Head Start and Public Schools
Strengthening Birth to PK-3 Partnerships
Approaches to Linking PK-3 in Massachusetts:
Activities to Support Continuity for Children and
Families Across Early Learning and Elementary
Grades
Community Meetings
June 2011
Including Data from the Office
Of Head Start Summit, “On the
Road to School Readiness”
presented by Catherine Scott-Little
on February 15-17, 2011
Baltimore, MD
Welcome
Who is here today:
•
Head Start-HS
•
•
Public Schools- PS
•
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Department of Public Health Early Intervention Regional
Specialist, E.I. Assistant Director, Children’s Community
Development Specialist.
Coordinated Family and Community Engagement
•
2
Early Childhood Director, Kindergarten Transition Specialist,
Assistant Program Director, PS Service Coordinator, Director of
Unified Services, School Special Educator, and Principal of Early
Education Center.
Early Intervention-EI
•
•
Program Directors, Education Supervisors, Child Outcomes
Coordinator, Assistance Program Directors, Special Needs
Coordinators, Social Service Coordinator, Disabilities Specialist,
Director of Program Development and Operations, & MHSA
Executive Director.
CFCE Program Coordinator
Overview of Presentation
Content:
•
PK-3 Alignment
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
On the Road to School Readiness
•
•
Aligning State Standards, the Head Start Child Development Early
Learning Frameworks & Our Work with Children
Head Start & Public Schools Memorandum of Agreement
•
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3
Mission Statements Support Alignment
What Science and Research Tell us
Key PK-3 Principles and Elements
Examples of current and future activities
Other Initiatives -Birth to age 8
Infrastructure and Accountability
Looking Ahead
Guiding principles
Purpose of MOU
10 Federally Mandated Activities
State Current & Future Activities to Support MOU Implementation
Mission Statements to Support
PK-3 Alignments
4
Mission Statements Support Alignment
Department of Early Education and Care
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.

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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.
Head Start
Improve 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.
Boston Public Schools
5
As the birthplace of public education in this nation, the Boston Public
Schools is committed to transforming the lives of all children through
exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming
schools. We partner with the community, families and students to
develop within every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in
college, career, and life.
Our unified
vision is...
…Proficiency on Grade 3 Statewide
Literacy and Mathematics Assessments
6
What Science and Research
Tell Us About Child Development
7
What the Science Tells Us About
Child Development
8

The brain’s architecture is being built
from the bottom up

Early experiences literally shape the
developing brain—for good or ill
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
9
What We Know from
Experience and Research
Children enter school with vastly different skills. Research shows that gaps
in learning exist by 18 months of age.
High quality preschool supports children to develop age appropriate skills
and be ready to succeed in kindergarten.
Children’s overall healthy development is critical to learning. Social and
emotional competencies as well as physical health are tied to academic
success.
The support and involvement of families in their child’s education and
development is necessary for successful learning.
10
National Center for Children in Poverty
Access Related Data (2009)
There are 459,330 children in
MA under age six, 29% live in
low income
11
Children Experiencing Multiple Risks in MA
12
Policies to Consider and Discuss
13

Universal Preschool

Mandated, Universal Full-Day Kindergarten
(Offering and Attendance)

Class Size and/or Ratio Regulations in PK-3

Shift in access eligibility from family
income to child need
PK-3 Alignments:
Key Principles and Elements
14
Key Principles in the PK-3 Alignment
1. Horizontal alignment
2. Vertical alignment
3. Temporal alignment
15
Principle 1: Horizontal Alignment
 Horizontal
alignment
16

Vertical
alignment

Temporal
alignment
Horizontal alignment
is created by using
consistent learning
approaches within an
age range or grade.
Principle 2: Vertical Alignment



Horizontal
alignment
Vertical
alignment
Temporal
alignment
3rd grade
2nd
grade
1st grade
K
Pre-K
17
Vertical alignment
is created by using
consistent learning
approaches across
ages or grades.
Principle 3: Temporal Alignment
18

