Crosswalk of Oklahoma s Early Childhood Quality Standards. ~Final Report~ May 1, 2013

Transcription

1 Crosswalk of Oklahoma s Early Childhood Quality Standards ~Final Report~ May 1, 2013 OLDHAM INNOVATIVE RESEARCH 222 ST. JOHN STREET, SUITE OLDHAMRESEARCH.COM

2 Table of Contents Rationale... 3 Methodology... 5 Findings... 9 Discussion of Recommendations Appendix A: Anchor Criteria& Bibliography of Materials Appendix B: Technical Review & Instructions Appendix C: Reaching for the Stars Alignment..46 Appendix D: Comparability Match Rubric /6/2013

3 Rationale In February 2013, Oklahoma s Partnership for School Readiness Foundation: Smart Start Oklahoma, contracted with Oldham Innovative Research (OIR) to examine the alignment between early childhood program standards for the purpose of developing a cross-sector quality rating and improvement system (QRIS). In order to gather the most current and relevant information to include in the crosswalk, OIR worked collaboratively with Smart Start Oklahoma s Quality, Access, Standards and Accountability (QuASA) workgroup to gather documentation, review the crosswalk information for accuracy and review the report of findings before dissemination to other stakeholders. To address the project goals, OIR developed a crosswalk framework and process to compare program standards across Oklahoma and select national early childhood standards. The overarching goals of the crosswalk was to identify: 1) standards that promote practices to support early childhood learning; 2) program standards not currently included but recommended based on best practice guidelines; and 3) opportunities where integration across programs can potentially enhance child outcomes. Included in the crosswalk are the following Oklahoma program standards: Reaching for the Stars, Oklahoma s QRIS; Oklahoma Child Care Licensing Regulations for Centers; Oklahoma s State Department of Education Early Childhood Program for Infants and Toddlers; Oklahoma s State Department of Education Pre-Kindergarten Program; Oklahoma s EduCare Programs; and Oklahoma s Parents As Teachers Program. National standards examined were: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Program Standards and Accreditation Criteria; National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA) Standards; National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education (NAC) Standards; Head Start Performance Standards; National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) Accreditation Standards; and the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) Quality Standards. The specific program standards considered within the matrix encompassed: 3 6/6/2013

4 administrative practices personnel qualifications professional development learning environment family engagement program evaluation health and safety, nutrition services for children with disabilities community partnerships, mental health transportation child health eligibility/recruitment/selection/enrollment/attendance (ERSEA) The QuASA workgroup recognized that in order to achieve the vision of all children being healthy and prepared to enter school with the skills to learn, early childhood experiences at home and in early childhood programs must be positive, enriching, and supportive. It is their belief that a close examination of program standards can initiate the process of creating consistent expectations related to quality across early learning environments that will support quality experiences for all young children. This comparative review served to increase understanding about the level of existing quality program standards, to identify potential for future growth and expansion, and to facilitate the development of common early childhood program quality measures. 4 6/6/2013

5 Methodology The crosswalk s overarching research question was to examine, To what extent are Oklahoma s early childhood program standards aligned with standards proven to have a positive impact on early childhood learning? OIR identified the following guiding questions to facilitate the research design: What strengths are identified across Oklahoma s early childhood program standards? What gaps are identified across Oklahoma s early childhood program standards? What recommendations for developing cross-sector quality program standards based on current and national standards can be elucidated from the crosswalk? What suggestions can be provided based on proven practices to promote early childhood learning outcomes? There were two phases that comprised the crosswalk design: the assessment phase and the post-assessment phase. The assessment phase began by determining the anchor criteria to use in each standard area. In collaboration with the QuASA workgroup, it was decided that the anchor criteria would be based on NAEYC criteria that were required or always assessed in the accreditation validation process. For those standard areas in which there were no required or always assessed criteria within a standard area, Oklahoma s Reaching for the Stars QRIS 1+ star level and 2 star level criteria were used. In the cases of ERSEA and Child Health standard areas, Head Start Compliance Measure standards from the FY 2012 Office of Head Start Monitoring Protocol were used. Appendix A includes details regarding the establishment of the anchor criteria. The second task was to gather input from the QuASA workgroup. This included collecting the most current Oklahoma early childhood program standards, reviewing what national standards were to be included and determining what anchor criteria should be included within the standard areas. All crosswalk program standards were collected in hard-copy in a resource binder as well as in an electronic file with a 5 6/6/2013

6 bibliography that included information as to where to download the versions used in the crosswalk. OIR was also tasked with developing the crosswalk framework, comparability rating rubric, and comparability matches rubric to be used in the technical review process. OIR used BrainShark to train the QuASA workgroup on the technical review process. BrainShark technology sets voice to an established PowerPoint presentation. Appendix B includes the PowerPoint presentation. The QuASA review team referenced this training to assist them with the review process.oir completed a preliminary set of comparisons, which focused on the examination of the criteria for comparability and designating each criterion a comparability rating. Comparability ratings were based on a four-point scale with 1=no match; 2=meets criteria in part but policy or practice is not specific enough; 3=comparable: spirit of criteria is met but wording could be stronger; and 4=equal match: clear that the wording and meaning are equivalent. Criteria were considered comparable if there was a rating of a 3 or a 4. OIR determined comparability matches by standard area based on the number of 3 and 4 comparability ratings. If there was a match of greater than 50% within the standard area, that area was considered comparable. The QuASA team reviewed the comparability of standards by closely examining the criteria that was crosswalked. Review feedback was returned to OIR for final data analysis in order to determine the level of comparability. The Oklahoma Early Childhood Program Standards Crosswalk includes the final determinations of the crosswalk framework and comparability ratings. The comparability matches can be found in Appendix D. The post-assessment phase of the crosswalk included a final report which detailed a description and interpretation of the results, series of recommendations to be used for future systems and policy changes, and a presentation of key findings and recommendations to be used with other stakeholders. 6 6/6/2013

