Reaching for the Stars:Building State Systems for School Readiness
Lead Presenter
Terry Tolan, Executive DirectorKentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood
Co- Presenter
Joe Roberts, DirectorKentucky Head Start Collaboration Office
The BIG Question . . .
If you could have ONE thing to improve Early Childhood Education in your State, what would it be?
Importance to ChildrenYoung minds develop at the earliest stage of life
0-5 Years 5 and older
Language
Sensory Pathways(Vision, Hearing)
Higher CognitiveFunctions
Pre-natal
85% of brain developmentoccurs before age 5
Source: C.A. Nelson from Neurons to Neighborhoods, 2000
Importance to ChildrenYoung minds develop at the earliest stage of life
Each score standardized within observed sample, Using all observations and assuming missing at random. Source: Brook-Gunn et al (2006)
3 5 8 18
1
.5
.0
Mean Achievement Test Scores By ageBy Maternal Education Level
College Graduate
Some College
Less than HS
High SchoolGrad
Importance to ChildrenYoung minds develop at the earliest stage of life
Cum
ulati
ve V
ocab
ular
y (W
ords
)
1200
600
200
16mo 24mo 36mo
Age (months)
College EducatedParents
Working ClassParents
Source: Hart & Risley (1995)
WelfareParents
US Department of EducationAdministration for Children and Families
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
Race to the Top – Early Learning ChallengePhase One Winners
Race to the Top – Early Learning ChallengePhase One Winners
Race to the Top – Early Learning ChallengePhase One Winners
State AlignmentAll Sectors Moving in the Same Direction
SchoolReadiness
Head StartEarly Head Start
State FundedPre-Kindergarten
CommunityBased Child Care &Home Care
Kindergarten Readiness Screener
TQRIS
Parent Engagement
Professional Development
P-20 Data Collaborative
Early Learning
Standards & Assessments
Improve School
Readiness
Elements of the State System
Our Business ModelEarly Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC)
Children Enter Kindergarten Ready
High Quality Early Learning
EnvironmentsSupportive Families Access to Data
Participation in STARS
A great early childhood workforce
Families understand child health and
developmental needs
Common Kindergarten
Entry Screener
Scholarships & PD Plans
Families are engaged
Children have access to
appropriate services
Data is shared by early childhood
programs
Ready to Grow…Ready to Learn…Ready to Succeed
The five developmental areas for school readiness are: • Approaches to learning • Social and emotional development• Health and physical well being • Cognitive and general knowledge • Language and communication development
In Kentucky School Readiness is. . .
• 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
Common Kindergarten Entry Screener
Universal Screener
• 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• Contact information for local CECC
Community Early Childhood Councils (CECCs)
… a vehicle for bringing together many community members to
support issues of importance to children and families.
… addresses the unique needs and strengths of local communities related to early childhood.
Priority #1: School Readiness
Changing the community conversation
COMMONVISION
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.
Kindergarten Readiness Screener
TQRIS
Parent Engagement
Professional Development
P-20 Data Collaborative
Early Learning
Standards & Assessments
Improve School
Readiness
Elements of the State System
Community Engagement
Assessment
Assessment
Data Systems
STARS for Kids Now
ProfessionalDevelopment
Community Collaboration
You Make the Difference!
Governor’s Office of Early Childhood125 Holmes St.Frankfort, KY 40601502-782-0200
http://kidsnow.ky.gov
Thank You!