Reaching for the Stars: Building Systems for School Readiness and Beyond

1. Reaching for the Stars: Building Systems for School Readiness and Beyond

2. Presenters Felicia Smith, Kentucky Department of Education Terry Tolan, Governor’s Office of Early Childhood

3. The five leadership roles for school boards: • Set clear and high expectations • Create the conditions for success • Hold the system accountable • Create the public will to succeed • Learn as a board team

4. Importance to Children Young minds develop at the earliest stage of life Language Sensory Pathways (Vision, Hearing) Higher Cognitive Functions Pre-natal 0-5 Years 5 and older 85% of brain development occurs before age 5 Source: C.A. Nelson from Neurons to Neighborhoods, 2000

5. Critical Benchmarks School Readiness Early Grade Reading Proficiency Middle Grade Success On-time high school graduation Ready for College and Career Community populations of special concern Health & physical development Preschool Program Review Social, emotional & intellectual development Children from low-income families Language & literacy development Successful transitions to Kindergarten K-3 Program Review

6. Importance to Children Gaps Start Early 1200 College Educated Parents Working Class Parents 600 Cumulative Vocabulary (Words) Welfare Parents 200 16mo 24mo 36mo Age (months) Source: Hart & Risley (1995)

7. State Alignment All Sectors Moving in the Same Direction Head Start Early Head Start State Funded Pre-Kindergarten School Ready College and Career Ready Community Based Child Care & Home Care

8. Why are the early years so important? The transition from primary grades to intermediate grades Learn to Read Read to Learn Pre-K to third grade 4th grade and up “Learning to read by the end of third grade is the most important predictor of success for children. If children have not learned to read by that time, they will be unable to read to learn in the upper elementary and secondary grades.” Terry Holliday, KY Education Commissioner

9. Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) Timeline 1990 2000 2009 2011 KERA KIDS NOW Governor’s Task Force ECAC Kentucky Education Reform Act – Created State-Funded Preschool program Kentucky Invests in Developing Success – Created The Early Childhood Development Authority. Committed 25% of tobacco settlement to Early Childhood Governors Task Force on Early Childhood Development & Education A 28 member task force makes eight recommendations for early childhood in Kentucky Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) Governor creates the 26 member council to promote program accountability and provide guidance that affects Kentucky children and families

10. System Integration is a Must • Race To The Top/Early Learning Challenge • Integrated state systems • Cross Sector tiered quality and improvement system including child care, head start, and public preschool • Integrated professional development • Meaningful family engagement • Use of assessments  to measure child progress • Integrated longitudinal data system

11. Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Phase One Winners

12. Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Phase Two Winners

13. Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge All Applicants

14. Elements of the State System Kindergarten Readiness Screener Parent Engagement P-20 Data Collaborative Improve School Readiness Professional Development Early Learning Standards & Assessments TQRIS

15. Our Business ModelEarly Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) Children Enter Kindergarten Ready High Quality Early Learning Environments Supportive Families Access to Data Common Kindergarten Entry Screener Families understand child health and developmental needs Participation in STARS A great early childhood workforce Families are engaged Children have access to appropriate services Data is shared by early childhood programs Scholarships & PD Plans

16. Birth to Three KYECS Three and Four KYECS Head Start Framework KY Core Academic Standards Kentucky School Readiness Physical Development Kentucky Early Childhood Standards Linkages Across Standards Health & Physical Well-being Motor Development Physical Development & Health Physical Education Health Education Mental Wellness Health Education Social & Emotional Development Social Emotional Development Social Emotional Development Practical Living Vocational Studies Dance College & Career Ready Music Creative expression Arts & Humanities Creative Arts Expression Drama Visual Arts Social Studies Knowledge and Skill Social Studies Social Studies Science Knowledge & Skills Science Cognitive & General Knowledge Cognitive Development Science Mathematics Knowledge & Skills Mathematics Mathematics Logic & Reasoning Technology Literacy Knowledge & Skills Language & Communication Development Communication Development Language Arts English Language Arts Language Development Approaches To Learning Approaches To Learning

