Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness

What Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness does

Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR) is a private nonprofit organization founded in 2003 and headquartered in Oklahoma City that serves as Oklahoma's legislatively designated Early Childhood State Advisory Council (SAC). The organization coordinates early childhood systems across the state, helping families of children from birth through age five access early care and education, family support, and health and mental health services. It operates a portfolio of interconnected programs including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (free monthly books to children aged 0–5, now reaching 73 of 77 Oklahoma counties with over 3 million books distributed since 2020 and 75 local program partners), the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program (free child care benefits for eligible employees at licensed facilities), Child Care Resource & Referral services delivered through eight regional community-based agencies covering all 77 counties, the Before the Bell early childhood program, the Clearinghouse for quality standards and innovation, and the Dessauer Advocacy Fellowship for policy interns.

OPSR's underlying technology is non-proprietary — its website runs on Wix and no AI/ML capabilities or data platforms are described in available evidence. The organization depends entirely on grant and donation funding rather than commercial revenue: its core inflows are federal Preschool Development Grants (PDG B-5) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services supplemented by state matching funds from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and Oklahoma Department of Human Services, alongside philanthropic donations. The most recent cycle includes a $14.7M federal grant awarded December 2025 with $2.1M + $3M in state matching funds, building on a prior $36M three-year award from 2022. No commercial revenue model, subscription pricing, or paying customer base exists; end beneficiaries (Oklahoma families and child care providers) receive services free of charge.

The go-to-market is relationship-led and government-anchored: OPSR convenes multiple state agencies (OK Department of Education, OKDHS, OK Department of Commerce, OK Head Start Collaboration Office, OK Commission on Children and Youth) to align early childhood policy and funding. Distribution is hybrid, combining direct self-serve online enrollment (Imagination Library), a statewide toll-free search and referral service for child care, and eight regional agencies delivering CCR&R services in person. Marketing is conducted through the organization's website, email newsletter, and issued RFPs to external vendors for statewide campaigns and communications support.

Name

Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness

Legal name

Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Foundation

Website

https://okschoolreadiness.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness is a nonprofit designated as Oklahoma's Early Childhood State Advisory Council, coordinating programs such as Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, child care resource and referral, and teacher recruitment for families with children from birth to age five across all 77 Oklahoma counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Head Start & Publicly Funded Infant/Toddler Programs (EDACAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping Resources (State/NAEYC/Head Start) (EDACAJAN), In-Service Professional Development (Workshops/Institutes/Short Courses) (EDACAIAB), Employer-Sponsored / On-Site Infant & Toddler Care (EDACAGAF)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• School readiness programs
• Child care resource referral
• Early literacy programs
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: OPSR receives federal and state grants to fund early childhood programs including Preschool Development Grant (PDG B-5), which was $14.7 million in December 2025, with $2.1 million in state matching funds from Oklahoma Department of Commerce and $3 million in state appropriated matching funds.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations to support programs like Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. A donation of $31 provides one child with a whole year's worth of books.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

OPSR coordinates Oklahoma's statewide early childhood system, operating programs including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (free monthly books for children 0-5), the Teacher Recruitment & Retention Program (free child care benefits for child care employees), a Child Care Resource & Referral network of eight regional agencies serving all 77 counties, the Preschool Development Grant (PDG B-5), and the Clearinghouse quality program. It functions as Oklahoma's Early Childhood State Advisory Council, channeling federal and state grants into coordinated services for young children and their families.

Product overview

Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR) operates as Oklahoma's Early Childhood State Advisory Council, facilitating collaborative planning to help families access early care, education, family support, and health services for children from birth through age five. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for early literacy, the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program for workforce support, Child Care Resource & Referral services across all 77 counties, the Clearinghouse for quality standards and innovation, and manages Preschool Development Grant (PDG B-5) initiatives. OPSR also offers career opportunities including the Dessauer Advocacy Fellowship for policy advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oklahoma's Official home of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: Statewide program that sends free books to children age 0-5 every month, helping them build early literacy skills.
• Teacher Recruitment & Retention Program
• Preschool Development Grant (PDG) B-5
• Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R)

