Promoting Quality Promoting Quality Early Childhood Education Early Childhood Education

Programs:Programs:The Challenges and The Challenges and

Opportunities of Preparing Opportunities of Preparing ALLALL ChildrenChildren for a Successful Future for a Successful Future

Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D.

NAEYC

Washington, DC

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Introduction and Goals Introduction and Goals NAEYC – brief overview and introduction Critical view that the “early years are learning years”

– a “mantra” for the field and advocates for children Quality Matters – Key predictors of quality Description of the recent update by NAEYC of

“developmentally appropriate practice” Accreditation and Related Initiatives Evolving critical issues in early childhood education Discussion

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NAEYC: NAEYC: WhoWho and and WhatWhat We We AreAre

Largest early childhood professional organization in the world – nearly 90,000 members

Professional development and resources for early childhood educators

Advocacy, policy development and “position statements” about critical issues

Accreditation of center-based early care and education programs and higher education

Focus on development and education of ALL young children and families

““The Early Years are The Early Years are Learning Years”Learning Years”

“Early Care

IS (and must be)

Education”

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ECE Today: Key and Critical ECE Today: Key and Critical Issues that Predict QualityIssues that Predict Quality

Focus on quality – an aspiration and a goal -- Availability, accessibility and affordability of services Teacher and staff qualifications and workforce challenges Administration and management of ECE Group size and ratio issues Cultural and linguistic diversity and associated challenges Attention to children with “challenging behaviors” and “special needs” Accountability and assessment Linkages of: ECE – School – Family – Community Research to Practice to Policy (and back again) Fragile economics for the ECE field (and the nation and world)

– Impact on ECE programs– Impact on ECE training and professional development– Impact on research

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Developmentally Developmentally Appropriate Practice Appropriate Practice

(DAP)(DAP)(Revision in Fall 2008)(Revision in Fall 2008)

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Young children are born learners. Young children are born learners. Although individual differences are Although individual differences are present at birth, most set out to present at birth, most set out to explore their world with unbridled explore their world with unbridled eagerness and curiosity. Perhaps, eagerness and curiosity. Perhaps, more than any other time of life, early more than any other time of life, early childhood is a period of never ending childhood is a period of never ending possibilities. (Copple & Bredekamp, possibilities. (Copple & Bredekamp, 2008)2008)

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The Context for The Context for Developmentally Appropriate Developmentally Appropriate

Practice (DAP)Practice (DAP) Historically important construct for the ECE field Recent advances in understanding of human

development and neuroscience (brain science) Practice rooted in child development theory Evolution and development of the ECE field with

advances in understanding of and practice of DAP Historic commitment to young children and

families, and an affirmation about the importance of the early years

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Historically Critical ConceptsHistorically Critical Concepts

Appreciating early childhood as a unique and valuable stage of the life cycle

Emphasis on child development research Importance of the partnership with the family Recognition of the importance of understanding

the child in the context of the family, community, culture and society

Group size and ratio issues important in a practical sense for optimal learning and linkage with quality

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2008 Statement – Builds on 2008 Statement – Builds on Earlier Statements (1986 & 1997)Earlier Statements (1986 & 1997)

Core Themes of the 2008 Revision:

–Excellence and Equity

–Intentionality and Effectiveness

–Continuity and Change

–Joy and Learning

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The purpose of DAP is to …The purpose of DAP is to …

“… promote excellence in“… promote excellence inearly childhood education…”early childhood education…”

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DAP Requires:DAP Requires:

Meeting young children where they are – enabling children to reach goals that are challenging & achievable

Applies teaching practices that are age and developmentally attuned to children and responsive to social & cultural contexts

Best practices based on knowledge and evidence about curricula and teaching

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Comprehensive & Effective Comprehensive & Effective CurriculaCurricula

Focus on ALL domains of development Interrelationships of and sequence of ideas

– Scaffolding of ideas and concepts– Knowing that the rate & pattern of learning is different

among children Learning experiences are “aligned” across the

early childhood period– Linkage between ECE and Elementary School

programs– Individual, family, school and community development

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Effective CurriculumEffective Curriculum

Multiple teaching strategies Focus is on multiple domains Coherent and sequential Emphasis on teacher capability and pedagogy Assessment driven curriculum based on needs and

challenges of each child Resources available to all children – there is no

one curriculum that is best of ALL children

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Improving Teaching & LearningImproving Teaching & Learning

Teacher behavior is critical & essential Teachers are INTENTIONAL (critical for learning) Curriculum is planned, strategic & evidence based Teachers are well trained and participate in continuing

professional development BOTH teacher-guided AND child-guided experiences are

vital Play in service of learning across multiple spheres of

development External generalization essential at home and in the

community

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Ready SchoolsReady Schools

School readiness is as much about helping schools be READY for CHIDREN than it is about helping CHILDREN be READY for School

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21’St Century Learning21’St Century Learning

21’st Century Students 21’st Century Knowledge, Skills and

Abilities 21’st Century Pedagogy 21’st Century Teacher Training 21’st Century Success

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“…“…The 10 most frequent The 10 most frequent jobs of 2015 haven’t yet jobs of 2015 haven’t yet

been invented…”been invented…”

Daniels School of Business, Daniels School of Business, University of DenverUniversity of Denver

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The seed of successThe seed of successare sewn earlyare sewn early

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Important Domains for SuccessImportant Domains for Success

RelationshipsDevelopmentInnovationContext

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NAEYC Program NAEYC Program Accreditation:Accreditation:

The Right Choice for KidsThe Right Choice for Kids

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NAEYC Program AccreditationNAEYC Program Accreditation Established in 1985

