What is the Kansas State Agencies Early Childhood Leadership Team?

What is the Kansas State Agencies Early Childhood Leadership Team What is the Kansas State Agencies Early Childhood Leadership Team? A formalized group of state agency early childhood program administrators. Member Agencies Department for Children & Families Kansas Children’s Cabinet & Trust Fund Kansas State Department of Education Kansas Department of Health & Environment Represent Kansas state agencies as a collective voice on early childhood from birth to after kindergarten entry. Plan and initiate cross-agency unified efforts and outreach directed toward development of a comprehensive early childhood system utilizing the school readiness framework as our vision.

What led to the creation of the State Agencies Early Childhood Leadership Team ? Birth-to-Five Regional Trainings were cross-agency, planned and coordinated (2009-11) A Kansas application for the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge was submitted (2011) The School Readiness Data Task Force updated the previous 2003 School Readiness (SR) Framework for a 2012 SR Framework The Kansas Early Childhood Comprehensive System (KECCS) plan was developed based upon SR Framework (2006, 2009)

The State Agencies EC Leadership Team’s Purpose: Represent Kansas state agencies as a collective voice on early childhood from birth to after kindergarten entry.  Plan and initiate cross-agency unified efforts and outreach directed toward development of a comprehensive early childhood system utilizing the school readiness framework as our vision.

How is its Purpose Achieved? Working toward a cohesive, statewide action plan to guide a time-defined implementation plan. Facilitating cross-agency unified efforts to support early childhood comprehensive systems development. Assuming responsibility for actions that generate a systemic, cross-agency infrastructure to support programs’ work.

How is its Purpose Achieved? Relying on data to assess the early childhood system’s functioning and the resultant well-being of children and families. Providing strategic input to agency leadership and external stakeholders/networks regarding early childhood programs and services. Facilitating increased service coordination. Reducing duplication.

Getting to the Results: Developing intentional and focused relationships with constituencies and early childhood partners -serving the work of developing a comprehensive early childhood system Being recognized as a state agency early childhood professional team. Recognized as a policy voice at the state level Team’s views are sought when recommendations are being considered at the state level.

What are the Results? Early childhood programs and services are increasingly well-coordinated, demonstrate effectiveness, and work together toward children’s school readiness.

Working together to…

Build an Optimal Relationship for Kansas KECCS (2009) SR Framework (2012) IN order to integrate these two frameworks: The State Agencies Early Childhood Leadership Team has created a matrix to review how the KECCS plan and the School Readiness Framework are integrated and determine next steps toward a unified framework for creating a coordinated, coherent, and comprehensive early childhood system in Kansas.

Where Did We Start? Acknowledgement of SR Framework as the State’s Vision for School Readiness Developed a matrix showing how SR Framework and KECCS are integrated The SR Framework of 2003 was updated in 2011-12 by the SR Data Task Force. Information about that work will be provided in later slides. The KECCS, created in 2006 and updated in 2009, was developed based on the original SR Framework. Therefore, in looking at the 2012 SR Framework and the KECCS, a matrix was created by this Team showing how these two logically integrate in supporting school readiness.

The Vision: KANSAS SCHOOL READINESS FRAMEWORK is the State’s Vision for School Readiness HAND OUT BROCHURE

Kansas School Readiness Framework Developed by a cross-sector School Readiness Data Task Force that was convened by the Kansas State Department of Education and the Early Childhood Advisory Council. Task Force members represent Early Childhood: Center-Based settings Home-Based Settings School-Based Settings Professional Development Services Mental Health Services Institutes of Higher Education Research Organizations State Agencies and Organizations

What contributes to School Readiness? School readiness occurs within a broad context that includes the four components of community, educational environment, family, and the individual child. These four components function as interdependent systems of support that have multi-directional influences. An effective foundation for school readiness involves policy, funding and systems for children that support their ability to thrive and their success in learning environments throughout their lifespan. http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=4295 Link to the Full report for the School Readiness Framework – March 30, 2012

School Readiness Preamble & Guiding Principles The Preamble expresses the deeply held belief that the Four Components of the School Readiness Framework and the Surrounding elements of Policy, Funding, and System Supports are all critical to the achievement of School Readiness. All Four Components are interdependent and interact to promote school readiness prior to kindergarten entry. There are 7 Guiding Principles for school readiness that were revised and updated by the School Readiness Data Task Force TIME TO REVIEW the Brochure

FOUR Components of the Framework COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FAMILY CHILD The School Readiness indicators for each Component are recommended for assessing the status of school readiness in Kansas. The School Readiness Data Task force developed a set of indicators for each component part of the Framework. NOTE: these are the indicators that will be used to design school readiness supports in Kansas. WHAT do we need to know in order to assess the current status and ongoing progress of school readiness?

