State Advisory Council Birth to Age 8 Alignment through the Rural Opportunities Initiative March 2012 Background Document.

State Advisory Council Birth to Age 8 Alignment through the Rural Opportunities Initiative

March 2012

Background Document

State Advisory Council Background

The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 requires the Governor of each “State” to designate or establish a council to serve as the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care for children from birth to school entry.

To be eligible to receive a grant, a state had to prepare and submit an application for a three-year period that addresses select criteria.

The State Advisory Council is responsible for leading the development or enhancement of a high-quality, comprehensive system of early childhood development and care that ensures statewide coordination and collaboration among the range of programs and services in the State including: child care, Head Start, IDEA preschool and infants and families programs, pre-kindergarten programs and services.

2

State Advisory Council Membership

Board of Early Education and Care

Policy and Research Committee Participants (for SAC):

Mal Hughes, Chairperson of the Massachusetts Head Start Association Board of Directors (transitioned from former Massachusetts Head Start Association Executive Director, Nancy Topping-Tailby)

Kate Roper – MA Department of Public Health

Janice Santos - Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start

Jay Smith – Parent Representative (Currently Vacant)

3

SAC Overall Funding

Three year funding total $1,301,837

EEC is required to match 70% of the grant funding each year. EEC is matching to actual expenditures.  As of 10/31/11, EEC has matched $408,701. 

The match figure will be updated for the next report due for the period ending 3/31/12. 

  Each year, a portion of the match is for personnel, fringe, and

other costs.  The non-federal share comes from the annual funding the Commonwealth of Massachusetts appropriates to support the IT infrastructure of the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).  This system enables EEC to process, track, and analyze data to ensure that quality child care and education is properly administered throughout the Commonwealth.  This source of funding is 100% state funded and not claimed for federal purposes. 

4

SAC Project Funding

5

Project Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Early Childhood Information System Development and Use $40,000

$80,000

$70,000

Needs Assessment $47,300 $20,000 $20,000 B-8 Community Planning and PreK-3 Partnerships $95,000

$94,500

$94,000

Early Education/ Higher Education Workforce Preparation Partnership $60,000

$0

$0 Policy and Best Practices for Children and Families with Limited English Proficiency and/or Developmental Delays or Multiagency Involvement $0

$60,000

$60,000 Totals $242,300 $254,500 $244,000

SAC: Focus Areas

1. Early Childhood Information System Development and Use

2. Needs Assessment

3. B-8 Community Planning and PreK-3 Partnerships

4. Early Education/Higher Education Workforce Preparation Partnership

5. Policy and Best Practices for Children & Families with Limited English Proficiency and/or Developmental Delays or Multiagency Involvement

6

7

Birth to 8 Alignment:Key Principles and Elements

How the Science Guides Policy

Shonkoff, Jack P., MD: Leveraging an Integrated Science of Early Childhood Development to Strengthen the Foundations of Health, Learning, and Behavior. Harvard University Center on the Developing Child. Presentation to the EEC 2010 Early Childhood Information Systems Strategic Planning Institute - Cambridge, MA | November 18, 2010

8

Mission Statements Support Alignment

provide the foundation that supports all children in their development as lifelong learners and contributing members of the community, and supports families in their essential work as parents and caregivers.

strengthen the Commonwealth’s public education system so that every student is prepared to succeed in postsecondary education, compete in the global economy, and understand the rights and responsibilities of American citizens, and in so doing, to close all proficiency gaps.

Department of Early Education and Care

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

9

Head StartImprove Children’s school readiness outcomes and promote changes that integrate children into a continuum of high-quality early care and education spanning from birth to age eight.

Key Principles in Birth to 8 Alignment

1. Horizontal alignment

2. Vertical alignment

3. Temporal alignment

10

Principle 1: Horizontal Alignment

Horizontal alignment

Vertical alignment

Temporal alignment

Horizontal alignment

is created by using consistent learning approaches within an age range or grade.

Full-day kindergarten

11

Principle 2: Vertical Alignment

Horizontal alignment

Vertical alignment

Temporal alignment

Vertical alignment is created by using consistent learning approaches across ages or grades.

1st grade

K

Pre-K

2nd grade

3rd grade

12

Principle 3: Temporal Alignment

Horizontal alignment

Vertical alignment

Temporal alignment

Temporal alignment is created by using consistent learning approaches across a child’s day.

13

What Does Birth to 8 Alignment Look Like?

1 Kauerz, Kristie (2011). Sustaining Your Work: PreK-3rd Implementation and Evaluation Framework; a presentation to ESE PK-3 grantees. Harvard University: Cambridge, MA.

