A University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disability Education, Research and Service (UCEDD) How Does the PED FOCUS TQRIS Support the Full Participation of Each Child? Terri Tapia, UNM Center for Development and Disability

Daring Greatly for New Mexico’s Young Children!

New Mexico’s Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant FUNDING to develop & support a coordinated system of early learning & development for children birth to age 5 COMMITTMENT to create an early care, health and education “system of systems” Include ALL PED early childhood programs COMMITTMENT to develop set of quality elements that would be assessed by each early childhood program

New Mexico’s Early Learning System of Systems Ages Prenatal Birth to One One Two Three Four to Kindergarten Entry HOME VISITING IDEA Part C Early Intervention – NM FIT PROGRAM IDEA Part B EC Special Education Title I Child Care Early Head Start Head Start NM PreK

PED’S COMMITMENT:

What is a Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS)? Tiered – Expectations & incentives based on designation of schools at various levels of quality Quality – Elements established in a number of areas – quality practices, professional qualifications, etc. Rating - Determined through the use of tools & procedures Improvement – Activities to improve performance System – Applied to all early childhood programs with common framework, but varied tools & specific elements

Guiding Principles for the Full Participation of Young Children in New Mexico’s Early Learning System “Every child in New Mexico has diverse strengths rooted in his or her family’s unique culture, heritage, language, beliefs, and circumstances.” March 2010

We will…. Promote every New Mexico citizen’s understanding of the importance of high-quality, inclusive, early childhood programs and practices Support interactions and relationships that foster self-reflection Utilize information about the growth, development, and experiences of individual children and families for program and curriculum development and improvement Continuously improve services and supports by evaluating current practices Promote the establishment of aligned services and supports that build on both the unique assets of each child and that acknowledge the strengths of children and families

Family Engagement Families are active participants in the development of goals for their family and child and the services, supports, and strategies to achieve those goals Families experience trusting and respectful relationships with practitioners and administrators that honor culture, linguistics, and unique circumstances of each family Families will be supported to have increased parenting knowledge and skills that promote their child’s development and success in school

FOCUS Criteria Preschool program personnel solicit input from families, at a minimum annually Families have one home visit per year Program has a written Family Engagement Plan that includes A calendar of events Two family engagement activities Three Family/Teacher conferences

Inclusive Practices for Children with Developmental Delays and/or Disabilities All children, regardless of their diverse strengths and needs, have access to and are able to fully participate in early childhood routines and activities with supports, as needed

FOCUS Criteria The majority of children with developmental delays and/or disabilities will attend class for the majority of the day with same age peers without disabilities, with supports and services provided in the classroom setting Preschool program integrates ancillary services (e.g., occupational, speech/language, and/or physical therapy) within regular program activities and routines to the maximum extent appropriate as indicated in the child’s IEP

FOCUS Criteria Children with special/behavioral needs must not be dismissed from any public school preschool program solely because of their special/behavioral needs unless: the teacher has already organized the environment, interactions, and curriculum to minimize the likelihood of challenging behaviors the child has been evaluated by the district child find personnel, and an IEP is developed that specifies placement in another setting, or the child’s current IEP is amended to specify placement in another setting

Culture and Language, Including the Support of Dual Language Learners Families, practitioners and children, value, support, and respond intentionally to the development of culture, lifeways, traditions and language (verbal and non- verbal) in response to the child’s growing level of autonomy (identity) and self-promotion thoughtful, intentional teaching strategies and classroom environments that are designed specifically to meet their needs. Dual language learners are supported by thoughtful, intentional teaching strategies and classroom environments that are designed specifically to meet their needs

FOCUS Criteria Staff recruitment plan includes recruiting culturally-diverse personnel from both genders, consistent with cultural diversity of community and families served Administrators make every effort to recruit teachers who have a bilingual or TESOL license endorsement Materials and visuals in the classroom reflect the culture(s) and language(s) of the children and families enrolled Lesson plans demonstrate intentional fostering of relationships of children who speak languages other than English with English-speaking children

Promoting Social Relationships Practitioners promote the child’s social-emotional well- being by encouraging the child to initiate or sustain positive interactions with other children, adults, and the environment during routines and activities through modeling, teaching, feedback, or other types of guided support and practice

FOCUS Criteria Assess each child with a developmental screening instrument that includes a social-emotional component Develop self-esteem by Actively listening to children Refraining from judgement statements Responding to children’s ideas and Recognizing children’s efforts Encourage autonomy by Providing opportunities for children to make choices Creating opportunities for decision making, problem solving, and working together Promote emotional regulation Provide ongoing training for teachers on positive behavior supports

Making Change Happen

“It’s Not the Critic Who Counts; Not the man who points how the strong man stumbles

Or where the doer of deeds could have done them better

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena

Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;

Who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again,

Because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;

But who does actually strive to do the deeds;

Who knows great enthusiasm, the great devotions

Who spends himself in a worthy cause;

Who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,

And who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

Won’t You Dare Greatly With Us?

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