7 Methodological Caveats: The following are caveats OIR encountered when conducting both phases of the crosswalk project: 1) Oklahoma s Early Childhood Program (OECP) standards were originally crosswalked with other program standards using a variety of documents (Contract for OK Early Childhood Program, Provider Agreement, Work Plan Template) to determine comparability ratings. During the review process it was brought to OIR s attention that all OECP s are expected to have a license in good standing, must be NAEYC accredited, and have a 2 or a 3-star rating within Reaching for the Stars. Therefore, in the majority of the standard areas this program will have 100% comparability. Part of the OECP Contract and Provider Agreement are certain expectations that are documented to reiterate high quality standards. These documented expectations are highlighted in the crosswalk for OECP as a reminder of what is expected contractually. 2) It is important to note that each of the programs crosswalked often have many program standards they are required to follow in order to meet compliance expectations. For example, EduCare sites must follow child care licensing, Head Start, QRIS, accreditation and to some extent, home visiting program requirements in addition to EduCare core program features. Head Start has to follow licensing, CACFP/USDA, State Dept. of Education (in a collaboration site) and home visiting program standards in addition to federal Head Start Performance standards. This study focuses on the program standards that are germane to the specified program that may or may not be reflected in other program standards. Please see Appendix E for Standard Requirements of Oklahoma s Early Childhood Programs for more details. 3) Originally, the Oklahoma Nurse Family Partnership was to be included in the crosswalk. However, standards for this program were not received by the agreed deadline in order to be included in the crosswalk. 4) Child Care Licensing rules and regulations were not part of the original list of standards to be included in the crosswalk. It was later requested that these be 7 6/6/2013

8 included within the Oklahoma program standards to be examined. The same holds true for EduCare Program Core Features that were additions to the crosswalked 5) It was requested that the Oklahoma Association for Infant Mental Health Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health be included in the crosswalk. Upon further examination it was determined that including this information would not be appropriate for this type of crosswalk as they do not address programmatic standards as much as they do competencies for professionals. 6) Star level 3 programs in Reaching for the Stars are expected to meet accreditation and/or Head Start Performance standards. The crosswalk includes the degree to which star level 1+ and 2 criteria meet anchor criteria. 7) Originally, it was stated that matches were considered comparable if criteria were aligned 85% of the time. Due the vast criteria included and the fact that the crosswalk covered both state and national program standards, it was determined that alignment was comparable if the percentage was 50% or greater. 8 6/6/2013

9 Findings How well do Oklahoma s early childhood program standards align with one another? Oklahoma early childhood program standards aligned most closely in the areas of family engagement and learning environment. Areas in which there was little alignment were ERSEA, transportation, nutrition, health and safety, disabilities and professional development. The Oklahoma programs that had criteria which aligned most often with the anchor criteria included child care licensing, the OECPand EduCare. Table 1 indicates the number of anchor criteria which had comparability in each of the Oklahoma Early Childhood program standard areas. The numerator indicates the number of comparable matches and the denominator indicates the total of anchor criteria within a particular standard area. Table 1. Number of Comparable Anchor Criteria Found in Each Standard Area in OK Early Childhood Program Standards OK OK Child Reaching OK SDE OK Early OK Parents Care for the Pre-K Childhood EduCare As Licensing Stars 1 Programs Program 2 Teachers ERSEA 1/11 4/11 Transportation 2/2 Mental Health 1/5 1/5 1/5 Community Partnerships 1/2 2/2 1/2 Disabilities 2/11 4/11 Nutrition 6/12 Health & Safety 14/16 2/16 Administrative Practices 4/7 1/7 2/7 2/7 Personnel 1/3 2/3 1/3 Professional Development 3/3 1/3 Learning 7/13 2/11 5/13 3/13 2/13 1 Indicates the criterion was highlighted at the star level 1+ or star level 2 within Reaching for the Stars. 2 Indicates the criterion/criteria was further highlighted within Rules and Regulations within contract with SDE and/or Provider Agreement with SDE. 9 6/6/2013