Horizontal
alignment

Vertical
alignment

Temporal
alignment
Temporal alignment
is created by using
consistent learning
approaches across a
child’s day.
What does Pk-3 look like
in Massachusetts?
A coordinated and
collaborative approach
19
Instructional
Tools and
Practices
Mechanisms for
Cross-Sector
Alignment
Teacher Quality &
Capacity
Data and
Assessment
Cross Agency
Collaboration
on P-3
Transitions and
Pathways
Instructional
Environment
(school and
Classroom)
Engaged Families
Administrators &
Leadership
Quality
20
PK-3 Elements
1
Mechanisms for cross-sector alignment
(Governance, strategic plans)
Administrators and Leadership Quality
(Leadership is inclusive/facilitative and focused on instruction)
Teacher Quality and Capacity
(Focus on credentials and professional development; professional dispositions;
professional community)
Instructional Tools and Practices
(Curriculum content; alignment of standards and curricula; pedagogical methods)
Instructional Environment
(Student-centered learning culture (classroom and school))
Data and Assessments
(Data and assessment used to improve instruction)
Engaged Families
(Families and communities engaged in student learning)
Transitions and Pathways
(Focus on children’s movement through the continuum)
1
Kauerz, Kristie (2011). Sustaining Your Work: PreK-3rd Implementation and Evaluation Framework; a
presentation to ESE PK-3 grantees. Harvard University: Cambridge, MA.
Examples of PK-3 Elements:
Current & Future
Activities
22
Mechanisms for Cross-Sector Alignment
(Examples of current and future activities to support PK-3
initiative)

Executive Office of Education Inter-agency
Taskforce focused on PK-3 Literacy

Support the Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) between EEC and Springfield PS to develop
a PK-3 infrastructure

Early Childhood State Advisory Council (SAC)

Support collaborative efforts between early
education and care providers and the public schools
(e.g., joint professional development)

Co-sponsor an Institute on Literacy and
Mathematics, weaving the social-emotional and
family engagement frameworks into the content
Administrators and Leadership
Quality
(Examples of current and future activities to support PK-3
initiatives)

Support the CAYL Institute and Principal
Leadership forums

Create a survey course for Literacy PK-3 in
collaboration with University of Massachusetts
Boston

Link the STEM work with the professional
development priorities around literacy and
mathematics in early education

Support principals to develop early education
and early elementary expertise
24
Teacher Quality and Capacity
(Examples of current and future activities to support
PK-3 initiative)

EEC Licensing requirements and ESE Teacher
certification requirements

Administer the Early Literacy Grant and the Early
Childhood Special Education Grants

Create opportunities for collaborative team planning
between general and special education

Create common planning time for school staff across
and between grade levels

Coordinate across program types to support children
with disabilities
25
Instructional Tools and Practices
(Examples of current and future activities to support PK-3
initiative)
Standards:
 Roll-out the 2011 Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for
English Language Arts and Literacy and the Massachusetts
Curriculum Framework for Mathematics
Curriculum:
 Align the Guidelines for Preschool Learning Experiences and
Kindergarten Learning Experiences with the new frameworks
 Integrate content areas and create interdisciplinary
curriculum
 Develop a birth to literacy curriculum for educators
Instruction:
 Ensure developmentally appropriate practice in PK-3
classrooms
 Provide knowledge of child development to teachers,
administrators and assistants
 Differentiate instruction
 Implement tiered systems of support
 Enrich learning experiences for children
PK-3
 Focus on the whole child
 Use play effectively to promote learning
26
Instructional Environments
(Examples of current and future activities to support PK-3 initiative)

Administer the PK-3 Curriculum, Instruction,
and Assessment Alignment Project

Administer the Universal Preschool Grant

Administer the Quality Full-Day Kindergarten
Grant

Quality Rating and Improvement System
(QRIS)

Create small class sizes and appropriate adult:
student ratios

Alignment of schools and after-school and
out-of-school time programs related to
curriculum, instructional strategies, and
professional development
27
Data and Assessments

(Examples of current and future activities to
support PK-3 initiative)
Develop and use data systems to address PK-3 issues

Implement comprehensive assessment approaches by
using formative assessment, progress monitoring, and
summative student data

Replicate the Chicago Study focused on
Literacy/Mathematics and social-emotional competencies

Use Classroom Assessment Scoring System instrument
in Head Start programs, as an option in QRIS and in some
Quality Full-Day Kindergarten grant classrooms.

Implement Quality Rating and Improvement System
requirements for evidence-based formative
assessments in early education and care programs
(infant, toddler, and preschool) and after-school and out28
of-school time programs
Engaged Families
(Examples of current and future activities to support PK-3 initiative)

Administer the Coordinated Family and Community
Engagement Grants (EEC)

Create opportunities for staff from EEC and ESE to
jointly develop a family and community engagement
framework

Support the work of the Wraparound Services
model and School Turnaround work, including
engagement of families

Conduct home visits and other non-traditional
strategies (e.g., parent groups, resource rooms)

Build partnerships among families, schools, and
community-based organizations

Access behavioral health services and other
supports (e.g., mental health)
EEC Family and Community Engagement Networks
FY12 CFCE
Grant Awards
Total :107
30
Transitions and Pathways
(Examples of current and future activities to support PK-3 initiative)

Support student transitions within and across
grades

Create and use common transition forms
between public and community-based preschool
programs to share data with kindergarten teachers

Provide opportunities for preschool children to
visit kindergarten classrooms and kindergarten
teachers to visit children in their preschool program

Develop a common understanding about student
expectations and share that understanding among
birth to five providers and PK-3 staff
31
Other Related
Statewide Initiatives
32
Birth to Eight Leadership Institute
33

In partnership with ESE, EEC is sponsoring a Birth the 8
Leadership Fellowship Institute focused on three areas of
importance:
 child growth and development;
 literacy, and
 dual language learners.

