ACHIEVING GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL READINESS

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1 ACHIEVING GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL READINESS

2 OPENING INDICATORS TO SCHOOL READINESS Access to High Quality Early Childhood Required Kindergarten Participation Teacher Preparation and effectiveness Comprehensive Screening and Follow-up Transitional Alignment NEA Is Committed to Improving Early Childhood Education High quality early childhood education represents one of the best investments our country can make. NEA believes it s a common sense investment we can t afford to pass up. NEA recommends among other things: ``Free, publicly funded, quality kindergarten programs in all states, ``Optional free publicly funded universal pre-kindergarten programs for all three and four-year old children whose parents choose to enroll them. Three states are moving toward such a program Georgia, New York and Oklahoma ``Federal funds to make pre--kindergarten programs available for all three and four-year old children from disadvantaged families. State and local governments should provide the additional funds necessary to make prekindergarten available for all three and four-year old children ``Dedicated funding for early childhood education. Public schools should be the primary provider of prekindergarten programs and additional funding must be allocated to finance them in the same manner as k-12 schools. The GPS School Readiness Criteria is made up of 5 indicators: ``Access to High Quality Early Childhood ``Required Kindergarten Participation ``Teacher Preparation and Effectiveness ``Comprehensive Screening and Follow-up ``Transitional Alignment The documents in this readiness policy package are designed to support strategic planning and advocacy efforts on behalf of young children and the adults that support their learning, and to be used in concert with the Indictor s Framework. The package includes school readiness policy benchmarks, policy briefs that describe NEA policies and recommendations, fact sheets and backgrounders that can be shared with school board members, legislators, and parents and proposed sample contract language, and other advocacy documents. Like the Indicator s Framework, this is a living document and there may be changes and additions as we obtain information and feedback. Please direct your questions, comments, and feedback to GPSFramework@nea.org. 2

3 BENCHMARKS

4 BENCHMARKS INDICATOR: POLICY: BENCHMARKS: Access to High Quality Early Childhood State has comprehensive early learning standards. School Readiness Policy State provides professional development and technical assistance to state funded pre- k programs implementing required early learning standards. ` `State requires all licensed child care and state funded pre- k programs to follow state early learning standards. ` `State has comprehensive early learning standards covering all areas (physical/motor development, social/emotional development, approaches toward learning, language development, and cognitive /general knowledge) identified as fundamental by the National Education Goals Panel.1 ` `State has early learning standards in language development and cognitive/general knowledge whose implementation is voluntary. INDICATOR: POLICY: BENCHMARKS: Required Kindergarten Participation State requires districts to provide full- day, five day/week kindergarten with mandatory attendance for all eligible students. State requires provision of full- day, 5- day/week kindergarten with mandatory attendance ` `State requires provision of full- day, 5- day/week kindergarten for all children whose parents wish to enroll them. ` `State requires provision of half- day, 5 -day/week kindergarten to serve all children. ` `State requires provision of half- day/less than five days/week to children whose parents wish to enroll them. ` `Kindergarten attendance not required. 4

5 BENCHMARKS INDICATOR: Transitional Alignment School Readiness Policy POLICY: BENCHMARKS: State has a policy to facilitate transition from early learning programs to elementary schools. State provides funding to school districts to plan and implement a range of transition activities between early learning programs, schools and parents. ` ``State requires districts to plan and implement transition activities between early childhood programs, schools and parents. ` `State has no policy. INDICATOR: POLICY: BENCHMARKS: Teacher Preparation for Effectiveness State policy has standards for preparation of early childhood educators. Kindergarten Teacher Teachers seeking National Board Early Childhood Generalist Certification are provided financial support and increased salaries. ` `Teachers are required to hold an advanced degree in Early Childhood, Child Development or related field. ` `Teachers are required to hold a Bachelor s Degree in Early Childhood, Child Development with state certification. ` `Teachers are required to hold a Bachelor s Degree in Elementary Education with state certification without specialized training in Early Childhood, Child Development. POLICY: BENCHMARKS: Teacher State funded pre- kindergarten and Head Start Teachers are required to hold a Bachelor s Degree with specific early childhood, child development endorsement or equivalent. ` `Teachers are required to hold an advanced degree in Early Childhood, Child Development or related field. (Continued) 5