17. What is School Readiness Ready to grow. . . Ready to learn. . . Ready to succeed! In Kentucky, School Readiness means ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​that a child enters school ready to engage in and benefit from early learning experiences that best promote the child’s success. • Eats a balanced diet • Gets plenty of rest • Receives immunizations and medical exams • Runs, jumps, climbs and does other activities that develop muscles and provides exercise • Sorts and classifies objects • Identifies basic colors • Recognizes name and general shapes • Counts up to 30 • Understands concept of time • Uses toilet without help • Fastens and unfastens own clothing • Feeds self using utensils • Keeps track of personal belongings • Plays and shares with other children • Follows simple rules and routines • Shows curiosity • Explores new things • Works well alone • Speaks in five or six word sentences • Know s full name • Reads and writes own name • Knows how books work • Knows the difference between print and pictures • Uses pictures to tell stories • Knows home address

18. Common Kindergarten Entry Screener BRIGANCE® Kindergarten Screener will be used by all Kindergarten programs 109 districts implemented the screen in 2012 voluntarily Participation will be required beginning in the 2013 school year 704 KAR 5:070 provides guidance in the administration and use of data Administered within 15 calendar days before the first instructional day and no later than the thirtieth instructional day

19. Common Kindergarten Entry Screener IS: a moment in time snapshot of the child’s development IS NOT: an “entrance exam” for kindergarten IS: to be used to help teachers best meet the needs of that child and their class collectively IS NOT: to be used for “tracking” or labeling children Every child is eligible for kindergarten once they meet the age requirement. Schools must be ready to meet the needs of all eligible students.

20. Common Kindergarten Entry Screener Pilot Districts Fall 2012

21. Why is Kentucky Screening Kindergarteners? • Inform decision-making about early childhood systems • Identify our statewide and local challenges • Mobilize communities • Allow us to communicate results of our work • To demonstrate “return on investment” • To encourage continuous improvement

22. What’s Next? Community Profiles • Screener results • composite screener score • results in each domain • participation rate and number screened • county score and state score • scores by target population  • Prior settings and dosage where available • System of Care • STARS-rated centers, • HANDS, First Steps, Pre-K • Program quality, scholarships and credentials • Demographics Health - low birth weight rates, poverty • General Information • ontact information for local CECC

23. … a vehicle for bringing together many community members to support issues of importance to children and families. Community Early Childhood Councils (CECCs) … addresses the unique needs and strengths of local communities related to early childhood.

24. Community Early Childhood Councils (CECCs)make it happen at the local level! • Public Library • Regional Training Centers • Community Action Agency • Health care professionals/ health department • College or tech schools • Parents/Foster parents • Government • Early childhood advocates • Business Community School District Head Start/ Early Head Start Child Care Family Resource Centers Resource & Referral Agency Early Intervention Cooperative Extension United Way/Success by 6

25. Community Early Childhood Councils (CECCs)Forming the new vision RIGHT MEMBERSHIP: SCHOOLS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE SHARED GOALS COMMON VISION: ALL CHILDREN READY LEADERSHIP MEASURABLE RESULTS

26. Priority #1: School Readiness Changing the community conversation Every Kentucky child will enter school ready to succeed. Every parent will know what school readiness looks like and what they can do with their child to assure their success Every community will understand that it takes all of us to get this work done. COMMON VISION

27. Priority #1: School Readiness Changing the community conversation Kindergarten Ready Graduation from High School College and Career Ready COMMON VISION

28. Building on a Framework for Success Improving School Readiness Improving Environments STARS Participation Quality Workforce Ensuring Quality Learning Environments Supporting Families Improving Environments Supporting Families Providing Data Opportunities For Shared Learning Materials and Activities Enhancing Access to Services Helping parents be better first teachers Providing Data Access to Screening Continuous Assessment Data Sharing and Training Entire Community

29. Collaboration Across the Commonwealth Best Practices in Early Childhood Partnerships Toyota bornlearning Academies 2012 Grantees Grandview Elementary, Bellevue Boston Elementary, New Haven Crabbe Elementary, Ashland H.W. Wilkey Elementary, Leitchfield May Valley Elementary, Prestonsburg Farley Elementary, Paducah Hiseville Elementary, Glasgow Burgin Elementary, Burgin Berea Elementary, Berea East Calloway Elementary, Murray

30. Collaboration Across the Commonwealth Best Practices in Early Childhood Partnerships Woodford Early Childhood Triads Hardin Get Ready Camp Child Care Initiative Madison Early Childhood Alliance Christian Pre K / Childcare Partnerships Laurel Head Start & Childcare Partnerships

31. What We Need from School Boards • Make kindergarten readiness a local priority • Create expectations for collaboration with early childhood stakeholders • Use local data to guide decision-making • Support the work of CECCs • Stress that schools must be ready to meet the needs of all children • Collect and share data with parents and others

32. You Make the Difference! Thank You!