Educators are eligible for the Fellowship if they are:
 An elementary school principal; or
 A director of a program such as Head Start, center-based and
out-of-school time care programs, and FCC systems

The Institute includes three in-depth meetings with national
experts and state leaders on March 26, April 30, and June 4, 2011.

Meetings target leaders throughout Massachusetts, with priority
for principals of Level 4 Elementary Schools, and include
proportionate numbers of representatives from Head Start, family
child care, center-based care and other programs.

Cities/towns represented by multiple participants:
Boston Fitchburg Lawrence
Salem
Springfield
Chelsea Holyoke New Bedford Southbridge Worcester
SAC Goal 3 – B-8 Community Planning and
PK-3 Partnerships
Co-Investment Funding Partnership Contracts with
the Philanthropic Sector
 Support for community birth through age 8 (B-8)
strategic plans, anchored in local data on:
 Child/family needs, and
 The quality/effectiveness of PK 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

SAC Goal 3 Related Updates:
1. ESE/ EEC PK – 3 Partnership
2. Head Start and the Public Schools
34
Proposal: Grants to Support Birth to 8
Community Planning in Rural Communities

In response to feedback provided by the SAC suggesting that
resources be targeted to rural communities, EEC proposes
awarding grants to rural communities to support birth to 8
community planning.

Grants relate to SAC Goal 3: Birth to 8 Community Planning
and Pre-k to 3rd partnerships.
• EEC plans to allocate $95,000 of the ARRA SAC the
purpose of rural community planning grants.
• Grants will be approximately $5,000 each and will be
focused on supporting the needs of children and families
in rural communities through community planning.
• EEC has reviewed population per square foot and the
number of children ages 0-5 in communities to
determine which communities would be eligible to
apply for funds (see following data).
35
Out-of-School Time Literacy Initiative
Out-of-School Time (OST) Literacy and Learning
Promotion Initiative
36

Goal is to retain or increase students’ academic gains,
particularly in the area of literacy, by reinforcing their school day and
year learning through high-impact activities and effective curricula
during the summer months and throughout the school year.

Supports OST programs’ ability to implement high-impact
learning activities through partnerships with public school districts
for direct training, modeling of effective direct instructional practice
and coaching/feedback for program staff).

The United Way is partnering with BOSTnet, WestMOST, and
Boston DELTAS to support Out of School Time programs in
partnering with seven school districts (Boston, Lowell, Lawrence,
Lynn, Holyoke, Springfield, Worcester) designated “Commissioner’s
Districts” by ESE

United Way Mass Bay is also collaborating with United Way of
Central Massachusetts and United Way of Pioneer Valley to
provide a statewide learning community for participants in the
initiative.

Evaluation results show that 85% of all participants avoided
typical summer literacy loss; 68% showed gains in reading
Literacy Initiatives
37

Grants to the USDOE “Promise Neighborhoods” to support Early
literacy engagement with “hard to reach” families who currently are
not connected to any community agency in their area

Interactive training on assessment strategies for working with Second
Language Learners through the Umass Donohue Initiative;
participants receive an overview of the pre Language Assessment
Scales (preLAS) oral language and pre-literacy assessment for four,
five, and six year olds and strategies to use in the classroom and with
families to support second language acquisition.

The Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP) literacy trainings for family
child care providers (ARRA funded)

Introductory Presentations on the 2011 Massachusetts Curriculum
Framework/PK-12 Common Core Standards for English Language
Arts and Math through the Regional Readiness Centers

Get Ready to Read! national initiative to build the early literacy skills
of preschool-age children provides an easy-to-administer, researchbased screening tool to early childhood educators, child care providers,
and parents in order to help them prepare all children to learn to read
and write

Forum on literacy professional development and community
engagement in partnership with Reach Out and Read
State Level Efforts on Early Childhood Assessment
38

EEC and ESE rolling out a PK-3 framework that looks at the alignment
of curriculum, instruction, and assessment from birth up through
grade 3 as well as elements such as leadership, professional
development, and family engagement.
 Critical to promoting and understanding young children’s
development and learning and, ultimately, will lead to their success
in school.
 Assessment of young children that is developmentally appropriate
is an important element of this framework.