6 BENCHMARKS School Readiness Policy BENCHMARKS: State requires provision of full- day, 5- day/week kindergarten with mandatory attendance. ` `Teachers are required to hold a Bachelor s Degree in Early Childhood, Child Development with state certification. ` `Teachers are required to hold a Bachelor s Degree in Elementary Education with state certification without specialized training in Early Childhood, Child Development. POLICY: BENCHMARKS: Assistant Teacher State funded pre- kindergarten and Head Start Teachers are required to hold an Associate s Degree in Early Childhood. ` `Teachers are required to complete college courses in Early Childhood Education. ` `Teachers are required to hold a Child Development Associate (CDA). ` `Teachers are required to complete more than 20 hours of pre- service training. ` `State does not require pre- service training. INDICATOR: POLICY: Comprehensive Screening and Follow- up State Provides public health insurance (SCHIP) to all children from low- income families. State has streamlined procedures for enrollment in Medicaid and SCHIP: (a) temporary presumptive eligibility, (b) joint applications, (c) extended re- determination intervals, (d) self- declaration of income, (e) eliminates asset tests, (f) eliminates interviews, and (g) provides 12 months of eligibility regardless of income changes. (Continued) 6

7 BENCHMARKS BENCHMARKS: State implements 7 recommended procedures School Readiness Policy ``State implements 6 recommended procedures ``State implements 5 recommended procedures ` `State implements 4 recommended procedures ``State implements 3 recommended procedures ``State implements 2 recommended procedures ``State implements 1 recommended procedures ` `No streamlined procedures 7

8 BACKGROUNDER/FACTSHEET

9 BACKGROUNDER/FACTSHEET Early Childhood Education The National Education Association (NEA) has a long history of promoting access to high quality education for all children in public schools. NEA is committed to making the same assurances to young children by supporting universal access to high quality, early childhood education and full-day kindergarten programs for all children. To this end, NEA urges Congress to take the opportunity to improve our schools and adequately prepare our nation s children for success in school, work and life through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). NEA Supports the Expansion of Title I Preschool Programs. Districts should be encouraged to use Title I funds to support high-quality pre-kindergarten programs. However, many state pre-kindergarten programs do not require teachers to possess a bachelor s degree. ESEA should improve the professional standards of prekindergarten teachers to ensure that all children in Title I funded pre-k programs are taught by teachers with a bachelor s degree and specialized training in early childhood education. NEA Supports Mandatory Full-day Kindergarten. Only 8 states and the District of Columbia have a compulsory school age of 5 that effectively, if not specifically mandates kindergarten attendance. Let s build on the gains that students make in pre-kindergarten by ensuring that every 5-year-old child attends a high-quality full-day, full-school year kindergarten program. Make full-day kindergarten a compulsory, not optional part of the American public education system. NEA Supports Investments in the Early Childhood Workforce. Allocate funds to increase the supply of highly qualified pre-k teachers and promote high quality, coordinated in-service professional development for pre-k through third grade teachers on topics including: ` `Knowledge of and expectations for implementing curricula (mathematics, reading, science, music, physical education etc.) to address state early learning standards. ` `Effective practices in teaching and supporting children from diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities and English Language Learners. ` `Implementation of appropriate developmental screening and assessment tools. ` ` Effective parental involvement and engagement. 9

10 BACKGROUNDER/FACTSHEET (Continued) NEA Supports the Development of Comprehensive Early Learning Standards that are Aligned with K-3 standards and Assessments. States should develop comprehensive early learning standards that are aligned with state s K-3 content standards. Title I of NCLB does not required alignment between pre-k and k-12 so, many states are developing standards, curriculum and assessments that are separate in both structure and content from K-12 standards. NEA Supports Comprehensive Data Systems. Schools should be prepared to help children enter school ready to learn and equipped to address issues and factors that prevent children succeeding while in school. Data systems linking pre-k to elementary schools, like those supported by the Race to the Top program, better equip schools to meet the needs of young children arriving to public schools from various early childhood settings. NEA Supports Greater Coordination and Collaboration between the Early Childhood and K-12 Systems. LEA s should serve on the State Advisory Council as referenced in the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831) to engage in statewide efforts to: ` `Improve the quality of early education programs. ` `Increase the education and training of prekindergarten teachers. ` `Allocate resources and funding for at risk populations. NEA Supports Innovations in Early Learning. The final Student Aide and Fiscal Responsibility Act did not include the Early Learning Challenge Fund as a result of difficult budget issues. The Early Learning Challenge fund would have supported states in expanding young children s access to high-quality early learning opportunities, especially disadvantaged children. Congress should recommit to young children and include the Early Learning Challenge fund in ESEA. 10

