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Frequently Asked Questions What is Ready to Learn Providence? R2LP is a citywide initiative with the vision that all children will enter school healthy and ready to learn. Through innovative programming, such as our 30-member AmeriCorps program, HeadsUp! Reading, family engagement activities, and Early Reading First, R2LP targets resources to existing programs to improve the quality of early-care education in the city. More than 150 individuals, including parents, child-care providers, and policy makers are actively involved in R2LP’s planning and governance. Ready to Learn Providence is a program of The Providence Plan. How is Ready to Learn Providence funded? Ready to Learn Providence is funded with both public and private funds. Our primary grants come from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Child Care Bureau, U.S. Department of Education, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Additional funders include the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Brown Rudnick Charitable Foundation. Does R2LP have grant funds available? Ready to Learn Providence does not typically have grant funds available except for Early Learning Grants to help licensed child-care providers and centers enhance their programs or develop professional skills. The first round of grants occurred in 2004, and R2LP will award several rounds of new grants in 2005 and 2006. Information on grants will be available via this website and through an R2LP-sponsored mailing to all certified and licensed providers in Providence. How can I participate in one of R2LP's classes or trainings? Ready to Learn Providence offers a variety of learning opportunities for family child-care providers and staff members with center-based providers, including HeadsUp! Reading and English as a Second Language. Call Tania Quezada, Coordinator of Community Learning, at 401-490-9960 with questions. Additionally, the Professional Development Committee plans occasional forums designed to address specific learning needs identified by child-care providers. For more information on such opportunities, check “Upcoming Events” on our homepage or call Leslie Gell, Director of Professional Development, at 401-490-9960. How can I find child care in my neighborhood? The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families provides certification and licenses for family child-care providers and child-care centers throughout the state and keeps its information in a database. You can access its listing of child-care providers by town by going to its online Day Care Provider Directory. Additionally, Options for Working Parents, a non-profit program of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, provides referrals for parents seeking child care. You can contact them by telephone at 401-272-7510 or via their website for information about providers near you. What should I look for in choosing child care? Several local and national resources exist that present comprehensive checklists for families to use when choosing a child-care setting. In Rhode Island, Options for Working Parents, which is a program of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, offers a detailed checklist of questions parents should consider when choosing a child-care provider. The phone number is 401-272-7510. Child Care Aware is a national non-profit that helps parents locate quality child care and child care resources in their community. Its website has many resources and suggestions in English and Spanish. How do I enroll my child in kindergarten in Providence? Kindergarten registration for fall enrollment in the Providence School District is held annually during March and April. However, the Providence School Department operates a year-round Student Registration and Assignment Center for parents and students who need to register at any time during the year. The Center is located at the B.J. Clanton Elementary School Complex, on Prairie Avenue. You can read more about the center at the Department’s website or by calling the Registration Center at 401-456-1702. What age does my child have to be in order to start kindergarten? By Rhode Island State Law, children must be 5 years old by September 1st to enter kindergarten. How can I help prepare my child for school? The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education developed Rhode Island Early Learning Standards to guide families, teachers and administrators on what children should know and be able to do as they enter kindergarten. For families, they are intended to give a clearer understanding of the skills typically needed for a successful start in school. They are also available in Spanish and the department also developed fun activities that parents can work on with preschoolers to prepare them for kindergarten. What training do I need to work for a child-care center? The Department of Children, Youth and Families establishes the educational and experience standards for child-care center staff. Read the full requirements in its Licensing Standards or call DCYF at 401-528-3624 for more information. Spanish speakers may call 401-528-3621. How do I become a certified family child-care provider? The Department of Children, Youth and Families certifies all family child-care homes in Rhode Island. Certification requirements are available online or may be accessed by calling 401-528-3624. Spanish speakers may call 401-528-3621. |