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A Joint EEC-ESE Initiative focused on P-3:Proficiency on Grade 3 Statewide Literacy and Mathematics Assessments

May 2011

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Agency Mission Statements

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

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Our unified vision is...

…Proficiency on Grade 3 Statewide Literacy and Mathematics Assessments

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Policies to Consider and Discuss

Universal Preschool

Mandated, Universal Full-Day Kindergarten (Offering and Attendance)

Class Size and/or Ratio Regulations in K-3

Shift in access eligibility from family income to child need

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Key Principles in the P-3 Alignment

1.Horizontal alignment

2.Vertical alignment

3.Temporal alignment

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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

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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

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Principle 3: Temporal Alignment

Horizontal alignment

Vertical alignment

Temporal alignment

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

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What does P-3 look like in Massachusetts?

A coordinated and collaborative state approach

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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

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.

P-3 Elements1

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Instructional Tools and Practices (Examples of current and future activities to support P-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 educatorsInstruction: Ensure developmentally appropriate practice in P-3 classrooms Provide knowledge of child development to teachers,

administrators and assistants Differentiate instruction Implement tiered systems of support Enrich learning experiences for children P-3 Focus on the whole child Use play effectively to promote learning

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Data and Assessments (Examples of current and future activities to

support P-3 initiative)

Develop and use data systems to address P-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 out-of-school time programs

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Instructional Environments (Examples of current and future activities to support P-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

Engaged Families (Examples of current and future activities to support P-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)

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Administrators and Leadership Quality

(Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)

Support the CAYL Institute and Principal Leadership forums

Create a survey course for Literacy P-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

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Transitions and Pathways (Examples of current and future activities to support P-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 K-3 staff

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Teacher Quality and Capacity (Examples of current and future activities to support P-

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

Mechanisms for Cross-Sector Alignment (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3

initiative)

Executive Office of Education Inter-agency Taskforce focused on P-3 Literacy

Support the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between EEC and Springfield PS to develop a P-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

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Potential Partners to Build P-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

Massachusetts State Advisory Council (SAC) on Early Childhood Education and Care

Proposal: Grants to Support Birth to 8 Community Planning in Rural Communities

May 2011

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Six Focus Areas for ARRA SAC Grant

1. Early Childhood Information System development and use Early Childhood Information System (ECIS) Open Indicators Consortium

2. Needs Assessment Wellesley hired to design two multi stage Needs Assessment models

3. B-8 Community Planning and PreK-3 Partnerships ESE/ EEC PreK – 3 Partnership Head Start and the Public Schools

4. Early Education/Higher Education Workforce Preparation Partnership IHE Mapping Phase I and II

5. Policy and Best Practices for Children & Families with Limited English Proficiency and/or Developmental Delays or Multiagency Involvement DLL Study, Development of Policies and Guidelines and Survey Community Strategic Planning

6. ARRA Council Implementation Support and Accountability

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SAC Goal 3 – B-8 Community Planning and PreK-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 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

SAC Goal 3 Related Updates:1. ESE/ EEC Pre K – 3 Partnership 2. Head Start and the Public Schools

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Three Areas of Focus:

1. Co-Investment Funding Partnerships Contract with the Philanthropic Sector, $50,000

2. Community Strategic Planning: Birth – 8 community initiative on child growth and development, literacy assessment and dual language learners, $20,000

3. Grants of $3-5K to participating communities for training and tool development, $25,000

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Funding Requirements: Work must be done within a birth – 8

framework Must in relationship with local communities Support/build upon CFCE work related to

transition and pathways Measurable outcomes Must support or involve 3 “Policy Levers”

for Literacy:Teacher QualityFamily EngagementEnvironment/ Community based cultural

institutions that support literacy development

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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 community populations to determine which communities would be eligible to apply for funds.

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Defining “Rural” and Potential Target Communities

While there is no national definition on what an urban or rural city/town is in recent years some Massachusetts researchers have settled on using a population density of less than 500 per square mile as the criterion.

The principal alternative criterion was a population less than 10,000, which is what is now used by the Massachusetts Rural Development Council and is the "official" definition in state government.

Of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, 192 cities/towns meet one or more of the criteria noted above. 147 out of 192 cities/towns meet both definitions.

• The remaining 45 cities/towns meet only one of the definitions described above.

127 school districts are represented within the 192 programs meeting one more of the indicators of rural.

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Questions/Feedback?

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