11 TALKING POINTS

12 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF TALKING POINTS Access to High Quality Early Education Despite the growth of publicly funded prekindergarten programs over the past decade access to high quality pre-k programs remains uneven. Presently, 40 states and the District of Columbia fund some type of pre-k program. Within these states, access to pre-k programs is uneven with some communities serving more children than others. We need to give every child, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the chance to succeed in school by investing in high quality early childhood education programs. The benefits of such programs have been well documented. We know that early childhood education significantly improves the scholastic success and the educational attainment of poor children even into adulthood. NEA Supports actions and policies that provide more children with access to high quality early learning programs ` `Universal access to high quality prekindergarten programs for all 3- and 4-year-old children whose parents wish to enroll them. ` `Federal support to states to improve and expand pre-k and full-day kindergarten programs. ` `Mandatory full-day kindergarten attendance for every 5-year-old child. ` `Expansion of Early Head Start and Head Start to serve all eligible children. High quality programs are required in order for pre-k attendance to produce positive outcomes. Unfortunately, the quality of many programs is too low to generate lasting academic and social success. High quality pre-k and kindergarten programs include the following: ` `Degree requirements for teachers, assistant teachers, principals and center/site directors; ` `Training in early childhood education; ` `Teacher licensing; ` `In-service professional development; ` `Class size; ` `Staff-child ratios; ` `Meals provided; ` `Screening and referral services; ` `Parent involvement and support for families; ` `Transition to kindergarten activities standards for English Language Learners. 12

13 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF TALKING POINTS Full-day Kindergarten Talking Points Full-day kindergarten is important for children, families and teachers. Full-day kindergarten provides continuity for children many of whom are accustomed to a full-day experience in an early childhood program. Full-day kindergarten builds on the skills and knowledge that a child gain in childhood programs and sets the foundation for success in the primary grades. Full-day kindergarten benefits children in the following ways: ` `Contributes to increased school readiness (better transitions to first grade, stronger learning skills); ` `Higher academic achievement; ` `Improved student attendance; ` `Supports literacy and language development (higher reading achievement through third grade); ` `Benefits children socially and emotionally (obeys rules, more self-confidence, works well with others); ` `Reduces retention and remediation rates. Unfortunately, access to full-day kindergarten varies from state to state and district to district. It is important that states take the necessary steps to ensure that every student has access to full-day kindergarten by: ` `Making full-day kindergarten universally available. When there are insufficient resources to provide universal access to fullday kindergarten, offer full-day kindergarten to targeted populations. ` `Making kindergarten attendance mandatory. ` `Defining in state statute a minimum number of instructional days and hours that is congruent with those of children in grades

14 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF TALKING POINTS Transitional Alignment Entering school is one of the most important transitions for young children and their families. Ensuring that children transition smoothly into school and successfully from grade to grade while in school requires alignment of the early childhood and K-12 systems at the state level and coordination between early childhood programs and schools at the local level. Strategies for improving children s transitions to school fall into three categories (1) improving the coordination and collaboration between the early childhood and education systems and the state level (2) improving the connections between early childhood programs and elementary schools at the local level and (3) reaching out to children and families before they enter school. Coordination and collaboration between the early childhood and education system includes: ` `Developing a comprehensive plan for Pre-K -3 education that addresses infant and toddler care, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten through third grade part of a whole system instead of separate, disparate initiatives. ` `Aligning early learning standards and K-3 content standards to promote children s healthy development, social & emotional skills, motivation and engagement in learning as well as progress in learning literacy, language, mathematics and science. Successful coordination between early childhood programs and schools includes: ` `Common policies and procedures across school districts to obtain records from the variety of early childhood programs children attend. For example, schools can prepare and distribute parent permission forms in early childhood programs to allow programs to transfer children s records to the school ` `Joint professional development activities for early childhood and K-3 educators to build a shared understanding of early childhood development and an intentional sequence of learning to facilitate more effective transitions between grades and early childhood programs. ` `Strategies for reaching out to children and families before they enter school include: ` `Providing opportunities for incoming children and families to visit new schools before the school year begins. ` `A teacher making home visits before school begins to the families whose children will be starting kindergarten in the fall. ` `Implementing effective family-schoolcommunity partnerships such as NEA s Family, School and Community Partnerships

15 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF TALKING POINTS Teacher Preparation and Effectiveness It is a well -documented fact that children who attend high quality early childhood education programs are more likely to succeed in kindergarten than those who do not. Beyond kindergarten, children that attend quality early education programs are less likely to drop out of school, repeat grades, need special education and turn to juvenile delinquency than children who have not had exposure to high quality early education. This is particularly true for children from low-income families. Unfortunately, most children do not attend high quality preschool programs and children from low -income families are more likely to attend lower quality programs. Children who are likely to benefit the most from quality early childhood programs are in fact, the least likely to receive it. The qualifications of the teacher is one of the most critical elements of a quality early childhood program. Yet, fewer than half of all early childhood educators hold a four-year degree and many have no college education. In most states, a high school diploma is the only requirement needed to teach in a licensed child care center. In kindergarten, most children will encounter a teacher who holds a least a Bachelors degree but who may not have the specialized training recommended to work with young children. To provide the quality of early care and education necessary to adequately prepare children for success in school, all early childhood educators must have the appropriate skills and knowledge. ` `All teachers working in publicly funded preschool programs and kindergarten classrooms should hold a bachelor s degree in child development and/or early childhood education. ` `All instructional assistants working in publicly funded preschool programs should hold an Associate s degree in child development or early childhood education. ` `Lead teachers in private child care centers should hold a minimum of an Associate s Degree in child development or early childhood education. ` `A teaching assistants in private child care centers should hold a minimum of a Child Development Associate (CDA) or a state issued certificate that meets or exceed CDA requirements. 15

