1. 0 Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge Update and Preliminary Plan June 2011

2. Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) Overview On May 25, 2011 U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge $500 million state-level competitive grant A commitment from the Obama Administration to support children and families reaching their full potential was stressed. RTT–ELC will award funds to states that create comprehensive plans to transform early learning systems with clear standards and meaningful workforce development. As stated in the May 25, 2011 press release, Secretary Duncan and Secretary Sebelius also challenged the broader innovation community—leading researchers, high-tech entrepreneurs, foundations, non-profits and others—to engage with the early learning community and to close the school readiness gap. 1

3. Program Description As stated on the U.S. Department of Education website*: The RTT-ELC grant competition will focus on improving early learning and development programs for young children by supporting States' efforts to: 1. increase the number and percentage of low-income and disadvantaged children in each age group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are enrolled in high-quality early learning programs**; 2. design and implement an integrated system of high-quality early learning programs and services; and 3. ensure that any use of assessments conforms with the recommendations of the National Research Council's reports on early childhood. Awards in Race to the Top will go to States that are leading the way with ambitious yet achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling, and comprehensive early learning education reform. *www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/index.html *Note: At this time it has not been communicated from the Administration that increasing the number and percentage of children in high quality programs means additional children served. The indication so far is that this can be interpreted to mean current children in existing programs and focusing on those programs being high quality. 2

4. Program Description, Continued Early Learning Challenge components are expected to mirror the Race to the Top assurances. As stated on the U.S. Department of Education Race to the Top Fund website* the four Race to the Top assurances include: Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy; Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction; Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and Turning around our lowest-achieving schools. *http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html 3

5. Program Description, Continued* States applying for challenge grants will be encouraged to: Increase access to quality early learning programs for low income and disadvantaged children, Design integrated and transparent systems that align their early care and education programs, Bolster training and support for the early learning workforce, Create robust evaluation systems to document and share effective practices and successful programs, and Help parents make informed decisions about care for their children. *www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/index.html 4

6. Key Takeaways from Stakeholder Conference Call Prenatal through 8 framework with particular focus on 0-5 for this grant Increase access to high quality care Balance access and quality Focus on ensuring that the programs children have access to are high quality Focus on bringing together program types – i.e. Head Start, child care, Title 1, home visiting, etc. Workforce and family engagement are critical 5

7. Next Steps Details about the specific requirements, timeline, priorities and selection process are forthcoming Anticipated late summer announcement with grants distributed by end of year The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, who will be jointly administering the grant, have set up a blog for stakeholders to offer feedback: http://www.ed.gov/blog/2011/05/rtt-early-learning- challenge http://www.ed.gov/blog/2011/05/rtt-early-learning- challenge In the meantime, EEC will: Preliminarily plan for its application (see next slides); Begin gathering feedback and suggestions; Consider the allocation of resources and staff time necessary to apply for the grant. 6

8. EEC’s Preliminary Plan for RTT–ELC Center for Excellence 7

9. EEC’s Preliminary RTT-ELC Plan EEC envisions RTT-ELC as an opportunity to bring early education and care system building to its next level. This would be done through three primary components: Development of a statewide Center for Excellence to coordinate networks of supports to enhance early education and care program quality and services and supports to children, families and educators. Building upon EEC’s developing Early Childhood Information System (ECIS) to collect and track data, allocate resources, and support children’s development Will help support P-20 data system Will serve as a mechanism to identify children’s developmental needs and explore the provision of comprehensive services to children and families through resources and partnerships (i.e. CFCE) Supporting and tracking educator quality and children’s growth and development In partnership with QRIS, PQ Registry, ECIS, etc. Engage with families around development; build upon existing initiatives such as Strengthening Families and Help Me Grow 8

