Government Contract | Maine
Evaluation of the First 4 ME Early Care and Education Program

Specifications include, but are not limited to: General RequirementsBe available to the Department during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., EST excluding State holidays and administrative closings.CommunicationMeet with the Department monthly, as mutually agreed upon, to discuss:Contract management;Administration; andSpecific Evaluation deliverables.Respond to the Department within two (2) business days.Ensure communications, publications, presentations, surveys, and reports are approved by the Department, in writing, prior to dissemination.Ensure the Department is included in all communications related to the Evaluation including, but not limited to:Other Department-contracted individuals or organizations;Community Stakeholders; orOther related parties.Technical AssistanceConsult with OCFS regarding readiness and pre-implementation planning.Create and disseminate, Department-approved, surveys to provide feedback from Community Coaches, CCPs, and Participants of the First 4 ME, including but not limited to:Impact of First 4 ME on the Child Care Provider (CCP) or Participant;Activities and experiences of the CCP or Participant;First 4 ME activities;Activities of the Community Coalition, Community Coaches, CCPs, SAU leadership and/or early education educators, and the Community;Qualitative and Quantitative Data Collection assessment of the Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) and process from educators, administrators, and Families in Fall 2024 and Fall 2025;Challenges and successes for Community Coaches during First 4 ME training and implementation;Key indicators of Community Coachs partnership with Families and CCPs;Comparisons of supports provided to Participants and their non-participating peers;Comparison between Participants and their non-participating peers, of skills learned and generalized, based on the KEA;Challenges or obstacles during First 4 ME implementation and their impact on the implementation of the First 4 ME; andRecommendations for successful expansion, implementation, and sustainability of the First 4 ME into additional communities.Evaluation Plan of the First 4 ME Early Care and Education ProgramProvide data analysis, information extraction, and/or information Findings upon Department request.Provide an Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan (EPMP) within sixty (60) calendar days of the contract start date, including but not limited to:Data collection strategies, protocols for responding to Evaluation questions, and use of Evaluation Findings for continuous program quality improvement;A list of available data sources and feasibility of collecting appropriate evaluation and performance data;Communication plan to include all partners participating in the EPMP processes;Review of Department-provided First 4 ME documentation, to include First 4 ME goals and objectives;Use and representation of Department-provided data sources in the Evaluation plan, including:First 4 ME site data including, but not limited to, subgroup categories and performance measure reporting from the First 4 ME Participants and Participants Families, CCPs, and local school administrative units (SAUs);Outcome data from First 4 ME and Department data sources;Stakeholder interviews, surveys, and/or focus groups; andSurvey.Conducting interviews and focus groups with Community Coaches and First 4 ME Control Group, the Community at Large, CCPs, stakeholders, and Families to collect data to be used in further analysis;Create exit interviews for the First 4 ME Sites staff, satisfaction surveys for CCP, CCP staff and Families of Participants, First 4 ME Sites, and CCP self-assessments, and KEA process evaluation tool.Participate in Evaluation efforts, including administering surveys and interviews, and providing other reports upon request.Participate in face-to-face meetings and conference calls with First 4 ME Community Coaches and Department staff during First 4 ME implementation as it relates to Evaluation of the project.Participate quarterly in face-to-face meetings and conference calls for data reviews with First 4 ME Sites.Revising the Evaluation plan for effectively monitoring and evaluating the First 4 ME progress and outcomes;Administer, collect, and analysis formal and informal data gathered, including surveys, summary reports, and presentations;Analysis and interpretation of data from various data sources and tools as appropriate including but not limited to Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG), Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) and First 4 ME Site-chosen curriculums;A full cost benefit analysis, including:Each First 4 ME Sites funding structure;Multiple First 4 ME Site comparisons;Overall First 4 ME Fidelity;Recommendations on sustainability and expansion; andParticipant enrollment and cost analysis.Align with Maine Department of Education for longitudinal data collection and outcome monitoring for progress monitoring of First 4 ME goals;Consultation on comparison tools with for longitudinal data collection, comparison, and outcome monitoring of similar Department-identified models; andProvide the First 4 ME staff with the opportunity to review, discuss, and provide input on any publications, audiovisuals, and/or other materials produced as part of the First 4 ME project (drafts and final products).