16 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF TALKING POINTS Comprehensive Screening and Follow-up Schools have begun to recognize the value of offering comprehensive services to children and families. Since its inception, Head Start has offe red health, social services, nutrition and parent support in order to improve child and family outcomes. Borrowing from the Head Start model, many districts and schools provide a variety of services such as: ` `child counseling and therapy ` `parent workshops ` `immunizations ` `dental care and nutrition programs These practices are supported by both common sense and research based principles: ` `well nourished children are better able to concentrate and generally thrive in school. ` `children who are immunized and receive regular check-ups are healthier and miss fewer days of school. Likewise, routine health screenings can identify health issues early and perhaps reduce the need for more costly and severe interventions. ` `low income and immigrant families may have difficulty gaining access to basic services and schools are a unique position to identify and referral them to available resources within the community. 16

17 NEA POLICY BRIEF

18 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF Early Childhood Education and School Readiness All children need and deserve a good start. Attending high quality early childhood programs is an important part of starting early and starting right. NEA President Dennis Van Roekel NEA is concerned about the growing number of children who enter kindergarten already behind their peers socially and academically. Evidence suggests this school readiness gap begins before children enter school and places children at risk of failure in school. The Association believes all children deserve access to early learning opportunities that will increase their chances for success in school and in life. What are the benefits of high quality early childhood education? Two of the best known longitudinal studies on the long-term benefits of early childhood education are the High/Scope Perry Preschool Project 1 and the Abecedarian Early Childhood Intervention Project.2 The Perry project found that individuals who were enrolled in a quality preschool program ultimately earned up to $2,000 more per month than those who were not, and that young people who were in preschool programs were more likely to graduate from high school, to own homes, and to have longer marriages. The Abecedarian project offered similar and equally compelling results: Children in quality preschool programs are less likely to repeat grades, need special education, or get into future trouble with the law. Research continues to confirm the benefits of quality early childhood programs. Some examples: ` `Two studies published in Developmental Psychology 3 documented the benefits of universal pre-k programs (serving four-year-olds) and early Head Start programs (serving infants, toddlers, and their families) on children s cognitive and language development, especially for children from low-income families. ` `The pre-k study in Oklahoma 4 (Oklahoma is the only state to offer preschool to virtually every fouryear-old) found significant improvements in students reading, writing, and spelling abilities, while the early Head Start study 5 showed gains in children s social and emotional development and health as well as enhanced family support for children s learning. ` `Researchers made a point of noting that the preschool program was staffed by well-educated, well-trained teachers who earn regular public school salaries. Early childhood education makes good economic sense A high ranking Federal Reserve Bank official, Art Rolnick, senior vice president and director of research of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, said in a published report in that a good preschool 18

19 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) can offer a 12 percent annual return, after inflation. That s better than the stock market, he notes, and any other social program. Yet, even though early childhood education programs promise sure-fire returns, the country is not making this investment. The latest national survey of state preschool programs conducted by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) concluded that across our nation, high-quality and readily available statefunded preschool programs are the exception rather than the rule. 7 NEA believes it is time to change that. NEA s Policy, Positions, and Programs At the 2003 Representative Assembly, NEA s highest policy making body, the Association adopted two seminal recommendations: ` `NEA believes that all three- and four-year-old children should have access to high quality, publicly funded, universal prekindergarten programs. ` `NEA believes that states should mandate fullday kindergarten attendance for every fiveyear-old child. The Association supports universal access to high quality prekindergarten programs for all threeand four-year-old children whose parents wish to enroll them. NEA recommends that school-based prekindergarten programs work collaboratively with existing early childhood programs to provide universal access to high quality early education experiences that address the needs of children and families: ` `Universal access: State initiatives should strive to make prekindergarten programs available to all three-and four-year-old children when sufficient funding exists. In cases where funding is inadequate or does not exist, priority should be given to children from lowincome communities. ` `Financing: Both federal government and state governments should use new money to provide funds sufficient to make prekindergarten available for all three- and four-year-old children. ` `Integration of prekindergarten and other early childhood programs: Collaborative efforts at the state and local levels enable prekindergarten programs to be offered in a variety of settings in order to maximize use of limited resources. Collaborations at the local level can include coordination between schools, Head Start, and other early childhood programs. This kind of collaboration can offer additional support and stability to working families. NEA urges states to make high quality early childhood education programs a priority and consider them an integral part of the education continuum. States should encourage and support the efforts of public schools in their efforts to provide early childhood programs. Funding for new or expanded early childhood programs in the public schools should come from new funding sources and be a shared responsibility of national, state, and local governments. 19