10. Center for Excellence Core Components The Center for Excellence will act as a firewall among components of the EEC system to ensure that all aspects are of the highest quality. The Center for Excellence will serve four primary purposes: Act as a gateway to educator and provider supports to programs, Ensure partnerships with high quality trainers and consultants, and Partner with higher education, Support content-specific development such as literacy and STEM, Help maintain QRIS infrastructure by coordinating Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) tools reliability ratings, and Oversee child assessment activities, including formative assessment as well as summative school readiness and growth assessments (i.e. PVT, EVT, Ages & Stages SE, etc.) Help link formative and summative assessment to the Early Childhood Information System (ECIS) Engage with families to obtain consent and provide supportive feedback, as well as link to Ages and Stages (ASQ) data and information Engage with families to understand assessment information and help them access resources Coordination of the Center for Excellence may include entities with: Early education and care content knowledge and expertise, Adult learner expertise, and Project manager capacity. 9

11. Center for Excellence Core Components and Key Supporting Partnerships 10 Center for Excellence Educator and Provider Supports Child Assessment Content- specific focus (i.e. literacy, STEM) QRIS Infrastructure Higher Education CFCEECIS state partners (ESE, DPH etc.) Consultants and Trainers EEC Grantees

12. Center of Excellence Core Components The Center for Excellence will also: Facilitate relationships with statewide and community partners across its primary functions to enhance access to high quality programs for children, support to families and resources to programs. Partners may include: EEC grantees, including Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE), State departments, including Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE), Higher Education (DHE), Public Health (DPH), etc. Early education and care providers and stakeholders, including programs, private entities, legislators, etc. Support the collection and organization of educator quality and child-level data, Interact with the Early Childhood Information System as it continues to develop. Ensure that policies and initiatives give sufficient attention to infants/toddlers and preschool age children as well as link with the public school system 11

13. Anticipated Timeline of Events July/August, 2011 EEC will take steps to inform the ELC application: As part of the SAC Needs Assessment EEC will survey educators to identify needs for resources and issues and opportunities in supporting children and families development EEC will facilitate community meetings to gather feedback/input on stakeholder (providers, parents, etc.) values and priorities as they relate to EEC’s strategic direction and Early Learning Challenge plan, as well as particular activities/initiatives of focus for the grant application (i.e. STEM, etc.) EEC will attempt to raise funds (~$70k) to support hiring a contractor to write the RTT-ELC grant application (with the planning, content and organization coordinated by EEC) The Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children will hold four community-based groups across the state to gather feedback Late Summer, 2011 Anticipated announcement from US DOE and HHS on the Early Learning Challenge Grant requirements and application process Fall, 2011 As part of the SAC Needs Assessment EEC will survey parents to identify needs for resources and issues and opportunities in supporting children and families development October/November, 2011 Anticipated date ELC grant application will be due December, 2011 Funds distributed to Early Learning Challenge grantees 12

14. EEC Advisory Council Feedback On June 3 rd, the Department presented its preliminary plan for the RTT-ELC Grant to the Advisory. The Advisory offered the following feedback, which has been incorporated into the presentation: Make family engagement more visible as part of the RTT-ELC Grant Strengthening Families Help Me Grow Ensure that all RTT-ELC grant activities consider both ends of the 0-5 continuum Focus on infant/toddler as well as preschool and linking with the public schools Think about how to extend Early Intervention services for children until age 5 for those that are at risk Consider how EEC’s STEM work can be built into the application 13

15. State Advisory Council (SAC) Feedback Good set of core ideas for the RTT-ELC plan, including the Center for Excellence Suggested it be made clear when communicating about RTT-ELC funding that if EEC is awarded funds it doesn’t necessarily mean more children will be served Questioned whether the grant focus on teacher quality and growth and development would mean that educators would be evaluated based on children’s assessment scores There is no indication that this is a plan for the RTT-ELC Questioned who the Center for Excellence might be (state agencies, contractors, etc.) Not yet determined, though the goal would be to create a sustainable entity Suggested the Department think about the partnership between Head Start and Child Care funds, as modeled by the Federal partnership between DOE and HHS for RTT-ELC 14

16. Feedback or Questions? 15