NAEYC Accreditation Portfolios Night Sponsored by Maryland Community AEYC June 30, 2008 at the Montgomery County Child Care Resource and Referral Center

Portfolios “tell the story” of your program and your classrooms through plans, documents, photos and other evidence. Key Idea:

Criterion Example Standard 4: Assessment of Child Progress Topic Area 4.D: “Adapting Curriculum, Individualizing Teaching, and Informing Program Development” Criterion 4.D.02: “Teaching teams meet at least weekly to interpret and use assessment results to align curriculum and teaching practices to the interests and needs of the children.” –Age Group: Universal (all age groups) –Assessment Category: Emerging Practice –Sources of Evidence: Program Portfolio Teacher Survey

Classroom Portfolios: What are they? “A mechanism for documenting classroom practices and recording events in order to provide current evidence of implementation of standards and criteria.” Might include: Photos Lesson plans Schedules Observation notes Class or child work products Lists of materials Notes, s Sound clips Video clips

Classroom Portfolios: Why should you do them? Demonstrate capacity to perform criteria consistently over time Supplement classroom observations – assessors can’t possible see everything in an hour A hands-on learning process through which staff come to understand NAEYC standards and criteria

Classroom Portfolios: Who should do one? One for each specific classroom or group by the teaching team responsible for that group. When the responsibility for planning and implementing classroom activities is shared among several teaching teams for multiple groups of children, a single portfolio may be used to document the evidence for each of the groups included in the shared planning and implementation.

Classroom Portfolios: How are they organized? Physical organization –Binder or notebooks –Tote boxes or crates –Digital or virtual storage Organize by the 10 Program Standards Organize by criteria within each standard Highlight, caption, or label specifics Use of placeholders

Classroom Portfolios: How are they maintained? Evidence should reflect a policy, practice, or document that is in effect or has been collected (or documented) within 12 months of the program’s Candidacy deadline. Evidence may be older than 12 months if it reflects a current practice.

Classroom Portfolios: Things to keep in mind! You only need one or two pieces of evidence to support each criterion or indicator. Does your evidence clearly convey the criterion? Have you addressed all indicators? Will it “speak” to assessors who have limited knowledge of your program? If it is a photo, it usually helps to include a description of what you are trying depict.

Program Portfolios: What are they? “A mechanism for tracking program policies and recording events that provides current evidence of implementation of standards and criteria.” Might include examples from: Employee handbook Parent handbook Curriculum resources Brochures, web pages Budgets and spreadsheets Contracts, inspection reports Notes, s Posted notices and polices Program forms and lists

Program Portfolio: Who should do one? The Program Administrator is responsible for assembling the Program Portfolio. –One PP per program (including multi-site) –Corporate information vs. local information

Program Portfolios: How are they organized? Physical organization Organize by the 10 Program Standards Highlight, caption, or label specifics Use of placeholders –Things you can’t easily move –Tabs in “rich sources” like staff manual

Program Portfolio: Things to keep in mind! For many criteria, Program Portfolio is the ONLY source of evidence. Make sure you meet! If you have confidential evidence, there is a procedure for NOT presenting it (notarized letter). Use the “full language of the criteria”. If your language does not conform to NAEYC requirement, fix it! Remember, if your preparation time is short, start by making sure you meet the “Required” and “Always Assessed” criteria!

Academy Information Center – select option 3 Scholarships to assist with fees E-Updates / Technical Updates TORCH – special section of website. Conference sessions, seminars and webinars Affiliates & leaders of facilitation projects or Help from NAEYC