2012 School Readiness Program Plan Including Optional Parent Aware Application “Leading for educational excellence and equity. Every day for every one.”

What’s New in 2012? New MDE Website –Finding the School Readiness Program Plan and Early Learning Services Data System Optional Parent Aware Application –The last two pages of the plan contain the optional Parent Aware application education.state.mn.us 2

Getting Started Go to the MDE website to find the School Readiness Program Plan and Budget Planner –  School Support  Data Submissions  Early Learning Services Data Reporting education.state.mn.us 3

“Save as” Print one copy of the entire plan and two copies of the Cover Sheet and Statement of Assurances Getting Started education.state.mn.us 4

If you are not sure if you are required to submit your plan in 2012, refer to the list of school districts required to submit. You will probably find it easier to complete the entire plan on paper before submitting your data electronically. The 2012 plan is the same as the 2010 plan (if you want to use than plan as a reference). Working on the Plan education.state.mn.us 5

School Readiness Budget Planner education.state.mn.us 6 Note the tabs at the bottom of the Budget Planner spreadsheet The first tab of the Budget Planner is the Instructions page.

Budget Planner education.state.mn.us 7 1.Type in your district number to automatically populate the cells. 2.Use your totals from row 27 of the Expenditure Planning Worksheet to populate these cells

Expenditure Planning Worksheet education.state.mn.us 8 Complete your FY 2012 budget and your projected budgets for FY 2013 and FY 2014 Row 27 shows your total expenditures Remember to include two copies of this worksheet and the Budget Planner in your mailed documents

When you have compiled all of your data and are ready for electronic submission, go to the MDE website, place your cursor over School Support and click on Data Submissions.Data Submissions Electronic Submission education.state.mn.us 9

From the Data Submissions page, click on Early Learning Services Data Reporting.Early Learning Services Data Reporting Electronic Submission education.state.mn.us 10

From the Early Learning Services Data Submission page, click on Log into the Early Learning Services Data Reporting system.Log into the Early Learning Services Data Reporting system. Electronic Submission education.state.mn.us 11

Click on Sign in to access School-based Early Childhood programs Sign in to access School-based Early Childhood programs Electronic Submission education.state.mn.us 12

After signing in, your district page will appear. Please update contact information if it is wrong or incomplete. If it is correct, click on Contact Information is Valid in the lower right corner. Electronic Submission education.state.mn.us 13

Electronic Submission education.state.mn.us 14 Click on Proceed to Data Submission

education.state.mn.us 15 Electronic Submission Click on School Readiness Program Plan

education.state.mn.us 16 Electronic Submission Click on the “?” if you have questions. A separate page will appear.

After completing the electronic submission, gather required signatures and mail the required documents to MDE. –Remember that you will be mailing two copies of:  Cover Sheet (p. 10)  Statement of Assurances (p. 11), both with original signatures  Budget Planner and Expenditure Planning Worksheet  All contracts with vendors optionalThe remainder of this presentation covers the optional Parent Aware application. Last Steps education.state.mn.us 17

What is Parent Aware? education.state.mn.us 18 Voluntary rating tool Helps parents choose providers Helps providers grow & demonstrate quality

Why is this program needed? education.state.mn.us percent of Minnesotans believe “parents should have access to the best available information to help them find quality places to prepare children for kindergarten According to a recent poll

Why is this program needed? education.state.mn.us 20 Children in rated programs make strong gains

Why is this program needed? education.state.mn.us percent of providers/ early educators participating in Parent Aware pilot found it beneficial

education.state.mn.us 22 Parent Aware has changed Minnesota child care and early education for the better Why is this program needed?

Race to the Top education.state.mn.us 23 “More low-income families across the state will have access to high-quality child care and preschool programs. That's because Minnesota was one of nine states to win federal dollars for early learning programs.” —St. Paul Pioneer Press "Nine states will lead the way in transforming early learning programs and services from a patchwork of disconnected programs with uneven quality into integrated systems that truly and consistently prepare children for success in school and life.” —U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan

Quality Indicators make up the ratings education.state.mn.us 24 Measures the best practices which are most predictive of school readiness: Teaching and relationships Assessment of child progress Teacher training and education Physical health and well-being

What will the rating tell parents? education.state.mn.us 25 4 stars means program is achieving most to all best practices for preparing children for school.

Getting started: 3 pathways to rating education.state.mn.us 26 Options: Building Quality Parent Aware Accelerated Path

The program includes marketing support education.state.mn.us 27 Such as Marketing kit Banners Website

When will Parent Aware Ratings be available in my community? education.state.mn.us 28 Statewide in 2012 Current: –Minneapolis –St. Paul –Wayzata school district –Counties of Becker, Blue Earth, Clearwater, Hennepin, Itasca, Mahnomen, Nicollet and Ramsey counties Statewide by 2015 Child Care Head Start and School Readiness Programs

Early Childhood Scholarships will be made available to families in some communities through state funds and the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant. Scholarships must be used in a 3 or 4-star Parent Aware rated program. A family may choose to use their scholarship at your program if your program has a 3 or 4- star rating. Scholarships are limited in number and may not be available in every community. I’ve heard about scholarships for children. Will my program be able to have access to them? education.state.mn.us 29

The Accelerated Path to a 4 Star rating application can be found on pages 12 and 13 of the 2012 School Readiness Program Plan. Participating in Parent Aware is optional. To receive a 4 Star rating, you will need to show: 1.That you are using a curriculum aligned with the ECIPs 2.That you are using a Parent Aware approved assessment 3.That your lead teachers have received 8 hours of training in curriculum and 8 hours in assessment. Parent Aware Accelerated Path to Ratings Application education.state.mn.us 30

This section is similar to the Cover Sheet of the program plan. List each site where you offer classes or programming. If you have more than 10 sites, you can add more by hitting the “enter” key. Parent Aware Application Guidance education.state.mn.us 31

Parent Aware Application Guidance education.state.mn.us 32 Creative Curriculum is an example X X If you are not using a curriculum that has already been shown to be aligned with the ECIPs, complete this section. Teaching Strategies GOLD is an example of an approved assessment X Note: To be eligible for a Parent Aware 4 Star rating, you must be using an approved assessment tool.

Parent Aware Application Guidance education.state.mn.us 33 The last piece of evidence required for a 4 Star rating is staff development. Your lead teachers need to have completed eight hours of training in curriculum and eight hours of training in assessment. If your teachers have completed this training, list their names and the names of the trainings. You will need to provide documentation of completion of the trainings. This documentation can be similar to what a teacher has to submit to the district relicensure committee. If your program maintains a detailed staff development log, this would also be acceptable.

Parent Aware Application Guidance education.state.mn.us 34 To be eligible for the accelerated path, your program must be required to follow School Readiness Program requirements. If you are using a curriculum that has already demonstrated alignment and an approved curriculum, submit a copy of their copyright pages. Also submit copies of your staff training documents. This application should be signed by the School Readiness coordinator and the SR supervisor (e.g. Community Ed director). One signature is sufficient if the coordinator and supervisor are the same person. Mail in application and supporting documents (address is below in notes). X

education.state.mn.us 35 Contact: Mike Brown