Think about assessment within the context of the PK-3
framework, not just school readiness/kindergarten readiness.
 Look at children’s growth and progress in an ongoing way over time
to understand where they are in their learning trajectories and how
to best support them to optimize their development and learning.
 Assessment of children at a single point-in-time and in isolation of
ongoing assessment practices doesn’t provide us with the broader
picture of a child’s development and how to optimize their learning.

An early childhood assessment system must be comprehensive and
focus on the whole child; research on children and educational
outcomes has documented the importance of children’s physical and
social-emotional health on their availability and ability to learn.
State Level Efforts on Early Childhood Assessment

39
MA has taken a slow-and-steady approach to the
requirement to create a kindergarten readiness assessment
system for a number of reasons.
 There are many different curricula and assessment practices
being used and we want to make sure that we understand
those practices in order to best inform what our system
should look like.
 We want to be clear on the questions that a kindergarten
readiness assessment system should answer so that we can
ensure that we have the right tools to collect the necessary
data.
 We want to make sure that we have properly trained
the field on the importance of developmentally appropriate
assessment, how to do it, and how to use the data to inform
instruction and program improvements.
 We want to make sure that whatever we create for an early
childhood assessment system aligns with infant-toddler
growth and development as well as growth and development
of children in the PK-Grade 3 system.
Assessment: Kindergarten Readiness
40
Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Model Design and Pilot
 EEC has selected New York University (NYU) Child and Family
Policy Center (CFPC) as the vendor for a the Kindergarten
Readiness Assessment Model Design and Pilot Project.
 CFPC will design a model of formative and/or summative
assessment that can be used in preschool and/or kindergarten in
the mixed system of early education and care programs as well as
public school programs to demonstrate children’s kindergarten
readiness level.
 The model will serve the following purposes:
 Provide child-level data to educators which can be used to
inform classroom practice and individualize instruction for
children;
 Provide data that can be aggregated at the program level for
site-based improvement and growth tracking;
 Provide sample or complete data sets that can be aggregated at
the state level to make statements about the school readiness
level of children in the Commonwealth and inform policymaker
decision making.
 CFPC will also develop a training module for teachers, select pilot
sites and work with educators to collect pre and post-test
assessments of teachers perceptions of the feasibility, acceptability
and educational benefit of the direct assessments being Piloted.
Infrastructure to Provide Access
to High Quality Services
41
Infrastructure to Provide Access to High Quality
Services: Current and future activities to support Pk-3
42

Administer the PK-3 Curriculum, Instruction, and
Assessment Alignment Project

Support the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
between EEC and Springfield PS to develop a PK-3
infrastructure

Administer the Universal Preschool Grant and the
Quality Full-Day Kindergarten Grant

Create small class sizes and appropriate adult :
student ratios

Alignment of schools and after-school and out-ofschool time programs related to curriculum,
instructional strategies, and professional development

State Assigned Student Identifier (SASID)
exchange pilot between EEC and ESE

EEC Professional Qualifications Registry open to
license exempt public school programs

Implementation of QRIS-PK as a partner with
school districts by focusing on the five areas
Purposes of the Massachusetts QRIS
Programs and providers use one streamlined
set of standards that are connected to
supports and fiscal incentives to help them
meet and maintain the standards.
 Programs receive feedback and are involved in
continuous quality improvement.
 Parents have easily accessible information
about the quality of early care and education
programs.
 Policymakers understand where and how to
invest additional resources.

