1. LINC Advisory Committee October 29, 2008

2. Topics of the Meeting Elementary Principal Survey (Preliminary Results) Policy Scan Discussion on the Conceptual Map Next Steps

3. LINC Principal Survey Demographics Sent to Illinois elementary school principals, 166 responded Location: –CPS, n=8 (5%) –Collar County, 30% (n=50) –Large Town (pop. 25,000+), 13% (n=22) –Small/Rural Town (pop. less than 25,000), 52% (n=85)

4. LINC Principal Survey Demographics Students: –Grades served: Pre-K through 8 th –Number of enrollees: average= 487; median= 661; range 40 to 9,350 –Minorities: average= 25% –Free-Reduced lunch: average= 36% Pre-K programs in the district: –Pre-K program in the district: 95% (n=156) –In own school: 60% (n=51) –In another elementary school: 59% (n=50) –In another school (not elementary): 14% (n=12) –In a district-owned stand alone building: 38% (n=32) –Pre-K and early elementary classrooms closely located: 63% (n=100)

5. LINC Principal Survey Demographics Principals: –Years as principal: average= 8.6 years; range: 1 st year to 33 years –Grade levels taught: Pre-K: 14% (n=19) K-3: 51% (n=70) 4-9: 70% (n=96) High school: 29% (n=40) Other experiences (e.g., counselor, school psychologist: 14% (n=19) –Teaching credentials: Type 03: 88% (n=102) Type 04: 12% (n=14) Special Education: 23% (n=27) Other (e.g., Type 09, Type 10, Type 73, Type 75,): 45% (n=53)

6. LINC Principal Survey Demographics Teachers: –Type 03: average= 81% –Type 04: average= 16% –Hiring criteria for Pre-K and early elementary grades: Experience –Prior teaching experience, mostly general, but some looking for pre-K and special education experience) Education and Credentials –Type 3 and Type 4 –ELL Certification –Special Education Knowledge –Developmentally appropriate practices, developmental characteristics of young children, early language acquisition –Best instruction practices, strong pedagogy, reading and early literacy, differentiated instruction, shared inclusion, hands-on learning, creative instruction –Assessments, learning how to identify students with special needs –Classroom management Other –Personality fit with the other faculty and staff, likes kids, works well with parents and other staff, creative, motivated, flexible

7. LINC Principal Survey Policies and Practices School policies and practices –See page 5 of handout Curriculum & teaching practices –See page 6 of handout Professional development practices –See page 7 of handout Student assessments –See page 8 of handout Barriers –See page 9 of handout

8. LINC Principal Survey What policies would reduce the barriers that inhibit your school’s ability to work with the early learning community? –Funding (e.g., state needs to adequately fund the schools so they can hire the personnel and offer a high quality education, especially needed to provide quality programs for minority students) –Time (e.g., union contracts, too much to do to meet demands of schools) –Location (e.g., distance between schools and programs does not foster collaboration, Pre-K and K classrooms need to be reunited with elementary schools –State, federal, and local policies (e.g., funding, FERPA, NCLB, teacher autonomy) –Cross-sector collaboration (share data; align transitions, standards, and curriculum; and offer “Community inservice days” for professional development of Pre-K and elementary school teachers)

9. LINC Principal Survey Preparation and Professional Development Learning experiences in Type 75 and PD programs –Pages 11 and 12 of handout –Recommendations to Type 75 and PD programs Include concepts related to building the learning continuum and early childhood education in program courses: –Convey that cross-sector collaboration is a priority, include team-building and working with partners/community relations in courses –Developmentally appropriate practices, early learning standards, curricula for young children, administrator’s role in IEPs and RTI –Provide a course on each level of schooling (Type 75) –Hire a faculty member/course instructor with early learning experience Include working with early care and education providers as experiences in the internships (Type 75 program) and practical experiences (in PD programs) –Internship experiences can be carried out in an early learning center/program –Provide opportunities for observing early care and education providers Provide an option for a specialized program in which candidates can choose to focus on Pre-K- elementary, middle school, and high school (Type 75) Provide opportunities for cross-sector professional development in which educational leaders and teachers from early learning and K-12 can participate together (PD programs)

11. International Scan Great Britain National College for School Leadership (NCSL) prepares and trains leaders for England’s primary and secondary school system Specific training for primary headmasters, specific to the challenges and needs of primary schools.primary headmasters Canada In fall 2006, the Canadian Association of Principals published an issue of Early Childhood EducationCanadian Association of PrincipalsEarly Childhood Education Australia Book by Australian Primary Principals Association and Early Childhood Australia on Your child's first year at school: A book for parents Your child's first year at school: A book for parents

12. National Policy Scan Kellogg Foundation sponsored Governors’ Forum on Linking Ready Kids to Ready Schools Convening state policy and education stakeholders in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Ohio, and Pennsylvania To align programs and practices across early learning and the early grades. The National Association of Elementary School Principals Leading Early Childhood Learning Communities: What Principals Should Know and Be Able to DoLeading Early Childhood Learning Communities: What Principals Should Know and Be Able to Do Standards for principal’s role with advocating, supporting, and improving early childhood education in their schools and communities.

