A Historical Perspective

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School Readiness

• A Historical Perspective

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Where did we start?

• 1999 KSDE began working with Kansas Action for
  Children to define School Readiness
• 2000 Early Childhood Leadership SummitThe Road
  to School Readiness
• 2001 Building the Foundation for Successful
  Children--school readiness conference for
  business leaders and policy makers

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The work continues

• 2001-2003 work on defining school readiness
  continued, sharing with stakeholders
• 2003 the School Readiness Framework was
  finalized
• 2003 KSDE and SRS began the process of
  developing the Early Learning Guidelines
  (required for SRS state plan)
• The Child Indicators were used as a basis for the
  Guidelines

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School Readiness Framework

• School readiness occurs when families, schools
  and communities support and serve children
  effectively so that all children have the ability
  to succeed in various learning environments.

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Family Goal

• Children live in safe and stable families that
  support learning.

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Family Indicators

• Mothers receive adequate prenatal care.
• Mothers are high school graduates.
• Children live in homes free of violence.
• Children live in families that can afford basic
  necessities.
• Children receive health care services

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Community Goal

• Children live in safe and stable communities that
  support learning, health, and family services.

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Community Indicators

• Early childhood programs are high quality.
• Early childhood programs are available.
• Early childhood programs are affordable.
• Children live in safe and stable communities.

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School Goal

• Children attend schools that support learning.

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School Indicators

• Schools provide high quality learning
  environments.
• Teachers provide high quality classroom learning
  environments.
• Schools have strong relationships with families
  and communities.

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Indications OF Readiness

• Child level skills

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Child Indicators

• Children are physically healthy
• Social Skills Development
• Learning to Learn
• Symbolic Development
• Communication and Literacy Development
• Mathematical knowledge

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Kansas early learning document

• Building the foundation for successful children

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Kansas Early Learning Document
A Collaborative Venture SRS, KSDE, KDHE, Head
Start, Higher Education, KITS, ICC, KAEYC,KDEC,
Childrens Cabinet, School districts
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HISTORY

• Federal requirements to develop early learning
  guidelines that were aligned with K-12 content
  standards
• Kansas response A collaborative early childhood
  group began work on the Kansas Early Learning
  Guidelines and Standards

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Early Learning Document Purpose

• To create a continuum that links early
  development to school readiness and later
  learning in school and in life.
• To provide a clear statement of what young
  children should know and be able to do as a
  result of experiencing quality early learning
  opportunities.

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Purpose Continued

• To provide guidance for families and early
  learning professionals that enhance and support
  their abilities to create experiences that
  promote early learning opportunities.
• To show that during the early years, children
  acquire skills, knowledge, and abilities in all
  developmental and content areas (e.g.,
  social-emotional, physical, early literacy,
  mathematics, music) critical to future learning.

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Guiding Principles

• All young children are unique and capable
  learners at birth.
• Individual children exhibit a range of skills and
  competencies within and among each of the
  developmental/content areas.
• Young children learn through play and active
  involvement in their environment.

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Guiding Principles (Cont.)

• Children need opportunities for learning in a
  safe, nurturing environment and a consistent
  relationship with caring, knowledgeable adults.
• All areas of development are interrelated. Skills
  and knowledge in each area support learning in
  other areas.

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The Early Learning Guidelines Standards ARE
designed to

• Recognize the importance of the early years as
  learning years.
• Serve as a guide for appropriate curriculum
  development/selection.
• Serve as a guide for creating quality learning
  environments and opportunities.

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The Early Learning Guidelines Standards are NOT
designed to

• Serve as a curriculum in an early childhood
  program or other setting.
• Exclude children from a program, school, or
  activity.
• Serve as an assessment for children, families, or
  programs.

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Key Points

• Children grow and develop at different speeds.
• Age groupings are designed to show a progression
  of skills in a typical child
• Foundational skills are NOT all the skills,
  abilities, and knowledge that children need to be
  successful in school and in life.

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Families

• Often askwhat should my child be learning?
• KSELD to illustrate age related abilities
• Want to know about specific programs
• KSELD can be aligned with programs curriculum and
  goals
• May not understand play as a tool for learning
• KSELD can illustrate how play can lead to these
  important skills

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Administrators

• Desire evidence of importance
• KSELD has the stamp of approval
• Want to see a link to K-12
• KSELD can clearly show the link
• Desire accountability evidence of success
• KSELD with appropriate curriculum and assessment
  techniques can show progress
• Are in a position to support EC programs
• KSELD can help improve understanding of EC
  programs

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Policy Makers

• Desire accountability
• Desire to understand EC importance
• In position to promote support/funding

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Link to School Readiness

• KSELD provides information and guidance to the
  field on the developmental sequence
• KSELD are voluntary and designed to enhance and
  support those caring for young children
• KSELD link directly into the K-12 content
  standards

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Make the Connections

• The Learning Continuum shows the connection
  between skills described in the Early Learning
  Guidelines and Standards, the School Readiness
  items from the KELI, and Kindergarten through 3rd
  grade standards, benchmarks and indicators.
• The School Readiness Framework provides the
  conceptual basis for the guidelines and
  standards.

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Foundational Skills School Readiness Benchmarks Kindergarten through 3rd Grade Content standards
Birth to entering kindergarten age Five age groups Young Infant Mobile Infant Toddler Preschooler-3s Preschooler-4s Benchmarks from the Kansas Early Learning Inventory (the KELI) Examples of standards, benchmarks, and indicators from K-3rd grade standards that are supported by the foundational skills and the school readiness benchmarks.
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More Early Learning Connections

• Head Start Child Outcomes
• Early Intervention/Early Childhood-Special
  Education Child Outcomes
• Parents as Teachers Key Outcomes
• Teacher
• Core Competencies
• Teacher Education Licensure

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Family, community, school

• And, of course it is all about the CHILDREN