The Early Learning Coalition (ELC) provides resources, advocacy, leadership, coordination, and oversight services to over 26,000 children and their families. It oversees two state-wide early education programs: School Readiness and Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten. ELC and its partners also provide financial assistance and link parents to family support services, including those for children with special needs.
Challenge
The poor performance of the organization’s provider of database and related services was limiting ELC’s ability to efficiently provide high quality programs to the families and children it serves.
Goal
The goal was to transition to a new service provider to handle beneficiary payments, program reporting, reconciliation of accounts, and other key functions. The project’s success would be based on specific improvements in system performance, and completion of the project without any disruption of services to program beneficiaries.
Process
The NESC team’s highest priority was to manage and minimize potential risks associated with the transition. Key steps included:
- Analyzing the current system and identifying its weaknesses
- Interviewing the new service provider regarding their capabilities and planned improvements
- Planning staffing changes resulting from the transition
- Developing a timeline and identifying critical deadlines
- Identifying risks and potential disruptions in payments or services
- Assuring compliance with Florida State payment and reporting requirements
Result
ELC was able to implement a new processing /reporting system that serves their beneficiaries more efficiently and effectively. The transition to the new system was managed with no interruption of services or beneficiary payments.