School Readiness Data Elements The School Readiness Data Task Force was charged with: Identifying quantifiable and measureable Data Elements that can be used by the State’s Early Childhood data system to assess the status of family, educational environment, community, and child readiness.

Kansas School Readiness Framework A shared reference point that can promote school readiness by promoting aligned programs, services, regulations, policies and practices. This is a UNIFIED vision for school readiness that is organized around a Framework for data-driven decisions and evidence-based implementation, resulting in a re-conceptualizations of policies, of practices, and of programs to better ensure the school readiness and later school success of all children in Kansas. The School Readiness indicators for each Component may be used for assessing the status of school readiness in Once the Framework is endorsed, it will become the structure for strategic and intentional planning. Results include a comprehensive and coordinated school readiness data system that is sustainable and will support policy decisions by state and local agencies and organizations.

How will the Framework help make a difference in Kansas? Promote purposeful and focused planning to achieve the Vision of School Readiness Create a shared framework for data-based decisions across agencies, organizations and programs Develop a data collection process that facilitates inclusion of school readiness data in the State Longitudinal Data System These are some of the highlights and larger components of a state plan for school readiness. NOT JUST FOR STATE AGENCIES!!! There are MANY early childhood partners at the state, local, and regional levels. Early Childhood is a cross-agency, cross-organization ‘entity’

The Kansas School Readiness Framework The State Agencies EC Leadership team is requesting support for the Kansas School Readiness Framework. What this means: The Framework is used as a guiding structure for decisions around School Readiness questions, practices, processes at the state and local levels. The Framework is the structure for School Readiness decisions at the state and local levels. Examples: What can/should be put into place by schools and communities to support transition into Kindergarten? What data should be collected by four year old at-risk programs to show their effectiveness in reaching the goal of the program: Children will enter school ready to succeed. What classroom practices should be required in order to be considered a high quality early learning program? Early Learning Challenge: This Framework is the system for reaching the five goals of RTT-ELC. A system High quality, accountable programs High child outcomes Great workforce (data-driven professional development--TASN) Measuring outcomes (SLDS)

How might this look in practice? COMMUNITY What services are available in your community to support pregnant women and families with children? Is quality child care available in your communities? Does your community have affordable oral health services for pregnant women and families with children? Do the schools in your community allow community functions to use school buildings? EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT Do the preschools and child care centers employ qualified educators? Do the child care centers/preschools in your community have appropriate adult-child ratios in their classrooms? Are the curricula used in the communities’ preschools, child care centers, and other early educational environments grounded in scientific research? Do early childhood educators engage in ongoing collaboration with families around their child’s education? Hand out the Support document –if you are interested in officially supporting the framework, you can

How might this look in practice? FAMILY Are the families and homes in your community free of child abuse and neglect? Are homes free of toxic exposure (chemicals, lead, etc.)? Do families with children have a fixed nighttime residence? Are families in your community aware of resources for selecting and accessing quality child care? CHILD Do children in your community have a healthy weight for their age? Do children in your community have good oral health? Do children in your community demonstrate appropriate communication and literacy skills? Do the children in your community demonstrate mental well-being? Handout – support document

How might this look at the State Level? Integrate the KECCS and the School Readiness Framework Work to align policies, procedures, and practices across state agency early childhood programs

Help us get started! 

State Agencies Early Childhood Leadership Team Members Department for Children and Families Kansas Department of Health and Environment Carrie Hastings, Children’s Services Manager Kansas State Department of Education Kim Kennedy, Head Start State Collaboration Director Debbie Richardson, Home Visiting Program Manager Janet Newton, Parents as Teachers Coordinator Heather Mack, Kansas Early Head Start Program Manager Lori Steelman (Chair), Program Director Child Care Licensing Barbara Dayal, Part B Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator Kelly Meigs, QRIS Manager Sarah Walters, Part C Coordinator Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund Amy Blosser, Early Childhood Director

Contact Information What are your thoughts suggestions ideas for next steps? Lori Steelman: lsteelman@kdheks.gov or Amy Blosser Amy.Blosser@dcf.ks.gov