43
High-quality early education and care and out of
school opportunities are available throughout
the Commonwealth that demonstrate improved
outcomes for children.
There are QRIS Standards for Each QRIS
Program Type
Center-based/ School-Based Programs
For use by center-based and school-based programs,
including license-exempt center-based programs (i.e.
public school preschools, Montessori schools, or faithbased affiliated programs serving infants, toddlers,
preschool-age children).
Family Child Care
For use by Family Child Care homes
Afterschool/Out of School Time Programs
For use by After School and Out of School Time
programs, serving school-age children and youth
(kindergarten and up) outside of the hours of the
regular school day. Programs may be located on
public school premises.
44
MA QRIS Standards are organized
in 5 Categories with Subcategories
1. Curriculum and Learning:
1A. Curriculum, Assessment, and Diversity
1B. Teacher- Child Interactions
2. Safe, Healthy Indoor and outdoor Environments:
2A. Safe, Healthy Indoor and outdoor Environments
3. Workforce Qualifications and Professional
Development:
3A. Program Administrators
3B. Program Staff/Educators
4. Family and Community Engagement
4A. Family and Community Engagement
5. Leadership, Management and Administration:
5A. Leadership, Management, and Administration
5B. Supervision
45
QRIS Measurement Tools:
Environment Rating Scales
46
Infant/Toddler
Environment Rating
Scale, Revised Edition
•ITERS-R is designed to assess center-based
child care programs for infants and toddlers up
to 30 months of age. Also available Spanish.
Early Childhood
Environment Rating
Scale, Revised Edition
•ECERS-R is designed to assess group
programs for children of preschool through
kindergarten age, 2½ through 5. Expanded
score sheet and additional notes improve
accuracy in scoring. Also available Spanish.
Family Child Care
Environment Rating
Scale, Revised Edition
•FCCERS-R is designed to assess family child
care programs conducted in a provider's home
for children from infancy through school-age.
This resource is also available Spanish.
The School-Age Care
Environment Rating
Scale
•SACERS is a scale designed to assess groupcare programs for children of school age, 5 to
12. It contains full instructions for using the
scale, a training guide, and notes clarifying
selected items are also included.
http://ers.fpg.unc.
edu
QRIS Measurement Tools (Cont.)
Program Administration
Scale
(Center- School based)
Business Administration
Scale
Family Childcare
The Assessing Afterschool
Program Practices Tool
47
• PAS is a reliable and easy-to-administer tool designed
to assess quality in ten areas: human resources
development, personnel cost and allocation, center
operations, child assessment, fiscal management,
program planning and evaluation, family partnerships,
marketing and public relations, technology, and staff
qualifications.
• BAS is a reliable tool for measuring the overall quality
of business and professional practices in family child
care settings. When used with FCCERS-R these
instruments provide a comprehensive picture of the
quality of the family child care learning environment
and the business practices that support the program.
• APT is designed for programs serving children from
kindergarten through middle school. It includes two
tools.
• The APT Observation Tool (APT O) focuses on
observable program practices; and the
• APT Program Questionnaire (APT Q), a selfassessment tool which examines other aspects of
program quality ,such as program planning and
connections with schools and parents.
For More Info about PAS and BAS
http://cecl.nl.edu/evaluation/pas.htm
For More Info about APT:
http://www.niost.org/content/view/1652/282/
QRIS Measurement Tools (Cont.)
Arnett -Caregiver
Interaction Scale
(Arnett-CIS)
48
•The 26-item Arnett-Caregiver Interaction
Scale can be used without modification in both
center and home-based settings. The items
measure the emotional tone, discipline style,
and responsiveness of the caregiver in the
classroom. Available for Download from EEC’s
Website
The Classroom
Assessment Scoring
System (CLASS)
•The CLASS is a tool for observing and
assessing the qualities of interactions among
teachers and children in classrooms. It
measures the emotional, organizational, and
instructional supports provided by teachers
that are known from research to contribute to
children’s social development and academic
achievement.
Strengthening Families
Self-Assessment
•Strengthening Families Self-Assessment
offers tools to help programs make small but
significant changes in their day-to-day practice
to build Protective Factors with families.
•Strengthening Families Program Self
Assessment is should be used by all programs
participating in QRIS at Level 2.
For More Info about CLASS
http://www.teachstone.org/
For more Info about the Strengthening Families Self Assessment
Tools:http://www.strengtheningfamilies.net/index.php/online_resources/g
uide_assess/category/self_assessment/
Potential Partners to Build PK-3


















Executive Office of Education
Department of Higher Education and Institutions of Higher Education
EEC (Policy, Professional Development, Early Childhood Information
System)
ESE (Title 1, Targeted Assistance, Special Education, Learning
Support Services, Curriculum and Instruction, English
Language Acquisition, Adult and Community Education) and
the regional DSACs
CAYL Institute
Readiness Centers
Davis Foundation
United Way
Resource and Referral Agencies
Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership
Strategies for Children
Head Start
Non-profit Community-based Organizations
Independent Family Child Care Providers
Massachusetts Administrators of Special Education
Massachusetts Elementary Principals Association
Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents
Massachusetts Association of School Committees 49
Looking Ahead

Building upon the learning between Head Start and Public
Schools MOU experiences.

Aligning Pre K to grade three in every district.

