Early Childhood Initiatives   

The Challenge
The Connecticut Preschool Curriculum Framework (Connecticut State Department of Education, 1999) articulates what children should know and be able to do as a result of a high quality preschool experience. The learning outcomes in this framework are recognized nationally as comprehensive and consistent with research in child development and early childhood education.

The areas or domains addressed are:
■ Personal/social
■ Cognitive, including approaches to learning, scientific and logical-mathematical knowledge, language and literacy
■ Physical and creative development
Further, these learning outcomes are aligned with the Connecticut Framework for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Curricular Goals and Standards and represent precursor skills in language, pre-literacy and mathematics for success on the Grade 4 CT Mastery Test.

The companion Preschool Assessment Framework (Connecticut State Department of Education, Field Draft 2003) allows teachers to monitor children’s progress over time on performance standards. Teachers need to be able to:
■ Identify each child’s current level of skill development
■ Identify skills needing development
■ Target instruction to support increased skill acquisition.

Additionally, programs and schools can use the assessment information to determine specific areas of improvement necessary to increase learning outcomes, such as professional development, resources, materials and equipment.

How we help
EASTCONN early childhood consultants have been trained by the Connecticut State Department of Education to provide training and technical assistance to early childhood programs on the use of the Connecticut Preschool Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks.

EASTCONN  Early Childhood Consultants work with you to:
■  Support preschool staff in the appropriate implementation of curriculum materials.
■ Develop curriculum that addresses the Connecticut preschool performance standards
■ Engage children in high interest and meaningful learning
■ Implement ongoing assessment to monitor and document child outcomes

Contact: Elizabeth Aschenbrenner, EASTCONN Director of Early Childhood Initiatives

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The Challenge
Informed leaders envision a state in which every child born is healthy, lives safely, and enjoys ongoing opportunities for successful learning. The State Department of Education is promoting the provision of high quality, accessible and affordable educational programs for all three- and four-year-old children in Connecticut within the next decade (Closing the Achievement Gaps: Removing the Barriers to Preschool in Connecticut, State Department of Education, November 2003). Many local school and community leaders embrace this vision as a critical foundation for school — and life — success for all.

Such an ambitious vision will only be achieved through systematic and thoughtful planning at local, regional and state levels. Appropriate goals will be identified with supporting data and ongoing documentation of outcomes. Early Childhood (School Readiness) Councils, local school districts, state agencies, and regional and local networks and collaboratives all share the need for organized, thoughtful and directed planning driven by data and research.

Strategic, data driven system planning requires:
■ Multiple sources of student learning data to reflect on and improve practice, programs and policies
■ Use of data to uncover gaps in performance and other trends
■ Local capacity to facilitate data-driven dialogue and collaborative inquiry
■ Systems for ongoing data collection that begins with the preschool age level, or earlier

How we help
EASTCONN  early childhood consultants are knowledgeable about the state, regional and local context for long term planning across diverse sectors (education, childcare, social services, health, mental health). Consultants can help develop each community’s unique data-driven “road map” to shape strategic priorities, goals and actions.

EASTCONN  Early Childhood Consultants work with you to:
■  Review, organize and identify gaps in available data sources
■  Identify questions to be answered through data collection and analysis
■  Utilize data to identify community/school districts’ needs and set priorities
■  Utilize data to address accountability requirements.

Contact: Elizabeth Aschenbrenner, EASTCONN Director of Early Childhood Initiatives

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Universal Access to Preschool

The Challenge
“The early years of life form the foundation of every person’s future. Curiosity, empathy, values development and the capacity to share also take shape before age 6. It is, therefore, in the first five years that key interventions can make dramatic improvement in children’s lives while significantly reducing the need for costly, less effective interventions later” (Closing the Achievement Gaps: Removing the Barriers to Preschool in Connecticut, State Department of Education, November 2003, p. 9).

The verdict is in: age five is too late to begin a child’s education. By and large, young children with high quality early care and education experiences perform better in school than their community peers who have not had that experience. Recent reports from the Perry Preschool Study (Lifetime Effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40) document persistent positive effects for low-income children (better educated, more likely to be employed, less likely to be on welfare or to have been arrested) well into adulthood. Economically, this study estimates that there is a $17 return for every dollar originally invested in preschool education.

Studies from communities in Connecticut document that:
■ Participation in a School Readiness program accounted for a significant increase in the number of low-income African-American children “ready” for school and virtually ‘closed the gap’ at kindergarten entry between white and low-income African-American children (Middletown)
■ Children who had a quality early care and education experience had fewer retentions and high reading scores throughout Grades K-2 (Bridgeport & Stamford)
■ Children in a high quality preschool program were three times less likely to require special education during their kindergarten year (Milford)
■ Public schools and community agencies throughout Connecticut have a stake in the expansion of affordable, accessible early childhood education for all.

How we help
EASTCONN  early childhood consultants are well versed in the beneficial effects of high quality early care and education and can help to build consensus within communities as well as share strategies for improving the quality of existing programs and to work toward expansion of services.

