Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Alisse Ali-Joseph
AIS 301W
8 December 2021
Problem Statement
There are about 3,000 childcare centers and homes in the state of Oklahoma and only two
of them are run by the Chickasaw Nation for Chickasaw citizens (3). In fact, since 2012, there
has been nearly a 30% drop in the number of child care facilities in Oklahoma as the centers
continue to close across the state (3). Because of this decline, there are many Chickasaw citizens
who have lost their child care stability and cannot afford to pay the enrollment fees and/or tuition
There are currently two centers that the Chickasaw Nation have and both have waitlists
(2). This Head Start planning grant seeks to recover this problem and add a new facility in
another location for families in need. The type of program that we are proposing will focus on
many areas including, childhood development; a class dedicated to Chickasaw, the history of the
tribe and the language; and specialized counselors for the families impacted by COVID-19
Oklahoma has over 38,000 Chickasaw citizens residing in the state and a little under half
of that population are families with children under the primary and elementary school age.
Currently, the Chickasaw Nation Child Development Centers are year-round facilities that
provide child care and education in secure environments. The goal is to add another building for
the families on the waiting list so that they are no longer in a bind for child care.
Child development covers a full scope of skills that a child masters over their lifetime (1)
including:
2) Social interaction and emotional regulation: the mastering of self-control and the
3) Speech and Language: the ability to understand and use language, read, and
communicate
4) Physical skills: fine motor (finger) and gross motor (whole body) skills
5) Sensory awareness: the direct focus of some specific sensory aspect of the body for
use (4)
Each Chickasaw Nation Child Development will provide an in-depth curriculum that focuses on
these five skills, including the new center proposed in this grant.
The centers will provide a positive, nurturing environment led by highly trained teachers
and staff. Each classroom will have a daily curriculum that will provide components that focus
on a child’s development and well-being. Children of all ages develop healthy interaction skills
through opportunities and exposure (1). These centers have learning environments that
encourage discovery through play (2) and health and wellness will be incorporated into all of our
programs through nutrition, physical activity, rest and early detection screenings for hearing,
vision, and dental (2) and development. Teachers will partner with parents and caregivers to lead
children through their earliest milestones, helping them through each developmental stage.
The centers will be open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, with an
additional aftercare service provided if needed, through the school, but contracted from outside
(1) Buttfield, J. (2019, September 29). What is Child Development? Retrieved from
https://childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/what-is-child-development/#:~:text=Ch
https://www.chickasaw.net/Services/Children-Youth/Chickasaw-Nation-Child-Developme
nt-Centers.aspx
(3) Palmer, J., & Jennifer Palmer, O. W. (2020, April 11). Despite Pleas, Hundreds of Oklahoma
https://oklahomawatch.org/2020/04/10/despite-pleas-hundreds-of-oklahoma-child-care-cen
ters-close/
(4) Sensory Awareness: Why People (Including Scientists) Are Blind to It. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/pristine-inner-experience/201110/sensory-awar
characteristic of perception.