Meeting the Needs of Children, Families, and

Practitioners:

The Integration of Three Targeted Supports in

Miami-Dade’s QRIS

Early childhood investments not coordinated

with Quality Counts:

• Child care consultation / mental health

• Center-based enhancements

• Curriculum learning communities

System enhancements were necessary to better

serve programs, practitioners, and families

• Confusion amongst teachers

• Need for better coordination of services

• Shortage of wrap-around supports to meet needs and “learning

style” of programs

• Obligation to provide more tailored interventions and increase

effectiveness of responses to program needs

Quality Counts Professional Development

Network

Coaching

Director Community of Practice

Practitioner Community of Practice

Accreditation

Child Mental Health

School Readiness

Quality Counts Professional Development

Network

Coaching

Director Community of Practice

Practitioner Community of Practice

Accreditation

Child Mental Health

School Readiness

New

Program

Learning Environment Level0-1 2 3 4 5

# of classrooms

0-5 6-12 0-5 6-12 0-5 6-12 0-5 6-12 0-5 6-12

Hours of Supports Per

Year

Priority

ProgramsMin 1 visit 60 80 50 70 40 60 30 50 20 30

Non-Priority

ProgramsMin 1 visit 55 75 40 60 30 50 20 30 20 30

Family Child Care Homes:

Hours of Supports per

Year

Priority

ProgramMin 1 visit 50 40

Non- Priority

ProgramsMin 1 visit 30 20

Community of Practice

12 Hours

Mental Health 10 Sessions Per Child

School Readiness

21 Sessions

Community of PracticeWhat is the purpose?

– Leadership training, support, and resources for directors to lead and support staff around the areas of each

standard level are essential for building capacity and sustaining site leadership.

Who participates?

– Program practitioners and directors participate with a focus on programs that have achieved a learning environment

level of 3 or higher.

What content is covered?

– Professional development topics are explored. Topics to be addressed include curriculum, development,

documentation, and child assessment by age group (infants and toddlers, preschoolers).

How often do participants meet?

– Frequency: 4 cohorts per year

– Intensity: 2-3 hours per session

– Sessions Offered: 4

Community of Practice

Two Models ImplementedModel # 1 Model # 2

cohort based

• Facilitator: Quality Improvement Specialist

• Follow-Up: incorporated into coaching

• Facilitator: Community of Practice Specialist

• Follow-Up: conversation directly related to session content

Community of Practice

• Overall, approximately 187 teachers and 108 directors

attended a CoP

• Sample Topics– Language Development, Scaffolding & Feedback Loops

– Prompting Thought Process, Providing Information & Clarifying Students’ Responses/Expansion

– Instructional Support: Quality of Feedback Scaffolding & Feedback Loops

– Connecting CLASS to Current Practice

– Coaching and Instructional Support

– FCCH TA vs. Coaching: Using CLASS in FCCH

– ELFL Preschool Language Development

– ELFL Infant/Toddler Social Emotional Development

– ELFL Instructional Support in Preschool: Quality of Feedback

Community of Practice

Community of Practice

Communities of Practice

Lessons Learned:

– Benefits of including programs with lower learning environment

levels

– Advantages and disadvantages of implementing two models

School Readiness Enhancements

General Information:

– Optional participation

– Focused on literacy and STEAM

– Modified Learning Language and Loving It

– Planned for learning environment level 4 or

higher

School Readiness Enhancements

6Programs participated

41Teachers started intervention

14Average number of sessions

12Average number of weeks

Teacher Interaction Language Rating Scale (TILRS)

• Developed by Hanen

• 7-point sating scale used to evaluate 11 interactive behaviors derived from Learning Language and Loving It

• Provides a profile of a teacher’s use of child-centered, interaction-promoting and language-promoting ratings strategies.

Measured Behaviors

• Wait and Listen• Follow Children’s Lead• Join in and Play• Be Face to Face• Use Variety of Question

• Encourage Verbal Turn Taking• Scan• Imitate• Use a Variety of Labels• Expand

• Extend

Average Scores2.87

3.83

0

Mastery of Skills 5

Start End

On average, practitioners did not master skills at post test (n=11)

School Readiness Enhancements

Lessons Learned:

– Challenges with retaining practitioners

– Challenges with mastering skills

– Hanen certified trainer must deliver training• Participants receive 20 training hours and 6 coaching hours

– Participation offered to more learning environment levels• Greater number of programs reached

• Less staff trained in each program

Social Emotional Supports

What services are offered?

– Short term intervention and parent/ primary caregiver consultation

– Parent/ primary caregiver consultation

How many sessions are offered?

– Families receive at least ten sessions or more as needed.

– On average, participants received ten sessions over 16 weeks.

How is progress measured?

– Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) is used as the pre and post

assessment

Social Emotional Supports

198 children and their families have received services

Infant (less than 18 months) Toddler (18-36 months) Preschool (over 36 months)

3Children Served

34Children Served

161Children Served

Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA)

• Standardized, norm-referenced behavior rating scale

• Has been shown to predict academic success in elementary school

• Meaningful improvement recommended by developers with a period of at least 4 weeks between ratings

Infant (less than 18 months) Toddler (18-36 months) Preschool (over 36 months)

• Initiative• Attachment

• Initiative• Attachment• Self-Control

• Initiative• Attachment• Self-Control• Behavior Concerns

Behavior Concerns 61.3

49.7

Self-Control 38.0

49.0

Attachment 43.9

52.7

Initiative 44.2

52.7

35.0Start End

The most work was needed in the Behavioral Concerns and Self-Control domains

8.5

8.8

11.0

12.4

Initiative

Attachment

Self-Control

Behavior

Children improved the most in the Behavior Concerns domain (n=115)

Social Emotional Supports

Lessons Learned

– Referral process was streamlined

– More coordinated and integrated SE strategies for teachers

– ASQ:SE training for teachers

– Changed name from Mental Health Intervention to Social

Emotional Support Services

THE JONATHAN PROJECT: BREAKING THE PRESCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINEPam Hollingsworth, SR. Vice President for Partnerships and Program

Anabel Espinosa, Director of Research & Evaluation

Development, Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe

Mission and Vision

MissionTo promote high-quality school readiness, voluntary pre-kindergarten, and after school programs, thus increasing all children’s chances of achieving future educational success and becoming productive members of society. The Coalition seeks to further the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of Miami-Dade and Monroe County children with a priority toward the ages before birth through age 5.

VisionTo ensure a comprehensive and integrated system providing for all families and their children, beginning before birth to 5 years, the affordable opportunity to enter school ready to learn and succeed in life.

The Jonathan Project

“The inspiration for The Jonathan Project came by way of a conversation with a Miami early childhood provider who was

articulating the challenging behaviors posed by a specific child, named Jonathan who was at risk of expulsion. It was soon discovered that

Jonathan was receiving interventions and supports, but not sufficient to alleviate the concerns. The ELCMDM quickly determined that a more comprehensive approach and action plan was needed in order to meet the needs of every ‘Jonathan’ and the significant adults in their lives.”

What does Suspension/Expulsion look like?

Definition

There is variability across states in regards to the characteristics which define suspension and expulsion HOWEVER preschoolers are expelled at three times the rate of their older peers.

(Gilliam, 2005)

Outcomes

Educational trajectories are largely shaped by events in early childhood

School Removal in Preschool

Increased risk for negative school outcomes (Osher, Woodruff & Simms, 1999; Petras, et al., 2011)

Academic failure

Grade retention

Juvenile delinquency

Incarceration

A Concern for Civil Rights and Social Justice

U.S. Department of Education (2013-2014)

Race Black preschool

children were 3.6 times more likely than white peers to receive one or more out-of-school suspensions

Pattern continues in K-12 settings

Disability Students with

disabilities are twice as likely to receive one or more out-of-school suspensions

What is the ‘preschool to prison pipeline?’

The Preschool to Prison Pipeline is a metaphor used to describe the progression of early school removal practices into the correctional system (Adamu & Hogan, 2015). Conceptualized as a series of

roadblocks and obstacles that hinder Black children from academic success and funnel them into the criminal justice system.

Illustration by Chris Buzelli

Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings (2014)

Joint Policy Statement U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

U.S. Department of Education

Aims Raise awareness about exclusionary discipline practices in early

childhood and the related disparities (race/ethnicity, gender & disability)

Encourage the development and dissemination of state and local guidance on preventative disciplinary practices

Encourage the limiting and ultimate elimination of exclusionary discipline practices

Highlight competencies and effective interventions

Identify resources to support states, programs, teachers and providers in addressing social-emotional & behavioral health

Guiding Principles form Joint Policy Statement

Create positive climates and focus on prevention

Develop and communicate clear behavioral expectations

Ensure fairness and equity

Encourage the development of State and local policy

Invest in professional development & continuous quality improvement.

THE JONATHAN PROJECTPROGRAM PLANThe most important question in the world is, “why is the child crying?”

--Alice Walker

ELC Miami-Dade/Monroe Action Plan

Engage the experts

Challenge zero-tolerance policies in early childhood

Target gaps in social-emotional well-being and mental health Children

Educators

Target implicit bias in classroom interactions through culturally responsive instruction

Develop and clearly communicate guidance on discipline practices

Tiered supports through the use of screening tools

Target gaps in professional development for caregivers

Engaging the Experts

Walter S. Gilliam, Ph.D Associate Professor, at Yale University

Director, The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy Mission: to create and disseminate research that can be used to inform legislative

and other policy efforts on behalf of children and families

Current Research Interests Dr. Gilliam is conducting a series of statewide random-controlled trials, examining

the effectiveness of mental health consultation infused into child care and early education systems.