SAC Needs Assessment Parent and Educator Surveys, Five Key
Research Questions:
1. What is the demand for resources to support child development for families with
children ages 0 to 13?
2. Which children and families have access to the programs that they need including
high quality EEC programs, health care and community resources and supports?
3. Are children, birth to age 13, on track to succeed when they enter school and
beyond?
4. How prepared is the EEC workforce to provide effective education and care for all?
How stable is the workforce? What supports are available to educators to become
more reflective practitioners?
5. How does the workforce define and understand quality in EEC programs?
50
Questions/Feedback?
51
Setting School
Readiness Goals
and Aligning State
Standards, the Head
Start CDEL
Framework and Our
Work with Children
and Families
Data from the Office Of Head
Start Summit, “On the Road to
School Readiness”
presented by Catherine Scott-Little
on February 15-17, 2011
Baltimore, MD
11
Reason 1: Head Start Act
Requirement
HEAD START ACT as amended 2007 (42USC9801
et. Seq) promotes use of/
alignment with ELS in:
– Professional Development
– Qualified staff
– School readiness goals for children
– Curriculum
– Head Start Collaboration Directors’ responsibilities
12
Reason 2:
Our children deserve it
Common expectations
from ELS/ELGs help
make sure all children
starting from the same
place
13
Reason 3:
Alignment of goals and curricula
is
the “heart” of smooth transitions
14
15
Alignment is
• The proper
adjustment of the
components of an
electronic circuit,
machine, etc., for
coordinated
functioning
– Dictionary.com
16
Mis-alignment
means potential
for
1
8
Alignment means potential for
1
9
There’s more to
alignment than meets
the eye
2
0
Many alignment analyses are low
complexity matrices
Another Document
One Document
Draws pictures with
crayons
Aligned?
Develops fine motor
skills

Knows own name
Identifies words that
rhyme
Plays with words,
sounds, and rhymes
2
1
In Head Start alignment means
• Coordinated functioning of
– Head Start Child Development and Early Learning
Framework
– State Early Learning Standards/Early Learning
Guidelines
– Goals and objectives for individual children, for
classrooms, and for the program
– Curriculum used in teaching
– Assessment used in gauging children’s learning &
development
– Communication with parents and families
17
Need to evaluate alignment on
several parameters
Balance: the degree to which the two
documents address the same domains
Depth: the degree to which the two
documents address the same specific skills
and knowledge within a domain
Difficulty: the degree to which the
expectations within the two documents reflect
a similar level of difficulty or age-level
Kagan, Scott-Little, Reid & Greenburg, 2007
22
23
Balance
Pre-K
Standards
6
%
38
20%
Social and Emotional
Development
%
8%
15
%
38
%
6
%
Physical Development
and Motor Skills
Infanttoddler
Standards
38
Approaches to Play
and Learning
Language and
Communication
%
Cognitive Development
and General
Knowledge
30
%
Scott-Little, Kagan, Reid & Greenburg, 2008
Difficulty:
Difficulty:
Infant/Toddler vs. PreKindergarten Total
Pre-Kindergarten vs.
Kindergarten Total
Percentage of Standard Indicator Pairs
Percentage of Standard Indicator Pairs

3% (6)
10%
68
(4
9)
%

(7)
65
22
%
(1
%
(15
1)
32
%
(7
5)
Younger Age Group
More Difficult than
Older Age Group (-)
6)

Equal Difficulty (=)
Older Age Group
More Difficult than
Younger Age Group
*184 Unpaired Indicators
(+)

* 96 Unpaired Indicators
Scott-Little, Kagan, Reid & Greenburg, 2008
27
Balance
• Head Start Child
Development and Early
Learning Framework
– Physical Development & Health
- Social & Emotional Development
- Approaches to Learning
– Language Development
– Literacy Knowledge & Skills
– Mathematics Knowledge & Skills
– Science Knowledge & Skills
– Creative Arts Expression
– Logic and Reasoning
– Social Studies Knowledge & Skills
– English Language Development
• State ELS may
– Have a lower percentage of
physical and health
– Have lower percentage of socialemotional
– Have higher percentage of
cognitive development and general
knowledge but omit logic and
reasoning
– Omit English Language
Development
28
Depth: State ELS/ELGs may
Physical development
and health
– Emphasize health
knowledge and practice less
Social-emotional
Approaches to
learning
Language and
communication
Cognitive
development
– Address additional areas of
science and social studies
– Include some of the
approaches to learning
concepts in social- emotional
29
Difficulty
• State ELS/ELGs
may have standards
that are less difficult
than the Head Start
Child Development
and Early Learning
Framework
30
Special considerations for use of
standards with dual language children

Continued use of home language is very important
 Teachers should plan activities and interactions
that support their learning in all domain areas as
well as their ability to learn English
 DLL children can demonstrate competency in any
domain in either language
 Assessments should be culturally and linguistically
appropriate and should use the language or
languages that most accurately demonstrate the
child’s knowledge and abilities
31
Special considerations for children
with disabilities
Some additional alignment considerations
– ISFP/IEP
– OSEP Early Childhood Outcomes
Should be working toward the same knowledge
and skills described in the Head Start Framework
and state ELS/ELGs
May require more individualized/intense
instruction, accommodations, and/or assistive
technology
Look for small and incremental progress
32
“Take Away” From Framework/ELS
Alignment Considerations
The Head Start Framework and state ELS/ELGs
should be used together to set goals for children
and to make decisions about curricula and
assessments.
There may be some examples of miss-alignment
between the two documents.
Special consideration should be given to how
the Head Start Framework and ELS/ELGs are
used with Dual Language Learners and children
with disabilities.
33
A final thought
• Use of state’s ELS/ELGs
can be an important tool
to improve children’s
transitions to public
school
– Working toward same goals a
children in other programs
– Support for cohesive system of
school readiness goals, curriculum, and
communication with parents
36
Resources Related to ELS/ELGs

