Geania B. Dickey

Data-Driven Solutions

In collaboration with statisticians at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Geania led development of one of the first state cost models for the U.S. child care industry and the first early childhood workforce study in Arkansas.

These projects documented insufficient financial aid for programs and low wages, high stress, and food insecurity among early childhood educators.

Geania used these alarming findings to gain support for major changes in state infrastructure. She helped initiate the T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) Early Childhood® Scholarship Program in Arkansas and organized the program’s speedy 18-month rollout.

Then she worked with the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education to increase financial support for programs that serve children from low-income families.

Systems Implementation

Geania created, oversaw, and facilitated the Arkansas Children’s Program Administrators Credential and gained recognition from the National Association for the Education of Young Children to enable credential reciprocity in other states.

Catalyzing Growth

Ohio Action for Children, a Child Care Resource and Referral Agency, called on dot2dot to help turn around low participation in the state’s quality rating and improvement system.

Using state administrative data and qualitative data, she assessed the agency’s strengths and generated a strategic plan to incorporate data into daily practices and reallocate staff workloads.

Under her guidance, the team met their 2021 goals despite the Covid pandemic and laid a strong foundation for meeting 5-year goals.