– Differentiated from higher education accreditation Program to assure quality in center-based early care and education programs Standards, criteria and program review processes Currently, more than 9,000 accredited programs in US, with nearly 10,000 in “self-

study” serving 1,000,000+ children– Many accredited and applicant programs in GA

265 in state, 75 in ATL area Many more programs in process

Steps toward accreditation– Enrollment– Candidacy – meeting certain benchmarks– Application – self-study process– On-Site Visit– Annual Reporting and random and interim visits– Re-Accreditation process

Reinvention of program in 2006– Review and revision of process– Newly revised standard and criteria

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NAEYC Accreditation: A NAEYC Accreditation: A Standard for QualityStandard for Quality

NAEYC accredited programs have demonstrated a commitment to providing a high quality program for young children and their families

Emphasis is on the quality of interaction among teachers and children, the experiences of children and on the developmental appropriateness of the curriculum

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CHILDREN

ADMINISTRATIONTEACHERS

Curriculum

PARTNERSHIPS

Relationships Teaching

Health Assessment of Child Progress

Teaching Staff

Physical Environment

Leadership & Management

Community Relationships

Families

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Strategies and TacticsStrategies and Tactics

Use of governmental programs to incent quality– QRIS

16 of 18 link with NAEYC Accreditation 20+ additional state QRIS in development

Tax Credits– Arkansas and Maine link a tax credit to sending

children to NAEYC Accredited programs– LA has tax credits linked to QRIS

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Strategies and TacticsStrategies and Tactics TEACH and other scholarship and workforce development programs

– Grants, loans and financial aid Professional development programs and incentives

– Professional development systems– College of Education– Other community linkages and partnerships

Birth-to-five incentive grants coordinated with state early learning councils

Linkages and strengthened relationships with public schools and school systems

Workforce credentialing systems– Teachers– Administrators

State early learning standards

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A New Administration: New A New Administration: New Opportunities and ChallengesOpportunities and Challenges

ECE, and education more generally, are priorities of the new Obama Administration – economic issues, energy and health care are primary goals

Economic Recovery & Stimulus– CCDBG and Head Start Funding Increases ($4.1B)

Quality– Birth to 5 Incentive Grants– State-Level QRIS and related quality incentive programs– Training and professional development– Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit – Nutrition – Child and Adult Food Program– Re-authorization of NCLB and other federal programs

Workforce– Higher education loan forgiveness– TEACH– Higher Education Opportunity Act– Credentialing issues– Coordination among agencies and with states– National Commission on Early Childhood Development & Learning and new Office of

Early Learning– FMLA

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Call to ActionCall to Action Reap national economic benefits by helping children & families thrive

– Head Start, Early Head Start, CCDBG– Make the dependent tax credit refundable

Prevent gap from birth– Expand early head start– Better infant & toddler care– Expand FMLA– Expand Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Part C

Help families afford and programs provide high quality development & learning– Double the # of children receiving subsidies– Improve child care subsidies by requiring states to pay at no less than

75% of market rate– Develop statewide quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS)– Improve professional development systems

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Call to ActionCall to Action(Continued)(Continued)

Make EVERY SCHOOL a READY SCHOOL– Enhance & strengthen professional development systems for

teachers, administrators & staff– More widely available developmental screening– Expand child & adult care food program

Build a high quality ECE system– Create a birth – 5 incentive system and QRIS

Currently 18 state QRIS with 27 more in development– Linkage of ECE with P(K) – 12 systems– Fund state early learning advisory councils– Reinstate Child Care Bureau = Head Start in the US HHS– Establish and interagency coordination workgroup leading to a

National Council on Early Development & Learning

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Call to ActionCall to Action(continued)(continued)

Attract, educate and retain a high quality ECE workforce– Expand Higher Education Opportunity Act program– Programs for increased compensation & benefits for ECE staff – Focus on workforce

Expand our knowledge and apply it– Maintain a research center on ECE– Make research a component of the National Council on

Development & Learning– Continue EC longitudinal study– Fund National Academy of Science study on the costs of quality

ECE– Require school districts to provide more data, especially on Title 1

programs re . Comprehensiveness of programs, enrollment data and demographics of children served

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Evolving Critical Issues in Evolving Critical Issues in ECEECE

ECE Workforce – and enhancing knowledge, skills & abilities Teacher training and pedagogical practice Credentialing Research to and connected with practice Curricula Technology Culture, language and related issues Inclusion & special education Early literacy and mathematics – (STEM) Social & emotional learning and issues re. “challenging behavior” Standards, performance based assessment and accountability

issues Systemic linkages

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Challenges to an effective Challenges to an effective system of ECEsystem of ECE

“Workforce Matters” – preparation & professional development, comp & benefits, prestige & respect, retention & career advancement

Program Management – “principal” metaphor Links with public schools

– Evolution of “P – 12” Quality versus quantity Community engagement and context Resources – facilities, teaching tools Health and safety issues Financing – the central issue – high quality and accessible ECE for

ALL children is costly – yet a good investment– Principle of “social arbitrage”

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A National ConsensusA National Consensus Importance of education, generally Impact of our past economic growth and current economic downturn World events and changing priorities “Hurdling” toward a consensus about the integral role of ECE –

public will Racing toward the finish line (urgency) with hurdles (barriers) to

traverse Need for responsible advocacy and public engagement Rhetoric needs to match actions Change is upon us

– We must be the WIND – We must create momentum for the SAIL

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NAEYC Web SiteNAEYC Web Site

www.naeyc.orgwww.naeyc.org

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Summary Summary

andand

DiscussionDiscussion