20 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) NEA believes high quality early childhood programs are rooted in these characteristics: ` `Well-rounded curriculum that enhances the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional domains of each child s development; ` `Small class sizes and favorable teacher-child ratios; ` `Teachers and administrators who are caring and well-trained in early childhood education and child development; ` `Ancillary services (e.g., professional development, curriculum supervision, and assessment and evaluation) that support children s development through curriculum implementation; ` `Parents working actively as partners with teachers ` `in fostering appropriate child outcomes; ` `Programs that address child health, nutrition, and other family needs as part of a comprehensive service network. Full-day Kindergarten Implications for State and Local Affiliates 1 Work with policy makers to align the number of instructional hours required for kindergarten with the number of hours required for grades Essentially, aligning full-day kindergarten with the regular school day. 2 Work to with policy makers to ensure that kindergarten attendance is mandatory and that attendance and truancy policies apply. ensure an equitable distribution of programs so there is not a large variation in access from one district to another within the state. 4 Work to secure more funding for full-day kindergarten than for half-day kindergarten, eliminating the disincentive to offer full-day kindergarten in many states. 5 If your state or district is transitioning from half-day to full-day kindergarten, request Association representation and participation in advisory committees, transition teams etc. 6 Work to ensure that transitions from half-day kindergarten to full-day kindergarten are accompanied with adequate professional development, housed in appropriate facilities and equipped with the appropriate instructional materials. Advocacy/ Legislative 1 Assess the political landscape in your state. 2 Secure support from kindergarten teachers. 3 Indentify potential funding sources (Title I or dedicated funding from a specific revenue source such as an excise or sales tax). 4 Develop an advocacy strategy (legislative, lobby the school board, ballot initiative). 5 Identify potential partners (parents, business, early childhood advocates). 6 Prepare to counter opposition. 3 Work with state policy makers to enact a consistent statewide policy requiring all districts to offer full-day kindergarten. This will 20

21 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) References 1 L. J. Schweinhart, J. Montie, Z. Xiang, W. S. Barnett, C. R. Belfield & M. Nores. (2005). Lifetime Effects: The High/ Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40 (Ypsilanti, Michigan: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation). 2 Abecedarian Early Childhood Intervention Project, 3 Gormley, The Effects of Universal Pre-K on Cognitive Development, Developmental Psychology 41, no. 6 (2005): tools, policy recommendations, model legislation, and case studies from states that have enacted full-day kindergarten. (PDF, 2.8MB, 52 pages), NEA on Prekindergarten and Kindergarten: NEA s policy road map for early childhood education, developed by NEA s Special Committee on Early Childhood and adopted by the NEA Representative Assembly. earlychildhood/images/prekkinder.pdf (PDF, 748KB, 16 pages), Love, J., et al., The Effectiveness of Early Head Start for 3-Year-Old Children and Their Parents: Lessons for Policy and Programs, Developmental Psychology 41, no. 6 (2005): dev pdf. 6 Rolnick, A., & R. Grunewald, Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return (Minneapolis, MN: Fedgazette). cfm. 7 Barnett, S., et al., The State of Preschool: 2005 State Preschool Yearbook, The Annual Report, (Rutgers, New Jersey: The National Institute for Early Education Research). Resources Full-Day Kindergarten: An Advocacy Guide: This NEA publication offers tools, resources, and research to help Association leaders, staff, and other early childhood education advocates secure full-day kindergarten programs in their states. It contains research, organizing 21