www.earlylearningguidelines-standards.org

http://nitcci.nccic.acf.hhs.gov/resources/EarlyLearningGuide.htm
37
Forging a Partnership
We can only do this together!
77
Head Start and Public Schools
Strengthening Birth-to-Grade 3
Partnerships
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Head Start and Public Schools Partnerships:
Overview
•
The 2007 Head Start reauthorization included many provisions requiring
Head Start agencies, no later than Dec. 12, 2008, to enter into a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) with their local educational
agencies (LEA’s) to coordinate and to promote continuity of
services and effective transition of children into the school system.
Guiding Principles
•
•
•
•
•
79
Create and maintain a meaningful partnership to promote school
readiness so that children may receive comprehensive services to
prepare them for elementary school and to address any potential
“achievement gap.”
Plan and implement strategies based on practice and research
that have proven to support children’s school success
Respect uniqueness of local Head Start & Public School needs and
resources
Promote involvement of members of the early care and education
communities
Share commitment, cooperation, and collaboration for a
coordinated service delivery system
Data from: Head Start Reauthorization Act of 2007 & OHS Model HSSCO MOU, 2009 &
Purpose of the Memorandum of Agreement
a.
Improve availability and the quality of services for children and their
families
b.
Support children’s optimal development & readiness for school entry
and success
c.
Address the unique strengths and needs of the local population,
such as homeless, migrant, or non-English speaking families
d.
Promote collaboration regarding shared use of transportation, facilities,
etc.
e.
Reduce duplication and enhance efficiency of services
f.
Define responsibilities toward coordination and greater collaboration;
enhance linkages and relationships; and exchange information on the
provision of educational and non-educational services
g.
Coordinate a comprehensive system of activities, policies, and
procedures that guide and support their delivery of services to children
and their families
Data from: OHS Model HSSCO MOU, 2009
Federally Mandated Activities: Joint Roles in System Review,
Coordination, Collaboration, Alignment, and Implementation of MOU
1. Educational activities, curricular objectives, assessment, &
instruction
•
Implement a research-based early childhood curriculum that is aligned with the
Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and State early learning standards
2. Public information dissemination & access to programs for families
contacting HS or any of the preschool programs
•
Generate support & leverage resources of the entire local community in
order to improve school readiness & establish ongoing channels of
communication that facilitate coordination of programs
3. Selection priorities for eligible children to be served by programs
•
Develop and implement a system to increase program participation of
underserved populations of eligible children,
•
Develop procedures for identifying children who are limited English proficient,
and informing the parents about the instructional services,
•
coordinate and collaborate with other public or private entities providing early
childhood education and development programs and services including, but not
limited, to Part B of title one programs of Elementary and Secondary, programs
under Section 619 and Part C of the Individual with Disability Act,
state-pre K programs, etc.
Activities highlighted in blue –discussion small group
Federally Mandated Activities: Joint Roles in System Review,
Coordination, Collaboration, Alignment, and Implementation of MOU
4. Definition of service areas
•
Define areas where Public Schools and Head Start provide services to children
5. Opportunities for joint staff training on topics such as academic content
standards, instructional methods, curricula, and social and emotional
development
•
Organize and participate in joint training, including transition-related training for
school staff and Head Start staff
6. Program technical assistance
•
Link services provided in Head Start with educational services, including services
relating to language, literacy, and numeracy, provided by such local educational
agency
7. Provision of services to meet the needs of working parents
•
Coordinate activities to make resources available for full working-day and full
calendar year available to children & collaborate with programs under the Child
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990
Federally Mandated Activities: Joint Roles in System Review,
Coordination, Collaboration, Alignment, and Implementation of MOU
8. Communication & parent outreach for smooth transitions to
kindergarten
•
•
•
•
•
Develop & implement a systematic procedure for transferring, with parental
consent, Head Start program records for each participating child to the school in
which such child will enroll,
Establish comprehensive transition policies and procedures that support children
transitioning to school including children with disabilities
Conduct outreach to parents and elementary school teachers to discuss the
educational, developmental, and other needs of individual children,
Help parents of limited English proficient children understand instructional & other
services available,
Help parents (including grandparents and kinship caregivers, as appropriate) to
understand the importance of parental involvement in a child's academic success
9. Provision and use of facilities, transportation, and other program
elements
•
Collaborate on the shared use of transportation and facilities
