1. A Joint EEC-ESE Initiative focused on P-3:
Proficiency on Grade 3 Statewide Literacy and Mathematics Assessments
May 2011

2. Agency Mission Statements
Department of Early Education and Care
provide the foundation that supports all children in their development as lifelong learners and contributing members of the community, and supports families in their essential work as parents and caregivers.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
strengthen the Commonwealth’s public education system so that every student is prepared to succeed in postsecondary education, compete in the global economy, and understand the rights and responsibilities of American citizens, and in so doing, to close all proficiency gaps.
The agencies’ work is closely linked in that the goal is to create individuals who are life-long learners and prepared for continued education as well as responsible citizenship. We approach this work by creating solid early learning opportunities, supporting families as their child’s first teacher and improve schools to raise student achievement. 2

3. Our unified vision is... …Proficiency on Grade 3 Statewide Literacy and Mathematics Assessments
Our mission creates many opportunities for collaboration across the two agencies. Specifically, the Governor and the Executive Office of Education (EOE) have identified proficiency for all students by Grade 3 as the vision for all 3 agencies under the Secretariat: EEC, ESE, and Department of Higher Education (DHE), to be working towards in its collaborations and individual agency work. This unified goal creates an opportunity for the agencies to create a framework from which a coordinated and comprehensive approach to this important vision can be taken.
3rd grade is also the point at which children shift from learning to read to reading to learn. A framework for birth to grade 3 services and programs provides the necessary consistency in instruction to prepare students for this important shift in their learning.

4. What We Know from Experience and Research
Children enter school with vastly different skills. Research shows that gaps in learning exist by 18 months of age.
High quality preschool supports children to develop age appropriate skills and be ready to succeed in kindergarten.
Children’s overall healthy development is critical to learning. Social and emotional competencies as well as physical health are tied to academic success.
The support and involvement of families in their child’s education and development is necessary for successful learning.
POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT TO SLIDE 5? 4

5. Policies to Consider and Discuss
Universal Preschool
Mandated, Universal Full-Day Kindergarten (Offering and Attendance)
Class Size and/or Ratio Regulations in K-3
Shift in access eligibility from family income to child need

6. Key Principles in the P-3 Alignment
Horizontal alignment
Vertical alignment
Temporal alignment

7. Principle 1: Horizontal Alignment
Vertical alignment
Temporal alignment
Horizontal alignment is created by using consistent learning approaches within an age range or grade.
Horizontal alignment with a grade or age level provides children with experiences that are consistent and provide continuity.
Full-day kindergarten

8. Principle 2: Vertical Alignment
Horizontal alignment
Vertical alignment
Temporal alignment
Vertical alignment is created by using consistent learning approaches across ages or grades.
1st grade K
Pre-K
2nd grade
3rd grade
Vertical alignment across ages or grade levels provides children with learning experiences that are reflective of young children’s development and build upon one another. This alignment creates a continuum of seamless experiences instead of expecting that children and families transition every year to a different environment with different approaches.

9. Principle 3: Temporal Alignment
Horizontal alignment
Vertical alignment
Temporal alignment
Temporal alignment is created by using consistent learning approaches across a child’s day.
Temporal alignment recognizes that children are in many different settings in the course of a day and a week. Consistent approaches and coordinated learning opportunities across settings maximizes children’s development and learning.

10. What does P-3 look like in Massachusetts?
A coordinated and collaborative state approach

11. This diagram reflects the many elements needed to create a comprehensive P-3 framework. These elements are based on the

12. P-3 Elements1 Mechanisms for cross-sector alignment
(Governance, strategic plans)
Administrators and Leadership Quality
(Leadership is inclusive/facilitative and focused on instruction)
Teacher Quality and Capacity
(Focus on credentials and professional development; professional dispositions; professional community)
Instructional Tools and Practices
(Curriculum content; alignment of standards and curricula; pedagogical methods)
Instructional Environment
(Student-centered learning culture (classroom and school))
Data and Assessments
(Data and assessment used to improve instruction)
Engaged Families
(Families and communities engaged in student learning)
Transitions and Pathways
(Focus on children’s movement through the continuum)
1 Kauerz, Kristie (2011). Sustaining Your Work: PreK-3rd Implementation and Evaluation Framework; a presentation to ESE PK-3 grantees. Harvard University: Cambridge, MA.

