Remaking QRIS to Serve Hard to Reach, Hard to Serve Programs and Children. Abby Thorman, PhD May 22, 2013

Transcription

1 Remaking QRIS to Serve Hard to Reach, Hard to Serve Programs and Children Abby Thorman, PhD May 22, 2013

2 Our Context With 2.4 million people, Miami-Dade County is: the 8 th largest county in the United States larger than 15 states 12% of our 544,000 children are foreign-born another 54% of our children have at least one foreign-born parent 65% of our children speak a language other than English at home We are one of the most diverse counties in the United States We have great wealth living in close proximity to great poverty 70% of elementary age children qualify for free/reduced lunch 1 of every 5 of our children live in poverty

3 Race and Ethnicity of Miami-Dade County's 544,000 Children Other, non-hispanic / non-haitian 3% Percentage within Hispanic Population Haitian 6% All other Hispanic, 10% Mexican, 5% Puerto Rican, 8% Central American 16% Black, non-hispanic / non-haitian 16% Hispanic 57% South American 17% White, non-hispanic / non-haitian 18% Cuban 44% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates, Table S0201, and calculations by researcher.

4 Purpose Our Goal: Ensure all children have opportunity to develop to their fullest potential Reality: There are significant racial disparities and structural barriers to achieving this goal Our Work: Identify disparities, change systems and structures, and ensure full opportunity for EACH child Process

5 What Does the Data Tell Us? Primary Data Point 4 th Grade Reading Scores Other Data Points Predictive of Success Birth Outcomes Access to Health Care How Often are Children Read to Kindergarten Readiness Quality of Child Care High School Graduation

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7 % of 9th Grade Class Earning Diplomas Students who Graduate within 4 Years of Entering 9th Grade Miami-Dade County Public Schools 100% 80% For comparasion, the 2008 graduation rates among all high school students regardless of race / ethnicity were: Miami-Dade County - 66% Florida - 73% 60% 40% 20% 0% White, non-hispanic 73% 71% 73% 77% 76% 78% Hispanic 61% 60% 60% 65% 68% 70% Black, non-hispanic 50% 48% 49% 53% 56% 60% Source: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Research Services, Research Brief 0607: Dropout and Graduation Rates and Research Brief 0804: Dropout and Graduation Rates This rate uses a longitudinal analysis to track a single 9th grade class (a cohort) over its high school career to determine graduation rates within 4 years and includes only students who earned a standard diploma. For State comparative figure, Florida Department of Education's Education Information and Accountability

8 Remaking QRIS through an Equity Lens Revising standards Greater focus on teacher-child interactions Participating in NAEYC project: building out family engagement and other sections Supports Targeted for vulnerable programs deeper, more responsive Flexibility in expanding definition of support Subcontractor policies Ongoing staff professional development Racial equity training, community of practice Poverty simulation

9 Other Reforms Curriculum Learning Communities High/Scope and Creative Curriculum Infant/Toddler and Preschool cohorts English and Spanish New ECE bachelor s degree Design Job embedded master s programs Application, participants, content, staff

10 Challenges Structural barriers e.g., Miami-Dade College policy Availability of validated tools that reflect this important content Materials only in English e.g. curriculum learning community materials, trainers Limitations of the data Human factor

11 Learning So Far Takes times, perseverance Equity does not mean equal Create and hold the space for the dialogue, facing the hard truths Table needs to be big and include the right people Critical to ask the right questions Everyone needs to be involved not just an issue for some This is among the most important work we can do if we are serious about making a difference for children