22 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF Full-Day Kindergarten Helps Close Achievement Gaps Full-day kindergarten provides our youngest students more time to explore, learn, and grow in an engaging and supportive environment. NEA understands this is an important start to a lifetime of learning and academic achievement. NEA President Dennis Van Roekel Full-day kindergarten is a sound educational investment. Research demonstrates that full-day kindergarten, though initially more costly than halfday kindergarten, is worth the expense. Full-day kindergarten not only boosts students academic achievement, it also improves their social and emotional skills. Additionally, it offers benefits to teachers and parents teachers have more time to work with and get to know students, and parents have access to better learning and care for their children. The bottom line: everyone gains. Full-day kindergarten boosts student achievement ` `Longitudinal data demonstrates that children in full-day classes show greater reading and mathematics achievement gains than those in half-day classes. In their landmark longitudinal study of full-day versus half-day kindergarten, researchers Jill Walston and Jerry West found that students in full-day classes learned more in both reading and mathematics than those in half-day classes after adjusting for differences in race, poverty status, and fall achievement levels, among other things. 1 giving students and teachers more quality time to engage in constructive learning activities, full-day kindergarten provides benefits to everyone. ` `Full-day kindergarten can produce long-term educational gains, especially for low-income and minority students. In a study comparing national and Indiana research on full-day and half-day kindergarten programs, researchers found that compared to half-day kindergarten, full-day kindergarten leads to greater long-term as well as short-term gains. In one Indiana district, for example, students in full-day kindergarten scored significantly higher on basic skills tests in the third, fifth, and seventh grades than those who attended only half-day or did not attend kindergarten at all. The researchers also found the long-term benefits of full-day kindergarten appeared to be greatest for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and that full-day kindergarten helped to narrow achievement gaps between different groups of students. 2 All students experienced learning gains. By 22

23 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) Full-day kindergarten improves students social and emotional skills A full day of learning offers many social and emotional benefits to kindergarteners. They have more time to focus and reflect on activi-ties, and they have more time to transition between activities. When children are taught by qualified teachers, using age-appropriate curricula in small classes, they can take full advantage of the additional learning time social, emotional, and intellectual that a full day allows. Further, research finds that children adjust well to the full-day format. 3 While some parents worry that full-day kindergarten is too much for young children, research shows that 5-year-olds are more than ready for a longer day and that they do better in a setting that allows them time to learn and explore activities in depth. Teachers prefer full-day kindergarten In a study evaluating teachers views on full-day kindergarten, teachers reported a number of benefits for themselves as well as children and parents. 4 ` `Participating in full-day [kindergarten] eased the transition to first grade, helping children adapt to the demands of a six-hour school day. ` `Having more time available in the school day offered more flexibility and more time to do activities during free choice times. ` `Having more time actually made the kindergarten program less stressful and frustrating for children because they had time to fully develop interests and activities. ` `Participating in the full-day schedule allowed more appropriate academic challenges for children at all developmental levels. ` `Children with developmental delays or those at risk for school problems benefited from having more time to complete projects and more time for needed socialization with peers and teachers. ` `For more advanced students, there was time to complete longer term projects. ` `Having full-day kindergarten assisted parents with child care. ` `Having more time in the school day made child assessment and classroom record keeping more manageable for teachers. ` `Switching to full-day kindergarten gave teachers more time to plan the curriculum, incorporate a greater number of thematic units into the school year, and offer more in-depth coverage of each unit. Parents prefer full-day kindergarten Full-day kindergarten provides parents with better support for their children. For parents who work outside the home, full-day kindergarten means that children do not have to be shuffled between home, school, and child care. For all parents, there is more continuity and less disruption in the child s day and more time for focused and independent learning. One study of parent attitudes found that after the second year of a full-day kindergarten program, 100 percent of full-day parents and 72 percent of half-day parents noted that, if given the opportunity again, they would have chosen fullday kindergarten for their child. 5 23

24 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) NEA strongly supports full-day kindergarten At its 2003 Representative Assembly, NEA committed to work toward the following goals: ` `That all 3- and 4-year-old children in the United States should have access to a full-day public school prekindergarten that is of the highest possible quality, universally offered, and funded with public money not taken from any other education program. ` `That full-day kindergarten for all 5-yearold children should be mandated in every public school in this country. These programs should support the gains children made in prekindergarten, provide time for children to explore topics in depth, give teachers opportunities to individualize instruction, and offer parents opportunities to become involved in their children s classrooms. To reach these goals, NEA recommends the following policy priorities for full-day kindergarten: ISSUE Mandatory full-day attendance Teacher certification Program location and structure (class sizes, conditions for learning) Alignment POLICY PRIORITY Full-day does not designate a specific number of hours but means that kindergarten should be keyed to the regular school day. Kindergarten should be universal (available in all schools) and mandatory. Kindergarten teachers, education support professionals, and administrators should be considered qualified if they hold the license or certification that the state requires for their employment. Class size NEA supports an optimum class size of 15 students for regular programs and smaller class sizes for programs that include students with exceptional needs. As with prekindergarten, smaller classes generate the greatest gains for younger children. State policymakers should ensure learning standards for kindergarten are created and aligned both with early learning standards and standards for first grade and beyond. Learning standards for kindergarten should be implemented comprehensively across five key domains: physical and motor development, social/emotional development, approaches toward learning, cognitive development, and language/literacy development. Professional development Educators teachers, support professionals and administrators should have access to high-quality, continuous professional development that is required to gain and improve knowledge and skills and that is provided at school district expense. (Continues) 24

