OKFutures created a five-year comprehensive, strategic plan by engaging stakeholders in at least eight geographically diverse Oklahoma communities and utilizing parent voice. This plan includes specific strategies that provide curriculum and instructional support. In addition, the strategic plan expands partnerships in communities through schools, libraries, community centers, faith-based organizations and more.
OPSR created a five-year strategic plan for the state with action steps for priorities that were identified as gaps in OKFutures Needs Assessment. Specifically, the strategic plan accounts for, synthesizes and analyzes existing strategic plans, key themes from recent Community Conversations (described below), and input from our partners and state agencies.
To access the OKFutures Strategic Plan, click here. Or download a one-pager on our five-year vision, here.
The plan focuses on four pillars of long-term infrastructural supports necessary for sustainability Human Capital, Physical Capital, Intellectual Capital and Financial Capital. These pillars help the strategic plan aim for five major goals:
As with the OKFutures Needs Assessment, OPSR worked with the Urban Institute to lay out a plan for an equitable and sustainable system to improve developmental and academic outcomes for children, especially those who are most vulnerable and underserved. Based out of Washington, D.C., Urban Institute is an expert on early childhood education, community engagement and strategic planning. To learn more about Urban Institute, click here.
Our Community Conversations provided communities the opportunity to describe the current state of Oklahoma's early childhood system, areas in need of improvement and strategies for accomplishing goals. These conversations were framed via OPSR’s School Readiness Pathway by focusing on Health, Early Care and Learning and Family Support and will help inform the strategic plan.
OPSR partnered with local organizations in eleven communities across Oklahoma to host Community Conversations with parents, early childhood professionals and community leaders. By utilizing data walks, participants were empowered to share their insights and help inform the strategic plan.
What is a data walk? In this meeting format, facilitators presented data to participants and then used this data as a springboard for group discussion.
Conducted in June 2019, local ogranizations hosted the Community Conversations. More information can be found below.
OPSR sought technical assistance from local organizations to host Community Conversations. Below you will find the Requst for Proposal as well as Response to Questions. Bids were due by 5:00 p.m. CST, Friday, May 24, 2019.
We're grateful to have worked with each of our Community Conversation host organizations. Click here for a PDF of the original schedule.
Community Development Support Association, Enid, Okla.
Northern Oklahoma Youth Services, Ponca City, Okla.
Smart Start Central Oklahoma, OKC, Okla.
On May 20, 2020 OPSR and Oklahoma Human Services hosted a virtual meeting, "From Strong Communities Come Resilient Families: Strengthening Child Welfare and Early Childhood Collaborations Through FFPSA and Beyond" focused on strengthening collaborations for Oklahoma’s young children and their families who face adversity in their communities and homes that can lead to child maltreatment.
By leveraging two recent federal opportunities – the Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five and the Family First Prevention Services Act – Oklahoma will be able to identify and address gaps to support and strengthen families. Tying directly to OKFutures Strategic Plan's goals, this meeting promoted the well-being of young children to ensure safety is restored when abuse or neglect has occurred.
In addition, participants heard from Oklahoma’s early childhood and child welfare leaders about current alignment efforts. Participants asked questions and shared ideas for Oklahoma’s early childhood and child welfare systems – and other key systems – to better work together to address the needs of young children and their families.
This document details next steps to push this work forward through partnerships and collaboration. Parent involvement, coordination and communication were identified as key pieces to ensure Oklahoma is meeting the unique developmental needs of young children in families involved in or at risk of involvement in the child welfare system.
In addition to this virtual meeting, OPSR met with stakeholders for a working session in which several key themes and priorities were identified including parent involvement, coordination and communication. This feedbacak was integrated into our next steps report above. Click the following to learn more about these key themes: "From Strong Communities Come Resilient Families Key Themes from Working Session Breakouts."
Below you'll find all the documents shared during this 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. meeting.
"From Strong Communities Come Resilient Families" is now available on YouTube. Click here to access the video.
Find everything you need to know about the strategic plan.