10 Environment Family Engagement 3/12 7/12 1/12 9/12 5/12 Child Health 2/10 1/10 2/10 Program Evaluation 2/4 1/4 3/4 3/4 Table 2 notes the anchor criteria that were noted as having strong comparability (i.e., a rating of a 3 or a 4 on the comparability rating rubric) within the Oklahoma program standards. Those anchor criteria noted with an asterisks (*) signifies that this criteria is required or always assessed in the NAEYC accreditation process. More than one quarter (26.4%) of the anchor criteria were found in Oklahoma s child care licensing regulations and another 14.4% of anchor criteria were supported by 1+ or 2 stars within the Reaching for the Stars QRIS. Child Care Licensing primarily reflected criteria in the areas of transportation, health and safety, and nutrition. The 1+ and 2 star levels had anchor criteria indicated most often in the areas of community partnerships, professional development and family engagement. Table 2. Anchor Criteria with Strong Comparability with OK Early Childhood Program Standards ERSEA 3 -Children enrolled who are categorically eligible (OECP 4 ) -Documentation of family income (OECP) -Funded enrollment at 100% and ranked wait list (OECP) -Documentation to support monthly enrollment (CC Licensing) Mental Health -No use of corporal punishment, psychological abuse or coercion, threats, etc. (CC Licensing)* 5 -Opportunities to develop sense of competence and positive attitudes toward learning (Pre-K)* -Program organized and staffed to minimize transitions (EduCare)* Transportation -Transportation services managed; licensed, insured in accordance with state and federal law (CC Licensing) -Written procedures address all aspects of arrival, departure, and transportation of children (CC Licensing) Community Partnership -Maintain a current list of child and family support services available in the community (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars, OECP) 3 The anchor criteria from ERSEA come from Head Start Performance standards. 4 Indicates that the criterion/criteria was further highlighted within Rules and Regulations within contract with SDE and/or Provider Agreement with SDE. 5 Asterisks (*) indicate that this criteria is required or always assessed by NAEYC when a program is validated for accreditation. 10 6/6/2013

11 Disabilities -Materials and equipment reflect lives of children and families as well as diversity and abilities (Pre- K) -Materials and equipment accommodate children s special needs (Pre-K) -For all infants and children with disabilities who have special feeding needs, programs documents type and quantity of food consumed (CC Licensing) -Equipment, materials, and furnishings are available that provide access to children with disabilities (Pre-K) -Indoor space is designed and arranged to provide children with disabilities full access (Pre-K) Health and Safety -Staff who are CPR and First Aid certified (CC Licensing)* -SIDS prevention (CC Licensing)* -Outdoor play areas protected by fences or natural barriers (Pre-K and CC Licensing)* -75 square feet outside (CC Licensing)* -Outdoor play area that protects children from injury (CC Licensing)* -35 square feet inside (Pre-K and CC Licensing)* -Indoor and outdoor areas well maintained and clean; unsafe conditions avoided (CC Licensing)* -Protection from hazards (CC Licensing)* -Equipped and maintained first aid kits (CC Licensing) -Choking hazards (CC Licensing)* -Facility is smoke free (CC Licensing)* -Facility free from harmful animals, insect, pests and plants; use IPM to control pests and unwanted vegetation (CC Licensing)* -Toxic substances stored in original container and locked away separately (CC Licensing)* Personnel -Staff interact with children without physical punishment; recognize health and safety hazards; provide variety of experiences for learning; provide social experiences; adapt and respond to changing and challenging conditions; communicate with children and families (CC Licensing)* -Teachers: Associate degree or equivalent; 75% have Bachelors in ECE, CD, Elem. Ed., or EC Special Ed. (EduCare, OECP)* -Assistant teachers: CDA credential; 100% are enrolled in program leading to a CDA (OECP)* Nutrition -Ensure food safety: discard expired foods; complies with corrections by consultants (CC Licensing) -Clean, sanitary water available (CC Licensing) -Staff familiar with infant feeding needs and feed infants when hungry not in lieu of comfort (CC Licensing) -Children younger than four do not receive [series of specific foods] that can be swallowed whole (CC Licensing) -Menu development and posting (CC Licensing) -Serves meals and snacks at regularly established times (CC Licensing) Administrative Practices -Licensed, in good standing (Reaching for the Stars, OECP)* -Group size and ratios that match NAEYC (Pre-K, EduCare)* -Well articulated mission and philosophy (Reaching for the Stars, OECP) -Staff evaluated annually (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars) -Personnel policies that include roles, responsibilities, qualifications, specialized training, etc. (Reaching for the Stars) Professional Development -Develop annual individualized Professional Development Plan (Reaching for the Stars) -Staff have 2 college credits or 20 hours of job related professional development annually 6 (OECP) 6 This anchor criterion comes from a star level 2 Reaching for the Stars. 11 6/6/2013