25 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) ISSUE Funding POLICY PRIORITY Kindergarten should be funded in the same manner as the rest of the public school program, but the money should come from new funding sources. This does not necessarily mean that new taxes should be imposed. However, it does mean that the necessary financing for mandatory, full-day, public school kindergarten, including the need to recruit and equitably pay qualified teachers and support professionals, should not be obtained at the expense of other public school programs. Public funds should not be used to pay for children to attend private kindergarten. Any portion of public money, even new money, going to private kindergartens, which are open to some but not all children, will reduce resources available to public school kindergartens, which are available to all children. Parent involvement Curriculum Assessments Teacher assistants Flexibility in setting age requirements Because kindergarten is the bridge to the more structured school experience, training programs should be made available to help parents and guardians take an active role in the education of their kindergarten children. Parents and guardians should be encouraged to visit their children s schools and maintain contact with teachers and other school personnel. In kindergarten, as with prekindergarten, all areas of a child s development should be addressed: fostering thinking, problem solving, developing social and physical skills, and instilling basic academic skills. Assessment of the child s progress should also address all areas of a child s development: physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. Multiple sources of information should be used, and children should be given opportunities to demonstrate their skills in different ways, allowing for variability in learning pace and for different cultural backgrounds. As with prekindergarten, large-scale standardized testing is inappropriate. The purpose of assessment should be to improve the quality of education by providing information to teachers, identifying children with special needs, and developing baseline data. Adult supervision of young children is vital to the safety and success of the kindergarten program. Each kindergarten teacher should be provided a full-time teacher assistant. To give children the best possible chances to benefit from kindergarten, NEA recommends that 5 be the uniform entrance age for kindergarten. The minimum entrance age (of 5) and the maximum allowed age (of 6) should not be applied rigidly, however. In joint consultation with parents and teachers, a school district should be allowed to make case-by-case exceptions to age requirements. References 1 Walston, J. and J. West Full-Day and Half-Day Kindergarten in the United States: Findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 25

26 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) 2 Plucker, J., J. East, R. Rapp, et al. January The Effects of Full Day Versus Half Day Kindergarten: Review and Analysis of National and Indiana Data. Center for Evaluation and Education Policy. primetime/pdf/fulldaykreport.pdf. 3 Cryan, J., R. Sheehan, J. Weichel, and I. Bandy-Hedden Success outcomes of full-day kindergarten: More positive behavior and increased achievement in the years after, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, v. 7, no. 2, Elicker, J. and S. Mathur What do they do all day? Comprehensive evaluation of a full-day kindergarten, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, v.12, no.4. 5 Denton, K., and E. Germino-Hausken Early Education for All. Investing in Full-day Kindergarten Is Essential, Citing West, Jerry. America s Kindergartners, National Center for Education Statistics. Resources Full-Day Kindergarten: An Advocacy Guide, NEA, pdf Closing the Achievement Gaps: An Association Guide, NEA, NEA on Prekindergarten and Kindergarten. NEA, pdf National Association for the Education of Young Children, in collaboration with NEA and other organizations, Why We Care About the K in K-12, Young Children, NAEYC, March

27 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF Successful Transition Practices and Alignment Policies Put Students on a Path to Success The evidence is compelling that the first transition into school and the kindergarten year can be a make-or-break moment for students. Schools can support this milestone by smoothing the transition for parents and families, and helping students successfully move from grade to grade. Together, educators and parents can help students maximize their potential. NEA President Dennis Van Roekel Entering school is one of the most important transitions for young children and their families. Ensuring that children transition smoothly into school and successfully from grade to grade while in school requires coordination between early childhood programs and schools at the local level and alignment of the early childhood and K-12 systems at the state level. Historically, there has been little alignment between the early childhood and K-12 systems and few connections made between early childhood programs and schools that will receive their students. Strategies for improving children s transition into school fall into three categories (1) improving coordination and collaboration between the early childhood and education systems at the state level (2) establishing connections between early childhood programs and elementary schools at the local level and (3) reaching out to children and families before they enter school. In 2007, the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act laid the foundation for improved transition and alignment policies by calling for governors to designate state advisory councils on early childhood education and care that meet certain requirements in membership and activities. Following the enactment of the 2007 Head Start Act, early childhood advisory councils in several states have worked towards building linkages with the K-12 education system. These state early childhood advisory councils present an opportunity for the early childhood and education systems to coordinate and collaborate to ensure smooth transitions for students and alignment of standards and curriculum across early childhood settings. Successful coordination and collaboration between the early childhood and K-12 education system includes: ` `Developing a comprehensive plan for Pre-K -3 education that addresses infant and toddler care, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten through third grade part of a whole system instead of separate, disparate initiatives. Aligning early learning standards and K-3 content standards to promote children s healthy development, social & emotional skills, motivation and engagement in learning as well as progress in learning literacy, language, mathematics and science. 27

