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Building a High-Quality Early Learning System in Ohio: Challenges and Solutions

Join Dr. Jane Wiechel, Associate Superintendent of the Ohio Department of Education, as she discusses the challenges and solutions in building a high-quality early learning system in Ohio. Learn about the importance of early experiences in brain development and how they affect learning and social-emotional development. Explore recommendations for licensing early learning settings, teacher licensure, professional development, and more. Discover the elements of an integrated early learning system and the role of involved parents and reliable financing.

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Building a High-Quality Early Learning System in Ohio: Challenges and Solutions

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  1. Ohio Confederation of Teacher Education Organizations Facing the Challenges of Change in Teacher Education Highly Skilled Early Learning Professionals Presenter: Jane Wiechel, PhD. Associate Superintendent Ohio Department of Education Center for Students, Families and Communities OCTEO October 24, 2007

  2. Highly Skilled Early Learning Professionals • Session Content • From the Beginning • Giving Children a Chance • Teacher Licensure for Birth through Grade 3 OCTEO October 24, 2007

  3. The first years of life are crucial to the development and functioning of the brain. • Early experiences affect learning, as well as social and emotional development. • What children know and can do when they start school contributes to their success in the classroom and the workplace … and throughout their lives. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  4. The State Board of Education’s Charge to the School Readiness Solutions Group • Design a high-quality early learning system for children from birth through kindergarten. • Create a compelling road map that can be followed to ensure the availability of high-quality early learning experiences. • Develop an action plan for full implementation in 2020. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  5. Beyond Planning… Ohio School Board’s Association November 13, 2007 OCTEO October 24, 2007

  6. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  7. VISION Every child is socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually ready for school and is prepared to use his or her capabilities to succeed as a learner. All families recognize that they are their children’s primary teachers by expanding their horizons, interacting with them and reading to them. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  8. VISION All early learning settings and schools are prepared to support the learning, development and school readiness of young children. All communities work toward meeting the needs of young children and their families. Community and business leaders recognize their obligation to promote family-friendly work places and to publicly advocate for effective and affordable family services related to physical health, mental health and early learning. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  9. ELEMENTS Characteristics of an integrated system: • Accessibility and Responsive • Statewide expectations • All aspects of development • Accountability • Interconnected system • Highly qualified professionals • Dynamic OCTEO October 24, 2007

  10. High-Quality Early Learning Settingsand Highly Skilled Early Learning Professionals Recommendations from the School Readiness Solutions Group: New approach to licensing early learning settings New teacher license Professional development system Full-day kindergarten OCTEO October 24, 2007

  11. Effective Governance and StrongConnections Among Child-Servingand Family-Serving Systems Board of Early Care and Education Early learning funding in one place Access to a continuum of health, medical and social services that support school readiness OCTEO October 24, 2007

  12. Involved Parents and Families;Ready Communities Parent and family education resources Parent participation in governance and program decision-making OCTEO October 24, 2007

  13. Reliable Financing withAccountability for Results Comprehensive financing model OCTEO October 24, 2007

  14. What would be different? A comprehensive statewide early learning system would… • Respond to children’s diverse cultures and special needs. • Be accessible to all families and respond to their choices. • Be held accountable. • Ensure collaboration among programs and agencies at the state and local levels. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  15. The State Board of Education’s Charge to the Implementation Plan Subcommittee • Use the 10 recommendations from the School Readiness Solutions Group as a guide. • Create a detailed operational implementation plan. • Develop an action plan for full implementation in 2020. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  16. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  17. EVERY CHILD ALL COMMUNITIES ALL FAMILIES ALL EARLY LEARNING SETTINGS AND SCHOOLS OCTEO October 24, 2007

  18. Characteristics of an early learning system: • Accessibility and Responsive • Statewide expectations • All aspects of development • Accountability • Interconnected system • Highly qualified professionals • Dynamic OCTEO October 24, 2007

  19. Why early learning services are important for ALL children: Substantial achievement gaps exist as children begin kindergarten. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  20. From Ideas to Impact: It’s All about Strategy • Research Initiatives • System Design Initiatives • System Change Initiatives • Desired Results OCTEO October 24, 2007