12 Learning Environment -Curriculum exposure to language and literacy development (song, rhymes, routine games/books through play, listen to books read aloud) (Pre-K, CC Licensing)* -Curriculum exposure to reading (being read to in small/large groups or individually) and books (books available in quiet areas, access to different types) (Reaching for the Stars, Pre-K)* -Varied opportunities to build an understanding of mathematical concepts (Pre-K)* -Staff work as a team to implement daily teaching and learning activities (EduCare, OECP)* -Child supervision by sight and sound (CC Licensing)* -Child supervision of sleeping children (CC Licensing)* -Use transitions and support for transitions to help children with a predictable but flexible daily routine (Reaching for the Stars, Pre-K, CC Licensing)* Family Engagement -Maintain regular, on-going two-way communication (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars, CC Licensing, Parents As Teachers) -Teachers communicate with families on an ongoing basis (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars, CC Licensing, Parents As Teachers) -Families provided information verbally or in writing about child s development and learning (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars, Parents As Teachers) -Use formal and informal methods to communicate with families about program philosophy and curriculum objectives (EduCare, Parents As Teachers) -Families may visit facility at any time during regular hours (Reaching for the Stars, CC Licensing) -Program governing or advisory board includes families (EduCare) -Communication with families is daily for infants/toddlers and weekly for older children (EduCare) -Opportunities exist for families to meet one another on a formal or informal basis (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars) -Staff and families meet to plan events (EduCare) -Provide information to families about programs Program Evaluation -Annual program evaluation with families, staff and administration (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars, OECP, Parents As Teachers) -Annual evaluation includes: program functions, children s progress and learning, family involvement and satisfaction, community awareness; report of results shared (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars, Parents As Teachers) -Program has established goals for continuous quality improvement using information from annual program evaluation (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars, Parents As Teachers) -Offers opportunities for families and staff to make decisions to improve programming (EduCare, Parents As Teachers) Child Health 7 -Program ensures that each child with a known, observable, or suspected health, dental or development problem receives follow-up (OECP) -Program involves parents immediately if a child health or developmental problem is suspected and informs them immediately in cases of emergencies (CC Licensing) -Programs informs parents of health and developmental procedures and obtains their authorization, maintains documentation of consent, and explains results (CC Licensing) -Program in collaboration with parent obtains required linguistically and age-appropriate screenings to identify concerns within 45 days (Parents As Teachers) -Coordinated screening, assessment, and referral process for all children suspected of having a disability in partnership with LEA or part c agency (Parents As Teachers) 7 The anchor criteria within child health come from Head Start s Performance Standards. 12 6/6/2013

13 and services from other organizations (EduCare, Reaching for the Stars, OECP, Parents As Teachers) Upon close examination of the 1+ and 2 star level criteria in the Reaching for the Stars QRIS, the criteria that were aligned with at least three Oklahoma early childhood program standards were 8 : Facility staff has established and maintains a system for sharing and communicating with families the happenings, activities, and issues regarding their child's physical and emotional state. Center has at least 2 methods of keeping families informed of their program: bulletin board, handbook, newsletter /listserv, website. Parents and staff are surveyed annually to identify program s effectiveness in meeting the needs of children, parents, and staff. Master teacher meet one of following: child care competency certificate; CDA or CCP Credential; Certificate of mastery in child development or ECE from accredited OK college; 30 college credit hours with 15 hours in child development or ECE from accredited college; four year degree with 6 college credits in child development or ECE ; two or four year degree from accredited college/university in child development or ECE; a valid teaching certificate in ECE from OK SDE; current level 3 or higher on OK ECE PD Ladder. Parent conferences are held twice a year and a written report about the child is provided to the parents at the conference. The program maintains a current list of available community resources, including health care, education, nutrition and counseling. The program assists families in locating and connecting with these services as needed. How well do Oklahoma early childhood programs align with national standards? When considering national standards as compared to Oklahoma early childhood program standards, it is important to recognize how the national standard compared to 8 For more details on Reaching for the Star alignment, refer to Appendix C. 13 6/6/2013

14 the anchor criteria (in the majority of cases was NAEYC criteria). 46% of the time criteria aligned in at least three out of five national standards. Standard areas in which there were the greatest alignment included administrative practices, personnel, mental health, community partnerships, nutrition, health and safety, professional development, learning environment, family engagement and child health. Areas in which alignment was not as strong among the national standards were ERSEA, transportation, and program evaluation. Table 4 indicates the number of anchor criteria where there was comparability in each standard area within national program standards. The numerator indicates the number of comparable matches and the denominator indicates the total of anchor criteria within a particular standard area. Table 4. Number of Comparable Anchor Criteria Found in Each Standard Area within National Program Standards Head Start Performance NAC NECPA NAFCC NIEER NAEYC 9 Standards ERSEA N/A Transportation 2/2 1/2 N/A Mental Health 3/5 2/5 2/5 5/5 N/A Community Partnerships 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 N/A Disabilities 7/11 1/11 3/11 N/A Nutrition 6/12 1/12 1/12 5/12 N/A Health & Safety 9/16 5/16 8/16 10/16 N/A Administrative Practices 2/7 5/7 7/7 2/7 1/7 N/A Personnel 3/3 2/3 1/3 2/3 N/A Professional Development 2/3 1/3 2/3 1/3 1/3 10 Learning Environment 7/13 6/13 6/13 11/13 N/A Family Engagement 9/11 2/12 7/12 8/12 N/A 9 NAEYC criteria are compared in the cases where Head Start Performance Standards were the anchor criteria (in ERSEA and Child Health only). 10 Two of the anchor criteria within the Professional Development standard area came from Reaching for the Stars criteria. 14 6/6/2013