28 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) Within communities, children enter school from various early childhood settings including; privately owned childcare centers, family child care homes, and school-based pre-kindergarten programs. Given this reality, policy makers should institute policies and procedures that make transitioning from these programs into schools easier for families and more efficient for schools. Successful coordination between early childhood programs and schools includes: ` `Developing common policies and procedures across school districts to obtain records from the variety of early childhood programs children attend. For example, schools can prepare and distribute parent permission forms in early childhood programs to allow programs to transfer children s records to the school ` `Providing joint professional development activities for early childhood and K-3 educators to build a shared understanding of early childhood development and an intentional sequence of learning to facilitate more effective transitions between grades and early childhood programs. ` `Developing school transition teams whose primary responsibility is to facilitate successful school transitions for children and families. NEA recognizes the importance of parental involvement in a child s development. The extent to which families are involved in their children s education is a strong predictor of children s academic success. Benefits of parental involvement include: ` `Students complete more homework and have better grades, ` `Students have more positive attitudes toward school, ` `Better student behavior ` `Higher attendance rates and, Reduced suspension rates. It is important for schools to reach out to families before the first day of school to establish links and smooth stressful transitions. Successful strategies for reaching out to children and families before they enter school include: Providing opportunities for incoming children and families to visit new schools before the school year begins. Having teachers or other appropriate school personnel make home visits before school begins to the families whose children will be starting kindergarten in the fall. Implementing effective family-school-community partnerships such as NEA s Family, School and Community Partnerships 2.0. NEA Resources Early Childhood Education and School Readiness is an NEA policy brief that outlines the importance of early childhood education in preparing young children for elementary school. policybriefece.pdf Full-day Kindergarten Helps Close the Achievement Gaps is an NEA policy brief that discusses the importance of providing young children with a full-day of kindergarten to 28

29 A POLICY BRIEF (Continued) maintain the progress achieved in early childhood programs. fulldayk08pb12.pdf Raising the Standards for Early Childhood Professionals will Lead to Better Outcomes discusses the importance of providing young children with highly trained early childhood educators. RaisingtheStandards.pdf Family School and Community Partnerships 2.0: Collaborative Strategies to Advance Student Learning. This report identifies and describes key partnerships that Association members have forged in 16 communities and includes the Association perspective on these efforts uploads/2011/11/entire_psc_profiles_interactive. pdf Full-day Kindergarten: An Advocacy Guide provides tools, research and resources to successfully advocate for full-day kindergarten in states. kadvoguide.pdf A Parent s Guide to Preparing Your Child for School provides practical information to parents on how to prepare their child to enter school ready to learn NEA_W_L8.pdf A Parent s Guide to a Successful Kindergarten Transition provides parents with information they can use to help their preschooler transition into kindergarten. NEA_W_L6.pdf 29

30 AN NEA POLICY BRIEF Raising the Standards for Early Childhood Professionals Will Lead to Better Outcomes Young children deserve high-quality early childhood programs that enrich their social, intellectual and physical development, and build a foundation for school success. Raising the level of education and training for early childhood educators is an important step to ensure that every young child enters school ready and able to learn. NEA President Dennis Van Roekel In the past, kindergarten was considered the beginning of a child s formal education. But today, many children enter kindergarten having completed several years in child care or preschool programs. Still, many kindergarten teachers express concerns that significant numbers of children enter their classrooms unprepared either because they have had no early childhood education or the programs they attended were of poor quality. Recent research suggests that children who attend high quality early childhood education programs * are more likely to thrive in kindergarten than those who do not. 1 The benefits of high-quality early education programs extend well beyond kindergarten. Children who attend such programs are less likely to repeat grades, to require special education services, or to drop out of school. 2 The effects are especially significant for children from low-income families. The reality is that too many children do not attend high-quality early childhood programs and children from low-income families are more likely to attend lower quality programs. The Cost, Quality, and Outcomes Study, one of the first large-scale studies of child care quality in the U.S., found that the vast majority of early childhood programs were either poor or mediocre in quality, based on observations of widely accepted indicators of child care quality (developmentally appropriate activities, teacher sensitivity, and the extent to which the teaching style was didactic or child centered). 3 A follow-up study, The Children of the Cost, Quality, and Outcomes Study Go to School, followed children through the second grade and found that the quality of child care centers had long-term positive effects on children s language ability, math skills, thinking, attention, and social skills. In second grade, children who attended high-quality child care programs fared better than those who attended mediocre and poor-quality programs. 4 What constitutes a high-quality program? NEA has identified five critical components: 5 ` `It provides a well-rounded curriculum that supports all areas of development. ` `It appropriately assesses children for the 30