Products and services

• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (Oklahoma) Statewide early literacy program that mails one free, age-appropriate book each month to enrolled children from birth through age five, supporting early literacy skill development. Free to families; co-funded 50/50 with The Dollywood Foundation at $2.60 per child per month, with additional support from 75 Local Program Partners in Oklahoma.
• Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program Program that provides free child care benefits to eligible employees working in licensed Oklahoma child care facilities, addressing teacher recruitment and retention challenges in the early childhood workforce.
• Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) Network of eight regional community-based agencies serving all 77 counties of Oklahoma, providing families with child care search, evaluation guidance, and payment assistance, and supporting child care programs and communities statewide.
• Preschool Development Grant (PDG B-5) Program Federal Early Care and Education Systems Building Grant led by OPSR to strengthen Oklahoma's early childhood system serving children birth through age five, including building data systems, workforce support, family transitions, and early literacy capacity.
• Clearinghouse Program promoting well-being for Oklahoma children and families by building and evolving the definition of quality in early childhood, fast-tracking innovation, implementing research-informed practice, and maximizing public/private partnerships to improve early childhood systems.
• Before the Bell OPSR early childhood program supporting school readiness for Oklahoma children.
• Dessauer Advocacy Fellowship Year-long internship named after founding member Phil Dessauer, Jr., providing college juniors or seniors with hands-on experience in public policy advocacy on behalf of Oklahoma children.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of households with children aged 5 and under participating in Imagination Library program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oklahoma Department of Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026OPSR collaborates with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for PDG B-5 implementation. $3 million in state appropriated matching funds support OKDHS's role in implementing supported projects. Jeffrey Cartmell serves as Director.
• Oklahoma Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026Provided $2.1 million in state matching funds for the $14.7 million federal Preschool Development Grant. Collaborated with Governor Stitt's team during the grant application process.
• Oklahoma State Department of Education (PDG B-5)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026Partner in the PDG B-5 Early Care and Education Systems Building Grant as part of OPSR's collaborative approach to strengthen Oklahoma's early childhood system.
• Oklahoma Head Start Collaboration OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026Partner in PDG B-5 grant implementation, working to elevate Head Start and Early Head Start as critical partners within Oklahoma's mixed-delivery early childhood system.
• Oklahoma Commission on Children and YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2026Partner in PDG B-5 grant implementation for building a more robust early childhood system in Oklahoma.
• Oklahoma State Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2025In 2025, the Oklahoma State Department of Education entered into a contract with OPSR to serve as the state's managing partner for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program, which is authorized under Oklahoma State Statutes.
• The Dollywood FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Dollywood Foundation coordinates monthly book orders and fulfillment, and contributes 50% of funds for monthly book and mailing orders. They also foster growth, development and sustainability of local Imagination Library programs.
• Local Program Partners (Imagination Library)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partners who fundraise to keep Imagination Library books free for families. There are 75 Local Program Partners involved in Oklahoma's Imagination Library program.
• OKCaring.orgminorOthersListed as a supporting partner in the footer of the OPSR website.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Zero to Three: Zero to Three is a national nonprofit advancing infant and early childhood mental health, policy, and practice for the birth-to-three age band. OPSR's stated mission to support "health and mental health services for children birth through age five" maps directly onto Zero to Three's infant-early childhood mental health consultation focus.
• Child Care Aware of America: Child Care Aware of America is the national CCR&R umbrella organization. OPSR operates as a state-level CCR&R (one of eight regional agencies serving 77 Oklahoma counties) that ultimately aligns with Child Care Aware's national network on child care search, referral, and workforce training infrastructure.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): NAEYC is the national professional association setting early childhood quality standards and credentialing frameworks. OPSR's Clearinghouse builds definitions of quality using research-informed practices consistent with NAEYC accreditation standards, positioning NAEYC as the upstream standards body whose frameworks OPSR applies at the state level.

Direct peers

• Illinois Action for Children: Illinois Action for Children is a statewide early childhood intermediary that administers child care resource & referral, family support, and workforce development programs—closely mirroring OPSR's CCR&R, family support, and Teacher Recruitment & Retention offerings across a state footprint.
• The Dollywood Foundation / Imagination Library: The Dollywood Foundation operates the national Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program and partners with OPSR as the upstream content and 50% co-funder. OPSR is the official Oklahoma managing partner, making the foundation the most directly comparable peer given shared program scope, delivery model, and target demographic (children 0–5).
• Smart Start of North Carolina: Smart Start is North Carolina's statewide early childhood nonprofit funder and convener, analogous to OPSR's role as Oklahoma's Early Childhood State Advisory Council. Both organizations coordinate funding, set local program standards, and operate child care resource & referral networks at the state level.

Regional players

• Southwest Human Development: Southwest Human Development is an Arizona-based ECE nonprofit providing early childhood services, including early literacy and family support. While Arizona-based, its comprehensive ECE portfolio—including Imagination Library state partnership—is comparable to OPSR's statewide program suite.

Emerging players

• Build Initiative: Build Initiative is a national ECE systems-building intermediary that supports state-level early childhood infrastructure and PDG implementation, directly comparable to OPSR's role as lead agency on Oklahoma's PDG B-5 systems-building grant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OPSReadiness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness