for children enrolled in Head Start programs who need such services;
(iii) assist Head Start agencies to align curricula and assessments used in Head Start programs with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early learning standards; and
(iv) enable Head Start agencies to better access professional development opportunities for Head Start staff, such as by working with Head Start agencies to enable the agencies to meet the degree requirements described in section 648A(a)(2)(A), including providing distance learning opportunities for Head Start staff, where needed to make higher education more accessible to Head Start staff; and
(v) enable the Head Start agencies to better conduct outreach to eligible families;
(C) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies, State and local governments, and the private sector to help ensure that children from low-income families, who are in Head Start programs or are preschool age, are receiving comprehensive services to prepare the children for elementary school;
(D) consult with the chief State school officer, local educational agencies, and providers of early childhood education and development, at both the State and local levels;
(E) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies, schools, law enforcement, relevant community-based organizations, and substance abuse and mental health treatment agencies to strengthen family and community environments and to reduce the impact on child development of substance abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, and other high-risk behaviors that compromise healthy development;
(F) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies and other organizations in order to enhance Head Start program quality, including partnerships to promote inclusion of more books in Head Start classrooms;
(G) identify other resources and organizations (both public and private) for the provision of in-kind services to Head Start agencies in the State; and
(H) serve on the State Advisory Council in order to assist the efforts of Head Start agencies to engage in effective coordination and collaboration.
AHSA OFFICERS |
Jacqueline Burton, President (First Term 2022-2024)
Susan Templeton, President-Elect (First Term 2022-2024)
Kisha Miller, Secretary (Second Term 2022-2024)
Shirley Pulliam, Treasurer (2022-2024)
Jana Bays, Parliamentarian (2022-2024)
AHSA DIRECTOR REPRESENTATIVES |
Jana Bays (2022-2024) 2022 East Broadway Forrest City, AR 72335 (870) 494-4010 |
Barbie Baxter (2022-2024) 1303 South Main Malvern, Arkansas 72104 (501) 332-5426 |
Cyndi Musick (2022-2024) 2707 East H Street Russellville, AR 72812 (479) 219-5292 |
Shirley Pulliam (2022-2024) P.O. Box 1289, Blytheville, AR 72316 (870) 776-1059 |
Susan Templeton (2022-2024) 2109 SE J Street Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 (479) 636-7317 |
Sara Wilhite (2022-2024) 154 Cornerstone Blvd Hot Springs, AR 71913-6560 (501) 520-0660 |
AHSA STAFF REPRESENTATIVES |
Jackie Burton (2022-2024) P.O. Box 1289 Blytheville, AR 72316 (870) 776-1059 ext 58 |
Latasha Dodd (2022-2024) P.O. Box 745 Helena, Arkansas 72342 (870) 338-6406 |
Michelle Furlow (2022-2024) 1303 South Main Malvern, Arkansas 72104 (501) 332-5426 |
Dee McLemore (2022-2024) 7415 Colonel Glen Little Rock, Arkansas 72204 (501) 570-5000 |
Kisha Miller (2022-2024) 2109 SE J Street Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 (479) 636-7317 |
Tequila Smith (2022-2024) 2720 Vine Street/P.O. Box 10670 El Dorado, Arkansas 71730 (870) 862-4545 |
AHSA FRIENDS REPRESENTATIVES |
Rhonda Ahrent (2022-2024) 1403 Hospital Drive Pocahontas, Arkansas 72455 (870) 892-4547, ext 232 |
James Hollywood (2023-2024) Program Associate, Family Well-Being Strategy Group Center for Systems Innovation
office: 410.547.3387 / cell: 410.274.1134
701 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 |