  21. Building an Early Learning System for Ohio’s Children Timeline Partnerships OCTEO October 24, 2007

  22. Strategy 1: Establish a new approach to early learning program and facility licensure, including family child care homes, center- and school-based programs. • Desired Results: • All licensed early learning settings for children will meet high-quality licensing standards. • Program operators will be supported through a single licensing agency. • Families will have choices among a variety of high-quality early learning settings. • New facility licensing legislation will be enacted. • A quality rating structure aligned to the new licensing system will be implemented. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  23. Strategy 2: Offer full-day, everyday kindergarten as an option for all families. • Desired Results: • Families will have full-day, everyday kindergarten as an option available to them. • The transition process for birth through age 6 will be standardized. • Student progress will be tracked by a standardized reporting system. • A set of standardized screening requirements will be implemented for all children entering kindergarten. • A uniform age for kindergarten entry will be implemented. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  24. Strategy 3: Create an effective, ongoing professional development system. • Desired Results: • Early learning administrators will be highly qualified. • Early learning professionals will be highly qualified to facilitate the development of children. • High-quality professional development will be offered and monitored through a professional development system. • Individual performance assessments will be used to identify goals for professional development. • A phase-in schedule will be created for professional development requirements. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  25. Strategy 4: Recruit and retain highly qualified early learning professionals as part of a professional development system. • Desired Results: • A diverse community of highly-qualified, early learning professionals will be recruited. • A higher rate of highly-qualified early learning professionals will be retained. • A higher level of continuity of staff will be maintained in early learning and care centers and schools. • Highly-qualified early learning professionals will have a positive impact on child progress. • Highly qualified early learning professionals will receive compensation packages based on education and training. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  26. Strategy 5: Establish new educator licensure as part of a professional development system. • Desired Results: • A teacher licensing system that encompasses birth through grade 12 will be fully operational. • Early learning personnel who do not meet licensure requirements will have viable pathways for attaining licensure. • Educator preparation coursework for early learning personnel will reflect the body of knowledge necessary for effective teaching of young children, from birth through kindergarten. • A seamless articulation agreement will be established among all education levels of educator preparation. • Early learning professionals will have a more in-depth understanding of early childhood development and learning. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  27. Strategy 6: Provide child development, school readiness and comprehensive services information to parents, families, friends and neighbor caregivers in multiple venues and print formats. • Desired Results: • Parents and families will have quality tools and resources to support their children’s early learning and development. • Family, friend and neighbor caregivers will have access to high-quality tools and resources. • All families who request it will have access to a quality home visit. • Investments in high-quality tools, resources and services will support the well-being of children and their success in school. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  28. Strategy 7: Promote and ensure partnerships with parents and families in all aspects of the early learning system. • Desired Results: • Parents and families will have multiple opportunities to participate in early learning programmatic decision-making and in state- and local-governance structures. • Parents of young children will have representation in state- and local-governance decisions. • Early learning programs will have access to effective strategies for the development of high-quality partnerships. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  29. Strategy 8: Design a public education campaign to promote the value of early learning and the merits of an early learning system. • Desired Results: • Parents, families, communities and public officials will have an increased understanding of the importance and value of investments in early learning and child development. • The promotion of an early learning system will promote understanding about the value of high-quality early learning experiences for children. • More families will have access to Ohio’s early learning system and its supports. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  30. Strategy 9: Establish a Board of Early Care and Education. • Desired Results: • A Board will be established to focus on leadership and governance of an early learning system. • Parents and families will have access to cost effective programs and services within the early learning system. • A uniform set of eligibility requirements for related core services will be implemented by child-serving systems. • An effective method for sharing data across programs and services will be implemented. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  31. Strategy 10: Establish a state-linked system to assure that children and families are receiving comprehensive services needed for school readiness. • Desired Results: • Children and parents will receive a continuum of comprehensive services. • Strong linkages with related child-serving agencies will ensure that policies are complementary and coordinated. • A reporting system will be established that allows the sharing of information across programs and services. • An effective method for sharing data across programs and services will be implemented. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  32. Strategy 11: Lay the foundation for effective accountability of the early learning system. • Desired Results: • A relational data reporting system will be used to inform policy, system infrastructure, teacher practice, student achievement and school readiness. • An accountability system that includes the integration of the school readiness indicators will be implemented. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  33. Strategy 12: Implement a comprehensive financing system. • Desired Results: • High-quality early learning options and comprehensive programs will be available and affordable to all parents and families who want them. • Reliable and sustainable financing mechanisms will support parental choice. • A new financing model will be developed to maximize the use of public dollars. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  34. Highly Skilled Early Learning Professionals: Strategies: Create an effective, ongoing professional development system. 3 Recruit and retain highly qualified early earning professionals as part of a professional development system. 4 5 Establish new educator licensure… OCTEO October 24, 2007

  35. Strategy 3 Create an effective, ongoing professional development system. • Early learning administrators and professionals will be highly qualified to facilitate the development of children. • High-quality professional development will be offered and monitored through a professional development system. • Individual performance assessments will be used to identify goals for professional development. • A phase-in schedule will be created for professional development requirements. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  36. Strategy 4 Recruit and retain highly qualified early learning professionals as part of a professional development system. • A diverse community of highly-qualified, early learning professionals will be recruited. • A higher rate of highly-qualified early learning professionals will be retained. • A higher level of continuity of staff will be maintained in early learning and care centers and schools. • Highly-qualified early learning professionals will have a positive impact on child progress. • Highly-qualified early learning professionals will receive compensation packages based on education and training. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  37. Strategy 5 Establish new educator licensure as part of a professional development system. • License will encompass birth through grade 12. • Educators will have viable pathways for attaining licensure. • Preparation coursework will reflect the body of knowledge necessary for effective teaching of young children. • Seamless articulation agreement will be established among all education levels of educator preparation. • Early learning professionals will have a more in-depth understanding of early childhood development and learning. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  38. Strategy 5: Establish new educator licensure… • By 2010, System Change Initiatives: – Implement new educator licensure… – Implement a viable pathway with multiple entry points… • Implement fully articulated agreement… • Implement modified pre-kindergarten Associate License… OCTEO October 24, 2007

  39. Discussion Groups • Your group will: • Identify a recorder and one person to report out to the whole group. • Brainstorm and discuss major factors that could be potential problems in implementation of the system change initiatives. • Come to a consensus on no more than two major factors and list them on the sheet provided. • List viable solutions for each identified major factor. OCTEO October 24, 2007

  40. Contact Information: Jane Wiechel, Associate Superintendent Ohio Department of Education Center for Students, Families and Communities jane.wiechel@ode.state.oh.us Barbara Phillips Ohio Department of Education Center for Students, Families and Communities barbara.phillips@ode.state.oh.us OCTEO October 24, 2007

  41. Children are born ready to learn. It’s our job to make sure they are ready for school. OCTEO October 24, 2007

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