13. Instructional Tools and Practices (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)
Standards:
Roll-out the 2011 Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy and the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for Mathematics
Curriculum:
Align the Guidelines for Preschool Learning Experiences and Kindergarten Learning Experiences with the new frameworks
Integrate content areas and create interdisciplinary curriculum
Develop a birth to literacy curriculum for educators
Instruction:
Ensure developmentally appropriate practice in P-3 classrooms
Provide knowledge of child development to teachers, administrators and assistants
Differentiate instruction
Implement tiered systems of support
Enrich learning experiences for children
P-3
Focus on the whole child
Use play effectively to promote learning

14. Data and Assessments (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)
Develop and use data systems to address P-3 issues
Implement comprehensive assessment approaches by using formative assessment, progress monitoring, and summative student data
Replicate the Chicago Study focused on Literacy/Mathematics and social-emotional competencies
Use Classroom Assessment Scoring System instrument in Head Start programs, as an option in QRIS and in some Quality Full-Day Kindergarten grant classrooms.
Implement Quality Rating and Improvement System requirements for evidence-based formative assessments in early education and care programs (infant, toddler, and preschool) and after-school and out-of-school time programs

15. Instructional Environments (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)
Administer the PK-3 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Alignment Project
Administer the Universal Preschool Grant
Administer the Quality Full-Day Kindergarten Grant
Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)
Create small class sizes and appropriate adult : student ratios
Alignment of schools and after-school and out-of-school time programs related to curriculum, instructional strategies, and professional development

16. Engaged Families (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)
Administer the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Grants (EEC)
Create opportunities for staff from EEC and ESE to jointly develop a family and community engagement framework
Support the work of the Wraparound Services model and School Turnaround work, including engagement of families
Conduct home visits and other non-traditional strategies (e.g., parent groups, resource rooms)
Build partnerships among families, schools, and community-based organizations
Access behavioral health services and other supports (e.g., mental health)

17. Administrators and Leadership Quality (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)
Support the CAYL Institute and Principal Leadership forums
Create a survey course for Literacy P-3 in collaboration with University of Massachusetts Boston
Link the STEM work with the professional development priorities around literacy and mathematics in early education
Support principals to develop early education and early elementary expertise

18. Transitions and Pathways (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)
Support student transitions within and across grades
Create and use common transition forms between public and community-based preschool programs to share data with kindergarten teachers
Provide opportunities for preschool children to visit kindergarten classrooms and kindergarten teachers to visit children in their preschool program
Develop a common understanding about student expectations and share that understanding among birth to five providers and K-3 staff

19. Teacher Quality and Capacity (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)
EEC Licensing requirements and ESE Teacher certification requirements
Administer the Early Literacy Grant and the Early Childhood Special Education Grants
Create opportunities for collaborative team planning between general and special education
Create common planning time for school staff across and between grade levels
Coordinate across program types to support children with disabilities

20. Mechanisms for Cross-Sector Alignment (Examples of current and future activities to support P-3 initiative)
Executive Office of Education Inter-agency Taskforce focused on P-3 Literacy
Support the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between EEC and Springfield PS to develop a P-3 infrastructure
Early Childhood State Advisory Council (SAC)
Support collaborative efforts between early education and care providers and the public schools (e.g., joint professional development)
Co-sponsor an Institute on Literacy and Mathematics, weaving the social-emotional and family engagement frameworks into the content

21. Potential Partners to Build P-3
Executive Office of Education
Department of Higher Education and Institutions of Higher Education
EEC (Policy, Professional Development, Early Childhood Information System)
ESE (Title 1, Targeted Assistance, Special Education, Learning Support Services, Curriculum and Instruction, English Language Acquisition, Adult and Community Education) and the regional DSACs
CAYL Institute
Readiness Centers
Davis Foundation
United Way
Resource and Referral Agencies
Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership
Strategies for Children
Head Start
Non-profit Community-based Organizations
Independent Family Child Care Providers
Massachusetts Administrators of Special Education
Massachusetts Elementary Principals Association
Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents
Massachusetts Association of School Committees

22. Massachusetts State Advisory Council (SAC) on Early Childhood Education and Care
Review of Grant, Work Plan Updates, and Year One Budget Considerations
May 2011

23. Background
The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 requires the Governor of each “State” to designate or establish a council to serve as the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care for children from birth to school entry.
To be eligible to receive a grant, a state had to prepare and submit an application for a three-year period that addresses select criteria.
The State Advisory Council is responsible for leading the development or enhancement of a high-quality, comprehensive system of early childhood development and care that ensures statewide coordination and collaboration among the range of programs and services in the State including: child care, Head Start, IDEA preschool and infants and families programs, pre-kindergarten programs and services.

24. Background, continued.
Original application was submitted in May, 2010.
We were notified in late August that we had been awarded $1,137,560 for the three year project period.
In mid-August we were invited to submit a supplemental application. (Not every state had applied or applied for the full amount of funds in the original application process.)
We were notified in late September that we had been awarded an additional $164,277 for the three year project period.
The revised three year total is $1,301,837.