15 Child Health N/A 1/10 2/10 1/10 2/10 Program Evaluation 4/4 2/4 1/4 N/A The anchor criteria that were supported by at least three out of five national standards are listed in Table 5. Table 5. Anchor Criteria Supported by Three out of Five National Standards ERSEA Transportation (none) -Written procedures that address all aspects of the arrival, departure, and transportation of children (NAEYC, NECPA, NAFCC) Mental Health Community Partnership -No use of corporal punishment, psychological -Maintain a current list of child and family support abuse or coercion, threats, etc. (NAEYC, Head Start, services available in the community (NAEYC, NECPA, NAFCC)* Head Start, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC)* -To counter bias and discrimination staff treat all children with equal respect and consideration (NAEYC, Head Start, NAFCC)* -Children have varied opportunities to develop a sense of competence and positive attitudes toward learning (NAEYC, Head Start, NUC, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Program organized and staffed to minimize transitions (NAEYC, NAC, NAFCC)* Disabilities -Materials and equipment reflect lives of children and families as well as diversity and abilities (NAEYC, NECPA, NAFCC) -Materials and equipment accommodate children s special needs (NAEYC, NECPA, NAFCC) -The following furnishing are available adaptations that allow children with disabilities and other special needs to fully participate (NAEYC, Head Start, NAFCC) Health and Safety -Staff who are CPR and First Aid certified (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC)* -SIDS prevention (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Outdoor play areas protected by fences or natural barriers (NAEYC, Head Start, NAFCC)* -Outdoor play area that protects children from injury (NAEYC, Head Start, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC)* -35 square feet inside (NAEYC, Head Start, Nutrition -Program supports breastfeeding (NAEYC, Head Start, NAFCC) -Staff are familiar with infant feed needs and feed infants when hungry (NAEYC, Head Start, NAFCC) - Serves meals and snacks at regularly established times (NAEYC, Head Start, NAFCC) Administrative Practices -Licensed, in good standing (NAEYC, Head Start, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Group size and ratios that match NAEYC (Head Start, NAC, NECPA, NIEER)* -Well articulated mission and philosophy (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA) -Staff evaluated annually (NAC, NECPA, NAFCC) -Personnel policies that include roles, responsibilities, qualifications, specialized training, etc. (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA) 15 6/6/2013

16 NAFCC)* -Indoor and outdoor areas well maintained and clean; unsafe conditions avoided (NAEYC, Head Start, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Protection from hazards (NAEYC, NAC, NAFCC)* -Equipped and maintained first aid kits (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA) -Facility free from harmful animals, insect, pests and plants; use IPM to control pests and unwanted vegetation (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Toxic substances stored in original container and locked away separately (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC)* Personnel -Staff interact with children without physical punishment; recognize health and safety hazards; provide variety of experiences for learning; provide social experiences; adapt and respond to changing and challenging conditions; communicate with children and families (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Teachers: Associate degree or equivalent; 75% have Bachelors in ECE, CD, Elem. Ed., or EC Special Ed. (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NIEER)* -Assistant teachers: CDA credential; 100% are enrolled in program leading to a CDA (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NIEER)* Learning Environment -Curriculum exposure to language and literacy development (song, rhymes, routine games/books through play, listen to boos read aloud) (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Curriculum exposure to reading (being read to in small/large groups or individually) and books (books available in quiet areas, access to different types) (NAEYC, NAC, NAFCC)* -Varied opportunities to build an understanding of mathematical concepts (NAEYC, NAC, NAFCC)* -Child supervision by sight and sound (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Child supervision of sleeping children (CC Licensing)* -Use transitions and support for transitions to help children with a predictable but flexible daily routine (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Teachers interact with children to assess strengths and needs to inform curriculum development and individualization (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NAFCC)* -Families encouraged to shared the results of home observations to contribute to assessments (NAEYC, Professional Development -Develop annual individualized Professional Development Plan (NAEYC, Head Start, NAC) Program Evaluation -Annual program evaluation with families, staff and administration (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA) -Offers opportunities for families and staff to make decisions to improve programming (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA) 16 6/6/2013

17 Head Start, NAFCC)* -Use of media is limited to developmentally appropriate programming (NAEYC, NECPA, NAFCC) -Teachers organize space and select materials in all content and developmental areas (NAEYC, Head Start, NAC, NECPA) -Varied opportunities and equipment to engage in large motor experiences (NAEYC, Head Start, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC) Family Engagement -Maintain regular, on-going two-way communication (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NAFCC) -Teachers communicate with families on an ongoing basis (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA, NAFCC) -Families provided information verbally or in writing about child s development and learning (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA ) -Use formal and informal methods to communicate with families about program philosophy and curriculum objectives (NAEYC, Head Start, NECPA) -Families may visit facility at any time during regular hours (NAEYC, Head Start, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC) -Program provides information in a language a family can understand (NAEYC, Head Start, NAFCC) -Communication with families is daily for infants/toddlers and weekly for older children (NAEYC, NECPA, NAFCC) -Opportunities exist for families to meet one another on a formal or informal basis (NAEYC, Head Start, NAFCC) -Provide information to families about programs and services from other organizations (NAEYC, Head Start, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC) Child Health 11 -Engages and assists parents in obtaining from health care profession a determination if a child is up-to-date on schedule of primary and prevention health care and dental care (Head Start, NAEYC, NAFCC) -Program has procedures for tracking provision of health services (Head Start, NECPA, NAFCC) The three programs in which comparability between Oklahoma early childhood program standards and national standards were most evident was in Oklahoma Child Care Licensing, OECP, and Reaching for the Stars. Comparability between these Oklahoma early childhood programs and the national standards was especially evident in the areas of community partnerships, health and safety, administrative practices, learning environment, family engagement and program evaluation. 11 The anchor criteria within child health come from Head Start s Performance Standards. 17 6/6/2013

18 The 1+ and 2 star QRIS criteria indicators that aligned with at least three national standards included 12 : At least annually, the director or supervising staff evaluates employees in writing using the Oklahoma Core Competencies and develops the educational professional development plan with staff. The center provides an employee handbook for staff and includes information on hiring and firing, job duties and responsibilities, professional development requirements, child abuse reporting and personnel attendance policy. Director and staff have an educational professional development plan---plan is written, individualized, reviewed annually, and updated as needed. May include potential professional development career goals and/or identified training topics. All children are read to at least 15 minutes per day. The indoor and as weather permits, outdoor environment, are utilized daily for all children to engage in physical activity. TV or other screen time is not used for children younger than 2 years of age. Facility staff have established and maintain a system for sharing and communicating with families the happenings, activities, and issues regarding their child's physical and emotional state Families are welcome into center at all times. Two family meetings with guest speakers or special events are held each year. Center has at least 2 methods of keeping families informed of their program: Bulletin Board, Handbook, Newsletter, /Listserv, Website (specific to each facility location). Health and safety checklists for both indoor and outdoor spaces are completed annually. 12 For more details on Reaching for the Star alignment, refer to Appendix C. 18 6/6/2013

19 Parents and staff are surveyed annually to identify program's effectiveness in meeting the needs of children, parents, and staff. An equipment inventory is conducted annually using the applicable OKDHS form and kept on file at the center. A policy and procedure manual is maintained on-site for staff and includes the program s mission or vision statement, information on organizational structure, code of professional conduct and the center s discipline philosophy. The daily schedule allows children time to complete tasks. The schedule reflects a balance and variety of activities that includes time for indoor and outdoor play, active and quiet play, rest periods, and meals. Children 2 years of age and older have space with a minimum of eight interest areas: art, block building, book reading, dramatic play, manipulative play, math, music/movement and science/nature. Parent conferences are held at least twice a year and a written report about the child is provided to the parents at the conference. The program maintains a current list of available community resources, including health care, education, nutrition and counseling. The program assists families in locating and connecting with these services as needed. What strengths are identified across Oklahoma s early childhood standards? As noted in the previous section, there were particular standard areas in which comparability across both state and national standards were noted. There were also specific anchor criteria that specifically stood out in various state and national program standards. These are noted in Table /6/2013

20 EduCare RFS QRIS OECP SDE Pre-K OK PAT Licensing HS NAC NECPA NAFCC NIEER Table 6. Anchor Criteria Supported by Majority of State and National Standards Standard Area Anchor Criteria Community Partnerships Health & Safety Health & Safety Health & Safety Administrative Practices Learning Environment Learning Environment NAEYC 8A01: Maintain a current list of child and family support services available in the community based on pattern of needs observed among families NAEYC 9B06: Outdoor play area protects children from injury from falls; catch points, sharp points, and protruding hardware; entrapment; tripping hazards, and excessive wind and direct sunlight NAEYC 9C07: The building, including the indoor and outdoor areas, is well maintained and in clean condition NAEYC 9D09: Toxic substances are stored in original labeled container and locked up away from medication and food. Matches and lighters are not accessible, and flammable materials are stored in a separate building NAEYC 10B04: Licensed, in good standing NAEYC 2E01-02: Opportunities to experience song, rhymes, routine games, and books through play, listen to books read aloud, access to books for independent exploration; infants and toddlers-access to experiences that help them understand that pictures can represent real things NAEYC 3D09: Use transitions and support for transitions to help children with a predictable but flexible daily routine X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Learning NAEYC 3A04: Teachers organize X X X X X 20 6/6/2013

21 EduCare RFS QRIS OECP SDE Pre-K OK PAT Licensing HS NAC NECPA NAFCC NIEER Standard Area Anchor Criteria Environment Family Engagement Family Engagement Family Engagement Family Engagement Program Evaluation space and select materials in all content and developmental areas to stimulate exploration, experimentation, discovery and conceptual learning NAEYC 1A01: Maintain regular, on-going two-way communication NAEYC 1A03: Teachers communicate with families on on-going basis NAEYC 7A11: Families may visit the facility at any time during regular hours NAECY 7C05: Provide families with information about programs and services from other organizations NAEYC 10F01: Annual program evaluation with families, administration, and staff X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Oklahoma s child care licensing regulations reflect the all standard areas within the crosswalk. The OECP promotes the standard areas in the crosswalk by requiring that any organization getting state funds to implement an Early Childhood program to have a license in good standing, be accredited by NAEYC and meet either star 2 or star 3 levels in Reaching for the Stars. What gaps are identified across Oklahoma s early childhood program standards? Gaps in meeting anchor criteria exist in Oklahoma s State Department of Education Pre- K program, Oklahoma s Parents As Teachers, NIEER and NAC standards. In the cases in which anchor criteria were gathered from Head Start Performance standards, more often than not, gaps were apparent across all entities. ERSEA and child health are examples of criteria that were more germane to Head Start programs than state or national entities within the crosswalk. Other standard areas, beyond ERSEA and child 21 6/6/2013