13. The Wallace Foundation: Educational Leadership Action Network (ELAN) website Site can be found at: http://www.wallacefoundation.org/ELAN/

14. State Policy Scan Iowa Specific criteria for principal candidates during clinical practice that requires experience in settings for diverse populations, students with disabilities, and students of different ages.Specific criteria Ohio Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators is creating statewide Ready School professional development opportunities for K-12 administrators. Ohio’s Readiness School Initiative grants to ten elementary school principals to pilot the Resource Guide in their schools.Ohio’s Readiness School Initiative Nebraska Nebraska Department of Education and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services sponsored a Birth through Grade 3: Research to Practice ConferenceBirth through Grade 3: Research to Practice Conference Addressed issues of leadership, literacy, assessment, meaningful implementation of curriculum, and transitions from Pre-K to early grades

15. Illinois Policy Scan Standards Redesign Team: Develop a set of outcomes-based standards for mapping out what skills and behaviors should guide principals from aspiring through distinguished Residency Redesign Team: Develop criteria for hands-on, practical leadership experience in which candidate performance would be meaningfully assessed Assessment Redesign Team: Develop criteria for rigorous, systemic formative and summative assessments of candidates and graduates Must occur throughout program Should also be based on graduates’ performance in school leadership roles

16. Parallel Issues Early ChildhoodK-12 Schools CredentialsIllinois Director Credential: http://www.ilgateways.com/con tent.aspx?id=92 Illinois Distinguished Principal Leadership Institute: http://www.ilprincipals.org/pag es/IDPLI.html MentoringProfessional Development Advisement Program: http://www.ilgateways.com/con tent.aspx?id=112 New Principal Mentoring: http://www.ilprincipalmentoring.org./ Professional DevelopmentGateways to Opportunity: http://www.ilgateways.com/ Illinois Administrators Academy: http://www.isbe.net/ECS/defau lt.htm ConditionsOrganizational Climate Assessment: http://cecl.nl.edu/evaluation/oc a.htm Working Conditions Survey: http://www.tellillinois.org/

17. Conceptual Map 12 responses to the questions How well does the conceptual map capture key issues of the learning continuum? What additions/modifications would you suggest? –Overall, positive responses to the conceptual map in capturing the key ideas expressed during the October 7 th meeting. –Like the organization of what, who, and how Should we include Why? There are other “who’s” involved, but leadership is the focus of this group Need to be very specific about who the leaders will be and the equal value of leaders Set up a system like PDAC in which we split off into smaller groups, develop criteria and implementation plans, and then report back to the larger group –Focus on a learning continuum that can be achieved by all sectors There will not be a one-size fits all solution (issues of local control, funding, student population issues such as ELLs, at-risk students, special-education students, minority students)

18. Conceptual Map In what ways does the conceptual map provide a means for moving the work of the Committee forward? –Provides a framework for the discussions, however it may be too ambitious to work on all areas. –Provides the overview of current challenges and the key components, but will need to identify specific strategies to address these issues –The map values birth to age 5 and K-3 equally, and need to stress that all factors in the map are of equal importance. –Map could help members identify the strengths, weaknesses, and accountability for providing quality care and education. –Conduct a gap analysis and identify which of these factors would be effective “levers” in promoting the continuum. –There was another suggestion that the group splits into sub-groups to identify the strengths and weaknesses in each of the five categories and generate recommendations or “next steps” for implementing a smooth and supportive continuum of care and education.

19. Conceptual Map What policy recommendations would you suggest that would bring the learning continuum and concepts identified in the map to fruition? –ISBE create a statewide P-3, birth to third grade, on going council to work on alignment, leadership, preparation, training, and communication. The council would be made up of key stakeholders from primary grade education and early care and education. –Provide financial support for local community collaborations –Define competencies and award credentials for leaders of programs serving birth to third grade. –Link quality initiatives such as Quality Counts, QRS and Preschool for All; make the early learning standards a quality component; require program administrators of P4A to have appropriate qualifications and credential. –Phase in requiring Type 04 early childhood certification for teachers in K-3 –Market the continuum –Need to develop expectations for a final outcome, develop action plans to prioritize components

20. Next Steps How should we continue this work? Date and location for next meeting?