25. State Advisory Council (SAC) Functions:
Needs assessment
Early education and care collaboration
Early education and care enrollment & outreach
Unified data collection
Quality improvement in early education and care
Professional development
Early education-higher education workforce preparation partnerships
Early learning standards

26. Six Focus Areas for ARRA SAC Grant
Early Childhood Information System development and use
Needs Assessment
B-8 Community Planning and PreK-3 Partnerships
Early Education/Higher Education Workforce Preparation Partnership
Policy and Best Practices for Children & Families with Limited English Proficiency and/or Developmental Delays or Multiagency Involvement
ARRA Council Implementation Support and Accountability

27. SAC Goal 1 – Early Childhood Information System development and use:
Data development, analysis, and use, including continued development of an interagency Early Childhood Information System and the assignment of child, workforce, and program identifiers coupled with the analytic capacity to examine and report on data collected on young children’s needs and programs.
Includes a continued partnership with UMass Lowell and the Open Indicators Project.
SAC GOAL 1 Related Updates:
Early Childhood Information System (ECIS)
Open Indicators Consortium

28. SAC Goal 2 – Needs Assessment Consulting
Design and implementation of the required needs assessment with a special emphasis on multi-risk families with infants and toddlers
Needs assessment will be conducted and analyzed throughout the tenure of the SAC ARRA grant.
SAC Goal 2 Related Updates:
Wellesley hired to design two multi stage Needs Assessment models

29. SAC Goal 3 – B-8 Community Planning and PreK-3 Partnerships
Co-Investment Funding Partnership Contracts with the Philanthropic Sector
Support for community birth through age 8 (B-8) strategic plans, anchored in local data on:
Child/family needs, and
The quality/effectiveness of Pre-K through Grade 3 aligned systems linking local schools, local providers, and families through grants to communities.
Development of tools and assessments which are aligned based on child development including standards, to be used locally between the early education and public schools
SAC Goal 3 Related Updates:
ESE/ EEC Pre K – 3 Partnership
Head Start and the Public Schools

30. Head Start and Public School Partnerships
A state-wide series of meetings between public preschool and Head Start representatives with a focus on full implementation of the required activities of the federally required Head Start –LEA Memorandum of Understanding:
Educational activities, curricular objectives, and instruction
Public information dissemination and access to programs for families contacting the Head Start program or any of the preschool programs
Definition of service areas
Staff training, including opportunities for joint staff training on topics such as academic content standards, instructional methods, curricula, and social and emotional development
Program technical assistance
Provision of services to meet the needs of working parents, as applicable
Communication and parent outreach for smooth transitions to kindergarten
Provision and use of facilities, transportation, and other program elements

31. ESE/EEC Pre K-3 Partnerships
EEC and ESE are hosting a Birth to 8 Leadership Institute Early Educator Fellowship series.
EEC is offering equal numbers of Fellowships to elementary school principals and community based early education providers.
Three leadership meetings with national experts and state leaders will be held on March 26, 2011; April 30, 2011; and June 4, 2011.
Through these meetings, Fellows will focus on three areas of timely importance to the Commonwealth:
child growth and development;
literacy, and
dual language learners.
More than topical meetings, Fellows will become part of a statewide learning community with access to national experts and state leaders.
Educators are eligible for the Fellowship if they are:
An elementary school principal;
A director of a program such as Head Start, center-based and out-of-school time care programs, and family child care systems; or
An early care and education professional in specialty areas such as mental health or early intervention (for limited spots as observers).

32. ESE/EEC Pre K-3 Partnerships
Leadership Institute for professionals serving children ages birth to eight in PreK-3rd grade public school and community-based settings
Total applications: 160
108 accepted and enrolled
49 rejected
3 accepted but declined
District Demographics of applicants:
52 (33%) Commissioner’s District
15 (9%) Level Four school
4 (2%) in close proximity to a Level Four School
89 (56%) no answer
Geographic Diversity of applicants:
36 (23%) Metro Boston
36 (23%) South Shore
14 (9%) Western MA
34 (21%) Central MA
40 (25%) Northeast
Sector diversity of applicants:
35 (22%) from Public School systems
62 (39%) from Community-Based programs
19 (12%) from Private Preschools
5 (4%) from Head Start
6 (3%) from Family Child Care
33 (21%) Unknown
Data as of