22 health, in which there was little comparability (less than a third of programs) included transportation, mental health, disabilities and nutrition. 22 6/6/2013

23 Discussion of Recommendations Recommendation 1: Oklahoma s child care licensing regulations and Reaching for the Stars QRIS star criteria support a trajectory of higher quality settings for children to learn, grow, and develop. Any new initiative and/or program that receive state and/or federal funding will be expected to meet licensing requirements and be involved with Oklahoma s Reaching for the Stars program. A required policy such as this would also support early learning outcomes for children knowing that these standards promote early childhood growth, development and learning. Oklahoma s State Department of Education expects that contracting programs deliver the Early Childhood Program will be in good standing with licensing, have NAEYC accreditation and either be a 2-star or 3-star rated program with the State s QRIS, Reaching for the Stars. These types of requirements support high-quality environments and experiences for children to optimally grow, develop and learn. It is evident in the crosswalk that Oklahoma s child care licensing and Oklahoma s Reaching for the Stars program align with national standards which lead to higher quality experiences and environments for young children. It is recommended that these requirements (license in good standing and involvement in QRIS) be a policy for any organization receiving state or federal funding to provide early childhood programming. Recommendation 2: Establishing a cross-sector quality rating and improvement system may not adequately address higher quality experiences and environments of children attending early learning and care settings outside of the home and in fact, could diminish the expectations of promoting higher quality standards in these settings. However, there are certain quality standards and criteria that the cross-sector of Oklahoma early childhood programs can aspire to in order to promote practices that supports child learning, growth and development. The alignment between home visiting programs (such as Parents As Teachers standards) and pre-k standards (such as the Oklahoma State Department of Education s Pre-K Program and NIEER Quality standards) compared to other early childhood program standards indicated a low percentage of comparability in almost all of the standard areas. Therefore, expecting programs such as Parents As Teachers and the 23 6/6/2013

24 SDE Pre-K program to meet the standards within the current Oklahoma QRIS may not be appropriate. Adjusting the current standards within the QRIS in order for home visitation and Pre-K programs to meet the standards may inadvertently diminish the expectations of quality that have already been established with Reaching for the Stars QRIS. An alternative may be to develop a common set of high-quality criteria for all early childhood programs in Oklahoma, knowing that the criteria lead to better child outcomes. These criteria could be indicated in a Smart Start Approved document separate from the Reaching for the Stars rating. Some common criteria elucidated from the crosswalk that could be inclusive of all early childhood programs include: Personnel: All staff listed on the Oklahoma Professional Development Registry Personnel: All staff working with children and families functioning at a certain level within the registry indicating progress toward obtaining credentials, certificates or degrees specific to early childhood education or child development Administrative: Evaluation of staff using appropriate set of competencies to guide that evaluation Professional Development: A certain level of on-going professional development Professional Development: development of an annual, individualized professional development plan Learning Environment: Activities and experiences to promote learning and development in various concept areas highlighted in Oklahoma s Early Learning Guidelines (approaches to learning, creative skills, language arts, mathematics, health/safety/physical development, science, social and personal skills and social studies) Family Engagement: Maintain regular, on-going two-way communication Family Engagement: Provide families with information about programs and services from other organizations Community Partnerships: Maintain a current list of child and family support services available in the community based on pattern of needs observed among families and assists families in making those connections 24 6/6/2013

25 Program Evaluation: Annual program evaluation with families, administration, and staff Recommendation 3: Licensing as a foundational level on the QRIS is appropriate and will remain as the focus for star level 1. Adding in certain criteria in star level 1+ and star level 2 will ensure that all standard areas within the crosswalk are promoted within all star levels in the QRIS. Requiring licensing is appropriate as licensing addresses many quality standards at the foundational level. Based on national trends in tiered QRIS, there are certain criteria that could potentially enhance the 1+ star and 2 star level standard areas. It was evident that certain standard areas were not included within Reaching for the Stars QRIS and in some cases this was appropriate as the standards were adequately addressed through child care licensing,(a star 1 requirement of enrollment in Reaching for the Stars). The standard areas that were adequately addressed through child care licensing included health and safety, transportation and nutrition. ERSEA criteria is germane to Head Start and does not necessarily need to be reflected in Reaching for the Stars as this criteria may not be applicable to many early care and education settings. Based on recent, tiered QRIS from other states criteria to consider that would enhance the current Reaching for the Stars star 1+ and star 2 include: Mental health: criteria related to transitions and/or teacher-child interactions Disabilities: criterion that address how materials and equipment reflect the lives of children and families, inclusive of diversity and abilities Child health: criterion specific to supporting both linguistically and ageappropriate developmental screenings Learning environment: criterion that promotes child assessment (e.g., interact with children to assess strengths and needs to inform curriculum development and individualization) Recommendation 4: NAEYC, NECPA, NAFCC and Head Start Performance Standards will be included on the list of accrediting agencies approved by OCCS. These are appropriate standards for meeting star-level three expectations within Reaching for the Stars. 25 6/6/2013