A series of studies examining preschool expulsion rates and practices are currently underway.

Challenging Zero-Tolerance Policies (APA Zero Tolerance Task Force, 2008)

What’s wrong with zero-tolerance?

Discipline practices rooted in zero-tolerance rhetoric Fail to provide parent education

and resources needed to address challenging behaviors

Negatively contribute to children’s outcomes

Create a negative school climate

Do not deter negative behaviors

Disproportionately impact students of color

Recommendations

Primary Prevention

Conflict resolution

Social-emotional learning

Improved classroom management

Secondary Prevention

Early screening for children who may be at risk

Tertiary Intervention

Mental Health consultation

Target Gaps in Children's Social-Emotional Well-Being and Mental Health

Access to Mental Health Consultation = Lower Rates of Expulsion (Perry, Dunn, McFadden & Campbell, 2008)

Mental Health Consultation Partnership Program Focused

Child/Family Focused

Primary Prevention Technical assistance for teachers that supports SE development in children (i.e. Pyramid model, positive

behavior supports, Conscious Discipline) Intended to build staff capacity in addressing problem behaviors

Secondary prevention Universal social and emotional screenings for all children enrolled

Individualized supports for identified children

Tertiary interventions : Child/ Family access to mental health supports

Target Gaps in the Social-Emotional Well-Being and Mental Health of Caregivers

Early education and child care programs should enforce student-teacher ratios of no more than 10 preschoolers per teacher

Early education and childcare programs should ensure that teachers work reasonable hours and have breaks away from children

Supportive policies and services should focus on teacher job stress

(Gilliam, 2008)

Target Implicit Bias in Classroom through Culturally Responsive Instruction

Teacher’s lack of knowledge regarding culture (cultural competence) can fuel the development of biased beliefs and expectations.

Teaching is a contextual and situational process and is most effective when ecological factors, such as prior experiences, community settings, cultural backgrounds, and ethnic identities of teachers and students are included in its implementation (Gay, 2002).

Develop and Clearly Communicate Guidance on Discipline Practices

Identify best practice approaches to child guidance policies and classroom practice (such as Conscious Discipline and Positive Behavior Support).

Develop best practice policies on family engagement/empowerment as well as ‘transition’ policies to be employed in the rare instances where children are best served by transfer to another early learning program.

Screening Tools (Developmental & Social-Emotional)

Timely screenings can inform providers of the child’s areas of strengths and possible needs.

Screening tools

support developmentally appropriate instruction and expectations;

ensure the timely delivery of early intervention services;

facilitate communication with parents;

inform parents of age-appropriate behaviors and skills; and

increase parent’s knowledge of developmental milestones.

Professional Development for Caregivers

Intentional focus groups will be used to assess the strengths and needs of programs that are currently in place.

Information gathered will be used to access and identify the professional development needs of the workforce in early childhood settings:

Developmentally appropriate instruction

Developmentally appropriate expectations

Positive behavior supports

Culturally responsive instruction

References

Adamu, M., & Hogan, L.(2015). Point of entry: The preschool-to-prison pipeline. Washington D.C. The Center for American Progress.

Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education,53 (2), 106-116.

Gilliam, W. (2005). Prekindergarteners left behind: Expulsion rates in state prekindergarten programs. New York, NY: Foundation for Child Development.

Gilliam, W. (2008). Implementing Policies to Reduce the Likelihood of Preschool Expulsion (Abbreviated as Foundation for Child Development Policy Brief Advancing PK-3, No. 7). Available from https://fcd-us.org/sites/default/files/ExpulsionBriefImplementingPolicies.pdf

Osher, D., Woodruff, D., and Simms, A. (2002). Schools make a difference: The overrepresentation of African American youth in special education and the juvenile justice system. In D.J. Losen and G. Orfield(Eds.), Racial Equity in special education (pp. 93-116). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

Perry, D., Dunne, M., McFadden, L., & Campbell, D. (2008). Reducing the Risk for Preschool Expulsion: Mental Health consultation for young children with challenging behaviors. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 17, p. 44-54.

Petras, H., Masyn, K., Buckley, J, Ialongo, N., & Kellam, S. (2011). Who is most at risk for school removal? A multilevel discrete time survival analysis of individual-and context level influence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103, 223.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2014). U.S. Department of Education Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings. Available from https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/policy-statement-ece-expulsions- suspensions.pdf