Can child care centers or family homes that were Expansion Centers in Phase II of Shape NC be selected for Phase III if they meet other general requirements as outlined in the RFA? Or, are only brand new sites acceptable? We are eager to “layer” more technical assistance and outreach onto previous sites and further embed Shape NC ideals into the culture of our expansion sites. However, we aren’t sure if this is acceptable.
Can child care centers or family homes that were Expansion Centers in Phase II of Shape NC be selected for Phase III if they meet other general requirements as outlined in the RFA? Or, are only brand new sites acceptable? We are eager to “layer” more technical assistance and outreach onto previous sites and further embed Shape NC ideals into the culture of our expansion sites. However, we aren’t sure if this is acceptable.
Previous data shows that a great deal of improvement happens in just the first six months for participating centers. Therefore, it is not currently allowable to include child care facilities that have already participated as an expansion site. Partnerships may choose to use their own Smart Start allocation to continue working with these centers, but at this point, they cannot be considered part of the SIF project. With SIF’s focus on establishing evidence for Shape NC, including those that have already experienced even a portion of the intervention may compromise the results. Once the evaluation plan is developed and approved, the evaluation team may reconsider this position.
