SOCI’s Framework
SOCI uses a strategic framework to streamline investments and maximize positive outcomes for children, families, and communities.
This framework articulates SOCI’s role in finding proven and promising programs, investing in evidence-based practices, evaluating impact, and leading at the systems-level to connect and engage a variety of stakeholders.
Why We're Here
Vision. A thriving system of early childhood education that supports children and families to achieve success in school, work, and life.
Mission. SOCI’s mission is to increase access to high-quality early education programs for working families in the Kansas City region.
First Steps for Success in School, Work, and Life
A key component of the SOCI framework is its emphasis on partnerships. Often, the most powerful change comes from the community level and develops from the alignment of stakeholders working together in a coordinated way.
These are our strategies that exemplify coordinated stakeholder alignment…
Value to Family
Public/Private Investment Strategy: Affordable, reliable child care
- Reduces job turnover and employee absences, allowing parents to pursue career and educational goals.
- Improves worker productivity (64% of working parents reported improved productivity with access of quality child care.)
- Decreases the likelihood of intergenerational poverty.
- Improves short-term results such as children’s behavior, health and cognitive achievement.
- Decreases the likelihood of inter-generational poverty.
Value to Community
Public/Private Investment Strategy: Increasing the quality and accessibility of early care and education while carefully monitoring the effectiveness of such programs.
- Reduces or eliminates barriers to academic and professional success, setting young people on the path to better jobs and economic independence.
- Lowers the need for K-12 special education and other interventions resulting in significant cost avoidance.
- Decreases time and money spent on academic remediation and behavioral interventions.
Value to Investors
- Studies have shown an estimated 7% to 10% per year ROI based upon increased school and career achievement and reduced costs in remedial education, health, and criminal justice expenditures.
- Research predicts a 13% return on investment per child, per annum through better education, economic, health, and social outcomes.
- Improved educational outcomes yield a steady supply of skilled employees. This allows businesses to expand and grow to keep pace with innovations in their field.
- Maintaining a stable workforce reduces the expense of hiring and training new staff.
Access to reliable care reduces absences by as much as 30%, and employee turnover by up to 60%. creasing the quality and accessibility of early care and education while carefully monitoring the effectiveness of such programs.
Investment Criteria
Partner Criteria
- Community-based organizations that provide direct services to children ages birth to five.
- Organizations serving a significant percentage of children and families from historically marginalized communities.
- Prioritization given to entities who have historically lacked access to philanthropic resources.
Target Populations
- Children whose family income would qualify them for participation in the federal free or reduced lunch program.
- Children whose primary language is not English.
- Children without access to a consistent source of health care
- Families residing in communities/neighborhoods with limited resources such as quality child care, health facilities, parks, and playgrounds.
- Families who have a child at risk for developmental delay.
- Families who have a child with a developmental delay.
- Families with parents who have less than a high school education.
- Teen parents
Investment Priorities
Tuition assistance so more children can access high-quality early childhood education and caregivers can reliably maintain employment or pursue educational opportunities.
Teacher and staff supports so excellent educators and administrators can be recruited, retained, and appropriately compensated.
Mental and physical health services and other wrap-around supports for children, families, and staff.