10. Other elements of activities mutually agreed to by the Head Start
and Public Schools
Data from: OHS Model HSSCO MOU, 2009
Three New Domains:
Social studies,
Logic and Reasoning,
Language Development
84
Head Start and Public School Partnerships: Activities to
support MOU Implementation
Activities:
•
In 2009, EEC and ESE distributed a joint Memorandum, to
superintendents and charter school leaders, to work with their local
Head Start program and ensure the development and implementation of
the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This memorandum required
the MOU to be in place by June 30, 2009. A total of 143 MOUs were
signed between HS and PS.
•
In 2010, the HSSCO conducted a needs assessment annual
update, as required by the Head Start Act of 2007, to report on
collaboration, coordination and alignment of services and programs’
curricula and assessments with the Head Start Child Outcomes
Framework and the State’s early learning standards.
•
85
A new category was added to further understand PreK-3
Framework-collaboration between HS and LEAs which included
standards, curriculum, and assessment alignment, joint
professional development, information sharing in transition,
parent involvement, and serving children with disabilities.
The survey found that much work remains to be done to
implement a robust PreK-3 framework in the Commonwealth.
Data: Provided by OHS Region 1 total number of signed MOU in 2009.
PIR Data: Reported that in 2010, there were a total of 191 agreements.
Head Start and Public School Partnerships:
Current and Future Activities to support MOU Implementation
Activities:
86
•
The FY12 Head Start State Supplemental Renewal Grant required
HS programs to provide a detailed plan and time line that addresses the
activities program will undertake in FY'12 in order to comply with the
school readiness requirements of the federally mandated
Memorandum of Understanding between Head Start programs and
Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
•
A series of meetings between public preschool and Head Start
representatives with a focus on full implementation of the activities of
the federally required Head Start –LEA Memorandum of
Understanding are scheduled to discus effective strategies to support
children’s school readiness, shared best practices, and discuss
alignment of the Head Start frameworks, preschool learning guidelines,
and the Common Core
•
EEC in Partnership with the HS T/TA System will be conducting a
meeting discussion of alignment of the Head Start frameworks,
preschool learning guidelines, and the Common Core standards.
Resources Related to Head Start & Needs
Assessment
• Head Start Act
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Head%20Start%20Program/Program%20Design%20and%20
Management/Head%20Start%20Requirements/Head%20Start%20Act
Department of Elementary and Secondary –Head Start and LEA’s
Memorandum of Understanding http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=4545
•
• Department of Early Education and Care HSSCO Need Assessment http://www.mass.gov/Eoedu/docs/EEC/news/20110216_hs_needs_assessment.pdf
• Head Start and Transitions
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Head%20Start%20Program/Program%20Design%20and%20M
anagement/Head%20Start%20Requirements/Head%20Start%20Act/headstartact.html
Questions/Feedback?
88
Head Start & Public School
Partnerships
Group Discussions
89
Group Discussions
3 Topics for Discussion:
1) Alignment of Curriculum and Assessment
2) Opportunities for Joint Professional Development
3)Supporting Seamless Transitions
Questions to Discuss:
•
What is working well, in particular related to the following sections of the
MOU that you would recommend as best practice for others across the
state (Include in the discussion services to children with disabilities?)
•
What could be working better? What support from each other, EEC or
ESE is needed to improve outcomes? What type of technical assistance do
you need to support your work?
•
Are there collaborations outside of those required by the MOU that you
would like to highlight as examples of best practice?
Group Summary:
90
•Ideas/key lessons learned to share with the larger group.
Group Discussions
Topics for Discussion-Activities:
1) Alignment of Curriculum and Assessment
•Implement a research-based early childhood curriculum that is
aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and State early
learning standards
2) Opportunities for Joint Professional Development
• Academic content standards, instructional methods, curricula, &
social and emotional development,
•Organize and participate in joint training, including transitionrelated training for school staff and Head Start staff
3)Supporting Seamless Transitions
91
•Establish comprehensive transition policies and procedures that
support children transitioning to school including children with
disabilities
• Conduct outreach to parents and elementary school teachers to
discuss the educational, developmental, and other needs of individual
children,
•Help parents of limited English proficient children understand
instructional & other services available,
•Help parents (including grandparents and kinship caregivers, as
appropriate) to understand the importance of parental involvement
in a child's academic success
•Develop & implement a systematic procedure for transferring, with
parental consent, Head Start program records for each participating
child to the school in which such child will enroll, etc.
Head Start & Public School
Partnerships
Group Report Feedback
92
Wrap Up/Next Steps
•
93
Share lessons learned from group discussions with other
Head Start and non-Head Start programs state-wide