Mechanisms forCross-Sector

Alignment

Teacher Quality &Capacity

Transitions and Pathways

Administrators &Leadership

Quality

Engaged Families

InstructionalEnvironment

(school andClassroom)

Data andAssessment

InstructionalTools and Practices

Cross AgencyCollaboration

on P-3

SAC Birth to 8 Community Planning

Support for community birth through age 8 (B-8) strategic plans, anchored in local data on: Child/family needs, and The quality/effectiveness of Pre-K through Grade 3 aligned

systems linking local schools, local providers, and families through grants to communities.

Development of tools and assessments which are aligned based on child development including standards, to be used locally between the early education and public schools

A state-wide series of meetings between public preschool and Head Start representatives with a focus on full implementation of the required activities of the federally required Head Start –LEA Memorandum of Understanding

EEC and ESE hosted a Birth to 8 Leadership Institute Early Educator Fellowship series

In response to feedback provided by the SAC suggesting that resources be targeted to rural communities, in October 2011 EEC awarded grants to rural communities to support birth to 8 community planning.

15

SAC Birth to 8 Community Planning: Rural Community Support Grant

Two Core Functions of the Grant

Rural Community Strategic Planning:  One-time grants to selected Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grantees serving rural communities to support community birth through age 8 (“B-8”) three year strategic plans, anchored in local data.  • Plans will be based on child and family needs and the quality and

effectiveness of B-8 aligned systems linking local schools, local providers and families through grants to communities.

Birth to 8 Assessment, Screening, and Curriculum Support and Alignment:  One-time grants to non-profit entities serving rural communities in partnership with public school, public school districts and/or a Charter school serving children pre-kindergarten to third grade, to support assessment, screening, and curriculum support and alignment within the communities.

16

SAC Rural Community Support Grant Update

17

Timeframe: October 31, 2011 – February 29, 2012 5 proposals were funded (of 9 received) based on their

demonstration of need These applicants cover service areas that align with SAC’s

recommended goal to support rural geographic locations with limited resources in Western and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Grantee

Community Strategic Planning

B-8 Assessment, Screening, and

Curriculum Alignment

Ashburnham-Westminster $5,000 Cape Cod Children's Place

$21,103

Nantucket Public School $5,000 $14,971 Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative

$43,146

Sandwich Public Schools $5,000 Total $15,000 $79,220

SAC Rural Community Support Grant: Birth to 8 Assessment, Screening and Curriculum Support and Alignment Goals

The SAC Rural Community Support Grant: Birth to 8 Assessment, Screening, and Curriculum Support and Alignment focus area supports private non-profit early education and care providers and public school partnerships to establish assessment, screening and curriculum alignment birth to 8 in rural communities.

The goals for this component of the grant are to: facilitate dialogue among local entities (i.e., public schools

and early education and care programs) to support the alignment and a shared understanding of curriculum, assessment and screening practices and trainings in the communities served,

make clear, specific recommendations on assessment and screening tools and practices that will support alignment; and

develop a plan for coordinated assessment, screening and curriculum alignment that will best support children and families in the communities served across the mixed delivery system.18

Birth to 8 Assessment, Screening, Curriculum Support and Alignment Grant Activities

19

Grant Goals Cape Cod Lower Pioneer Valley NantucketFacilitate dialogue among local entities to support a shared understanding of aligned curriculum, assessment and screening practices and trainings in the communities served

• Invited educators to participate in study on assessment tool use (20 participated) DA, TQC

• Disseminated report of survey findings through community open house EF

• Held organizational meeting with project partners

• Administered survey on use of screenings to community based and public school programs DA, TQC

• Held 5 community based meetings on survey results (strengths, needs, barriers, benefits, etc) DA, EF

• Will use social media to share resources with the community EF

• Held 3 roundtables: parent education, educator challenges, professional development, and the screening process. DA, EF, TP, TQC

• Held presentations on importance of alignment MCA, TP

• Created a Facebook page to keep community current on events/resources EF

Make clear, specific recommendations on assessment and screening tools and practices that will support alignment

• Survey findings report included areas of consistency and areas needing improvement DA, MCA, TQC

• Report of trends, and recommendations for next steps is in process DA, MCA

Develop plan for coordinated assessment, screening and curriculum alignment to support children/families in the community’s mixed delivery system

• Obtained feedback at community open house to use in developing plan DA, EF

• Will participate in Early Educators Fellowship Institute on birth to 8 local planning efforts across the mixed delivery system MCA, TP, TQC

Next Steps EEC Community and Family Engagement Specialist visits to grantees:

Cape Cod -- March 20th

Lower Pioneer Valley – March 20th

Grantees must report on the following by March 16, 2012: Plans for coordinated assessment practices on:

• children’s growth and development; • literacy development; and• support for dual language learners.

Community-level recommendations for assessment and screening tools to be used or aligned among community partners.

Release a 2nd round of competitive funding in FY12 ($95K) to support the following communities: Gateway Cities (24 cities), Federal Home Visiting grantees (17 communities), and Level 4 schools (40 schools in 10 districts)

20