26 There appears to be sufficient evidence that these entities include criteria in all the standard areas that align comparably with one another. The evidence was not as strong for supporting NAC standards to be included in the list of accrediting bodies at the star 3 level. Recommendation 5: Encompassing any and all policies and best practices that promote and enhance child outcomes will be built into any current and future early childhood programs sponsored and/or partially funded by the State of Oklahoma. Currently, the Reaching for the Stars QRIS has built in criteria referring to Oklahoma s Professional Development Registry, the professional development ladder, the Early Learning Guidelines and the Core Competencies for Early Childhood Practitioners all of which has tiered standards that build levels of quality experiences and environments for young children. Expectations that all early childhood programming use these researched mechanisms for improving child outcomes would enhance the entire early childhood system. For examples, see recommendation two. NOTE The actual crosswalk of all the standards mentioned above can be found in a separate report entitled, Oklahoma Early Childhood Program Standards Crosswalk. 26 6/6/2013

27 ~Appendix A: Anchor Criteria & Bibliography of Materials used in Crosswalk~ 27 6/6/2013

28 ~Criteria for OK Early Childhood Program Standards Crosswalk~ Information for this document is based on the NAEYC publication, All Criteria Document, found on NAEYC s web site at: as well as Oklahoma s Reaching for the Stars Criteria for Child Care Centers 07/01/2012 document. All NAEYC criteria that is required and always assessed is reflected in this document unless otherwise noted. If there were no required and/or always assessed criteria, Reaching for the Stars standards were used to help find NAEYC anchors that were appropriate for the areas below. Administrative Practices Criteria: From NAEYC standard 10, Leadership and Management From Standard 10.A Leadership 10.A.02: Qualified Administrator-BA and specialized courses in ECE/Child Development (24 hours) and administration (9 credits) From Standard 10.B Management Policies and Procedures 10.B.04: Licensed program in good standing 10.B.09: Retention plan and policies 10.B.12: Group size and child-staff ratios; in a mixed-age preschool class of yearolds, no more than four children between the ages of 30 months and 36 months may be enrolled and the ratios within group size for the predominant age group apply. If infants or toddlers are in a mixed-age group, the ratio for the youngest child applies. Age Group Group Size Infants 1:3 1:4 Birth to 15 mo Toddlers/Twos 1:3 1:4 1:4 1:4 12 to 28 months Toddlers/Twos 1:4 1:5 1:6 21 to 36 months Preschool 1:6 1:7 1:8 1: year olds Preschool 1:8 1:9 1:10 4 year olds Preschool 1:8 1:9 1:10 5 year olds Kindergarten 1:10 1:11 1:12 NOT REQUIRED or ALWAYS ASSESSED but part of Reaching for the Stars 28 6/6/2013

29 10.A.01: Program has well-articulated mission and philosophy of program excellence that guide its operation 10.E.09: All staff evaluated at least annually 10.E.01: Program has written personnel policies that include: roles and responsibilities, qualifications, specialized training required, nondiscriminatory hiring, policies for staff evaluation, job description, salary scales, benefits, termination, incentives based on professional development Personnel Qualifications: From NAEYC Standard 6.A Preparation, Knowledge, and Skills of Teaching Staff 6.A.01: All staff demonstrate ability to: interact with children without using physical punishment or psychological abuse; recognize health and safety hazards and protect children from harm; provide variety of opportunities for learning; encourage and provide children with a variety of social experiences; adapt and respond to changing and challenging conditions to enhance program quality; communicate with children; communicate with families 6.A.05: All teachers have a minimum of an associate s degree or equivalent; at least 75% have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in ECE, Child Development, Elementary Education, or Early Childhood Special Education 6.A.06: 50% of assistant teachers-teacher aides have at least a CDA credential; 100% are enrolled in a program leading to a CDA and are demonstrating progress Professional Development (NOTE: None of these criterion are required or always assessed ) NOT REQUIRED or ALWAYS ASSESSED but part of Reaching for the Stars Director: 2 college credits or 30 hours of job related professional development annually Staff: 2 college credits or 20 hours of job related professional development annually From NAEYC Standard 6.B Teachers Dispositions and Professional Commitment 6.B.01: Develop an annual individualized professional development plan with supervisor and use it to inform their continuous professional development Learning Environment (From NAEYC s Curriculum, Teaching, Assessment and Physical Environment Standards) From NAEYC Standard 2, Curriculum From Standard 2.E Curriculum Content Area for Cognitive Development: Early Literacy 2.E.01 and 2.E.02: Children have varied opportunities to experience songs, rhymes, routine games and books through individualized play, opportunities to hear books read aloud and access to books that enable independent exploration. In addition, toddlers/twos have access to experiences that help them understand that pictures can represent real things in their environment. 2.E.04: Children have opportunities to be read to regularly in large and small group and individual settings, opportunities to explore books on their own in quiet areas, and access to various types of books. During book readings, children have opportunities to be read the same book on repeated occasions, retell and reenact events in storybooks, are engaged in conversations that help them understand the content of the books, are assisted in linking books to other aspects of the curriculum and work to identify the parts of books and differentiate print from pictures. 29 6/6/2013