33. ESE/EEC Pre K-3 Partnerships
Leadership Institute (continued)
Total Accepted Fellows: 108
District Demographics of accepted fellows:
44 (41%) Commissioner’s District applicants
14 (13%) Level Four school applicants
3 (3%)in close proximity to a Level Four School
47 (44%) Unknown
Geographic diversity of accepted fellows:
32 (30%) Metro Boston
30 (28%) South Shore
8 (7%) Western MA
14 (13%) Central MA
24 (22%) Northeast
 Sector diversity of accepted fellows:
28 (26%) from Public School systems
51 (47%) from Community-Based programs
10 (9%) from Private Preschools
5 (5%) from Head Start
5 (5%) Family Child Care
9 (8%) Unknown

34. SAC Goal 4 - Early Education/Higher Education Workforce Preparation Partnership
Complete development of an early education and care workforce preparation data infrastructure partnership with the Department of Higher Education and with public/private higher education institutions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
SAC Goal 4-Related Updates:
IHE Mapping Phase I and II

35. SAC Goal 5-Related Updates:
SAC Goal 5 - Policy and Best Practices for Children & Families with Limited English Proficiency and/or Developmental Delays or Multiagency Involvement
Development of policy and best practices and recommended models for early education and care serving limited English proficient children and families and/or children with developmental delays or multiple system involvement.
Through three in-depth meetings EEC will support Principals and community-based providers in spending time learning together in three areas of timely importance to the Commonwealth:
Child growth and development
Literacy
Dual language learners
SAC Goal 5-Related Updates:
DLL Study, Development of Policies and Guidelines and Survey
Community Strategic Planning

36. Community Strategic Planning:
Plans to improve educational outcomes for children shifting focus from “child readiness” to working to develop policies and practices that focus on the “readiness” of schools and their leadership to receive children and maximize their opportunities for success.

37. Three Areas of Focus:
Co-Investment Funding Partnerships Contract with the Philanthropic Sector, $50,000
Community Strategic Planning: Birth – 8 community initiative on child growth and development, literacy assessment and dual language learners, $20,000
Grants of $3-5K to participating communities for training and tool development, $25,000

38. Funding Requirements:
Work must be done within a birth – 8 framework
Must in relationship with local communities
Support/build upon CFCE work related to transition
Measurable outcomes
Must support or involve 3 “Policy Levers” for Literacy:
Teacher Quality
Family Engagement
Environment/ Community based cultural institutions that support literacy development

39. Delivery Options for Discussion and Consideration:
Testing in local communities
One grant with several parts
Separate grants
3 Categories of funding for which level four communities can apply

40. Year One (Oct ‘10 – Sept ‘11) Budget Considerations:
To discuss today, =
$95,000

41. Feedback from SAC Members (3/7 Meeting)
At the March 7, 2011 meeting of the SAC, Commissioner Killins provided a review of the grant and updates on the work plan and budget considerations.
Feedback from the SAC included:
It was noted that early intervention is not explicitly mentioned in the Joint EEC-ESE Initiative P-3 presentation, despite mention of data showing that gaps in learning exist by 18 months.
Early Intervention has been added to the list of partners to build P-3
An interest was expressed in mapping college courses as it relates to infant and toddler credentials and defining what the core elements and content of the credentials would be.
The SAC discussed how some communities in the state have school systems with a single principal for prek-2nd grade and whether this may be considered a best practice in P-3.
Expressed concern that certain parts of the state - particularly communities in Western Massachusetts, which may have some of the poorest performing schools - are often overlooked when limited funding is focused on urban communities.
SAC members discussed the potential value in focusing funding towards rural communities as well as gateway towns.

42. Proposal: Grants to Support Birth to 8 Community Planning in Rural Communities

43. Proposal: Grants to Support Birth to 8 Community Planning in Rural Communities
In response to feedback provided by the SAC suggesting that resources be targeted to rural communities, EEC proposes awarding grants to rural communities to support birth to 8 community planning.
Grants relate to SAC Goal 3: Birth to 8 Community Planning and Pre-k to 3rd partnerships.
EEC plans to allocate $95,000 of the ARRA SAC the purpose of rural community planning grants.
Grants will be approximately $5,000 each and will be focused on supporting the needs of children and families in rural communities through community planning.
EEC has reviewed population per square foot and the number of children ages 0-5 in communities to determine which communities would be eligible to apply for funds (see following data).

44. Defining “Rural” and Potential Target Communities
While there is no national definition on what an urban or rural city/town is in recent years some Massachusetts researchers have settled on using a population density of less than 500 per square mile as the criterion.
The principal alternative criterion was a population less than 10,000, which is what is now used by the Massachusetts Rural Development Council and is the "official" definition in state government.
Of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, 192 cities/towns meet one or more of the criteria noted above.
147 out of 192 cities/towns meet both definitions.
The remaining 45 cities/towns meet only one of the definitions described above.

45. Questions/Feedback?