McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Leslie Layman, M.S. | October 22, 2024

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

Think of all the information that early childhood program administrators need to track each year: family and employee applications, assessments, feedback from staff and families, and advisory board information. You can likely think of several more pieces of data to track. It can be overwhelming to think about creating a system for collecting, storing, and accessing information over time and how to use it year over year for program improvement and management. Purchasing data management software or a suite of software tools can be cost-prohibitive, and many software programs are not tailored to the unique needs of a center-based early childhood program or family child care program. You may be growing your program and feel reluctant to purchase expensive software without more information about how you might use it.


Google Workspace offers a variety of free products that can be tied directly to your free Google account. While they offer many powerful products, one that can be especially helpful for program administration is Google Forms. Google Forms allows you to easily build specialized online fillable forms that can be shared quickly and automatically store information in an editable database in your Google Cloud account.


You could use Google Forms to create and personalize:


  • applications for families,
  • applications for employment,
  • environmental, program, and teaching assessments,
  • daily checklists for health, safety, and attendance,
  • and quick ways to check in with families.


The forms can be easily shared with unique web links or QR codes and quickly texted and emailed.


HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST VALUABLE FEATURES OF GOOGLE FORMS:


  • The application can use decision logic


people who fill out the forms to see only the questions they need to see. For example, if you created a daily health check form for staff, you could use decision logic to show specific questions for each classroom or age group.


  • Automatic saving of form responses


Google forms are easily converted into worksheets that automatically update every time someone fills out the form. You can then see, sort, and edit the form data as needed. For instance, you could create an intake form for families applying to your program, save that data to a workbook, and update that workbook to include the date of the family’s scheduled intake meeting.


  • The ability to edit the form even when it is “live”


Google forms can be edited in real-time. For example, perhaps you created an attendance form and wanted to add a new child’s name. You can edit the form while it is available to your staff so they see the new child’s name in real-time. You can also lock the form to stop accepting responses with a personalized message.


You can get started here if you want to create a free Google account and try some of their products.


In our upcoming technology training, Using Google Forms for Productivity and Communication, we will review the features and functions of Google Forms, ways to use them for childcare program administration, and how to store and access data collected with Google Forms. We will offer hands-on practice, so you leave feeling confident about your ability to implement new processes in your program.


Register here to join this free Webinar—we’ll help you make better use of your program data and your time.

Leslie Layman, M.S., is Director of Strategic Initiatives for the McCormick Institute for Early Childhood at National Louis University (NLU). In this role, she supports early childhood professional preparation, alignments across Early Childhood professional learning and academics, and innovations in early childhood workforce development. She holds a master’s degree in Child Development with a Specialization in Children with Special Needs from Erikson Institute. Prior to working at NLU, she was the Director of Teaching and Learning at Harry S Truman College, where she designed and implemented learning environments, courses, professional development, and technology supports for faculty, students, and staff. 

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Building Community Partnerships for Lasting Impact

By Cara Murdoch and Sherry Rocha • December 12, 2025
By Cara Murdoch and Sherry Rocha Community collaborations can strengthen your early childhood program, expand services for families, and increase your visibility and credibility as a trusted resource in the community. But effective partnerships don’t begin with a phone call—they start with a plan. Start with internal planning Before reaching out to community members or organizations, gather insights from your internal team. Hold a brief planning meeting to discuss goals, identify needs, and build a shared vision for collaboration. Consider including: Members of your board of directors or advisory board Program staff members Interested family members and parents of enrolled children. REVISIT your mission and goals A clear, shared understanding of your program’s purpose will guide effective partnerships. Before reaching out to community members or organizations, gather insights from your internal team. Hold a brief planning meeting to discuss goals, identify needs, and build a shared vision for collaboration. Consider including: What is your mission? What strengths and expertise do we bring to the community? What challenges do our enrolled families face? What support or resources would be most helpful? What can we offer potential partners in return? Clarity about these questions will ensure that your outreach to community members and organizations is focused and meaningful. Learn about local resources Begin exploring the services and organizations that exist in your community. These may become valuable referral partners or direct collaborators. Examples include: Early intervention services Family support agencies Mental health providers Multilingual tax-preparation volunteers Knowing these resources helps you connect families with the help they need. share your space and services Your early childhood center may be a valuable asset for other groups. Consider offering your space to other programs or groups to strengthen your role as a community hub. Possibilities include: Scouting America or Girl Scout meetings Parenting workshops or support groups Health screenings or nutrition programs Community committee meetings participate in community events Raising visibility in your community opens doors to partnership. Become involved in: Neighborhood clean-up days Local fairs or festivals Library literacy events Cultural celebrations School district events These types of interactions naturally build trust and relationships. build and expand your network Partnerships often begin with small conversations or shared goals. Stay curious and connected—the more people you meet, the more opportunities arise. Potential collaborators include: Museums Public libraries Human services departments Colleges and universities Local schools Cooperative Extension services Hospitals and clinics Banks and financial advisors Mental health agencies Early intervention programs Remember: partnerships are mutually beneficial Successful collaborations are built on: Clear communication Shared goals Appreciation for each other’s strengths A commitment to supporting families and the community Whether the support you receive is financial, advisory, or educational, strong partnerships help everyone thrive. A final thought Community partnerships don’t happen overnight. With the proper planning, your early childhood program can become a powerful and connected resource in your neighborhood. Start small, stay open to ideas, and let relationships grow.
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