EASTCONN  Early Childhood Consultants work with you to:
■ Make presentations and/or facilitate discussions on the benefits of early childhood education and the components of quality programs
■ Promote community collaboration to advocate for and implement early care and education opportunities
■ Help to compile documentation and data to support local learning outcomes for young children
■ Assist with the development and implement of quality early care and education classroom and/or programs

Contact: Elizabeth Aschenbrenner, EASTCONN Director of Early Childhood Initiatives

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Local Early Childhood
(School Readiness) Councils = Community Collaboration

The Challenge
The responsibility for the education of preschool children lies in the hands of EVERYONE, No one entity can —or should — do it alone.

Who is “everyone”?
All those concerned with the well-being and school success of young children are appropriate members of an Early Childhood Council. Specific guidance for membership is provided by the School Readiness legislation [P.A. 97-259, Sec. 10-16r(a)]:
■ The chief elected official or designee
■ The superintendent of schools or management level staff as designee parents/guardians
■ Representatives from local early care and education programs such as Head Start, Family Resource Centers, nonprofit and for-profit child care centers, group child care homes, pre-kindergarten and nursery schools, family child care providers
■ Representative of the local public library
■ Other representatives from the community who provide services to children and families
■ Other community leaders, including business and clergy

Why collaborate?
Significant benefits result when members of the community join hands on behalf of young children, including:
■ Better services: the development of partnerships between parents and programs to support the well being of children and families as well as the promotion of responsive services and practices to meet the needs of families
■ Better use of resources: More effective use of limited resources by eliminating duplication of services and through sharing of talents and skills
■ Improved advocacy efforts: the creation of a stronger “voice” for advocacy with local and state leaders and for leveraging funds.

Through ongoing collaboration, communities realize local improvements, including increased services and service options for children, enhanced family services and maximum use of resources. Public schools benefit when responsibility for the early education of young children is shared.

How we help
Collaboratives are complex, requiring time, personal commitment and capable leadership to be effective. EASTCONN  Early Childhood Consultants are skilled in the methods of developing and fostering collaborations and experienced in promoting and organizing them.

EASTCONN Early Childhood Consultants work with you to:
■ Organize local School Readiness Councils, include the development of a long-term strategic plan
■ Identify and engage local and regional stakeholders
■ Promote partnerships to assure more effective use of resources

Contact: Elizabeth Aschenbrenner, EASTCONN Director of Early Childhood Initiatives

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Continuous Quality Improvement

The Challenge
What is a ‘high quality’ program for preschool or kindergarten age children? There is an overwhelming amount of research and information available to select from to define, achieve and maintain program quality. Making programmatic changes through professional development and additional resources unfortunately does not assure the achievement of desired goals or improved learning outcomes for children. Yet, program leaders may be challenged to demonstrate the efficacy of current program practices and to document the effective use of program resources. This is no easy task.

Apply the concepts and practices of program monitoring and program evaluation can help. Objective program evaluation tools can be utilized to profile a program or classroom’s level of quality and to provide specific information needed for effective long- and short-range planning and goal development. Program and/or classroom quality can effectively be assessed utilizing one or more of the following tools:
■ State Department of Education Preschool Curriculum Framework and Preschool Assessment Framework
■ Connecticut School Readiness Preschool Program Evaluation System
■ Head Start Performance Standards
■ NAEYC Accreditation Criteria
■ Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – Revised (ECERS-R)
■ Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO)

How we help
Many times it is easy to see when something isn’t working but it is not always easy to know what to do about it. The development of a continuous quality improvement plan can assist you to identify specific program improvement goals and to develop and implement strategies to address them.

EASTCONN Early Childhood Consultants work with you to:
■ Utilize appropriate evaluation tools and procedures to identify program improvement goals
■ Involve staff in the program improvement process to assure greater success and continuation of ‘new’ practices
■ Assess program components including operating practices, resources, support services, administrative procedures
■ Develop documentation systems to track progress and improved outcomes for children and families

Contact: Elizabeth Aschenbrenner, EASTCONN Director of Early Childhood Initiatives

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Transition into Kindergarten

The Challenge
Transition into kindergarten is a significant milestone in a child’s and family’s life. A smooth transition can set the stage for school success for the child, while promoting positive family involvement in the child’s education.

Effective transition practices require the involvement of the child and family, the sending early care and education program provider (if the child has attended a preschool program) and the receiving public school. Successful transition activities occur throughout the year, leading up to kindergarten entrance. Young children need help learning about their new school in order to look forward to new experiences with excitement. The family also needs information about what to expect and their role in supporting their child’s success in school.

Providers of early care and education services, whether Head Start, neighborhood centers or home child-care, have important information to share about the child’s health history, social and emotional development as well as educational strengths and needs.

Public school staff can provide a welcoming and positive experience for each child entering kindergarten. Children who enter kindergarten with a sense of competence and confidence are more able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

How we help
Every community concerned with the learning success of young children will take steps to develop and implement effective transition practices for all entering kindergarten students.

EASTCONN Early Childhood Consultants work with you to:
■ Assess the efficacy of current transition practices for children and families, sending program providers and receiving program providers
■ Identify community partners to support ongoing transition activities
■ Assist with the development and implementation of transition policies and practices
■ Develop effective transition activities to support children and families

Contact: Elizabeth Aschenbrenner, EASTCONN Director of Early Childhood Initiatives

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