Starting Out Right: Preventing and Closing the Achievement Gap

1
Starting Out Right Preventing and Closing the
Achievement Gap

• Barbara Solomon, Director and Alice Barton,
  Supervisor
• Office of Elementary School Services
• Mary Curro, Director of Early Childhood/
• Elementary Education, Holyoke Public Schools
• December 10, 2008

2
The Achievement Gap

• The achievement gap is most highly correlated by
  income and ethnicity. In Massachusetts
• Ethnicity approximately 29 of children are
  classified as not White (U.S. Census)
• Poverty about 13 of children lived under the
  federal poverty level in 07 (21,200 for family
  of 4 20,640 is 25 of MA State Median Income)

3
The Achievement Gap PK and K

• The achievement gap already exists when children
  enter kindergarten
• School readiness is not just a problem of the
  poor. Middle-income children lag behind their
  wealthy peers socially and cognitively.
• In FY 08, Quality Full-day Kindergarten grantees
  reported that 26 of children entered
  kindergarten without attending preschool.
• Source W.S. Barnett, K. Brown R. Shore,
  NIEER Policy Brief, The Universal vs. Targeted
  Debate... http//nieer.org/resources/policybriefs
  /6.pdf

4
The Achievement Gap K and Grade 1

• Children are entering first grade later
• in 1968, 96 of 6-year-olds were in first grade
• in 2005, it was 84
• Effects of later entry across demographic groups
  include
• reduced achievement
• growth of high school drop-out rates and
• amplification of socio-economic differences and
  inequality
• Source The Lengthening of Childhood,
• NBER Working Paper, June, 2008 http//www.nber.org
  /papers/w14124.pdf

5
Why Start Early?

• 90 of brain development occurs by age 3.
• The foundation of literacy is acquired by age 6.
• Children enter kindergarten with an average
  vocabulary of 6,000 words those from low-income
  families enter with an average of 4,000.
• By 3rd grade, children have the academic and
  social-emotional foundation needed for later
  learning.

6
Why Start Early?

• Longitudinal research on the early elementary
  schools found a need for
• support for childrens social-emotional
  development and greater self-regulation
• more holistic curriculum that fosters inquiry,
  creativity, problem-solving
• need for continuity of quality, instruction,
  curriculum
• consistency and continuity of high standards,
  adequate resources, more coherent transitions,
  particularly in schools serving children
  educationally at risk
• Effects more pronounced in schools serving low
  income students.
• (Source Making the Case for P-3, K. Kauerz/ECS,
  2007 http//www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/75/22/7522.
  pdf)

7
State TrendsThe Governors Readiness Report

• Recommendations in the Early Education and Care
  Subcommittee Final Report include
• universal access to preschool
• mandated universal full-day K,
• a maximum adult-child ratio of 111
• reduced class size, grades 1-3 (18-20 preferred)
• http//www.mass.gov/?pageIDeoeterminalL3L0Ho
  meL1CommonwealthReadinessProjectL2Reports2
  6UpdatessidEeoebterminalcontentfreadiness_p
  roject_early_ed_care_finalcsidEeoe

8
The Readiness Project Definition of Quality

• Primary elements of quality programs are
• a qualified workforce trained in early childhood
  development and education
• accreditation by NAEYC or equivalent
• well-designed child assessment
• comprehensive support services
• a system of early identification of health and
  school readiness needs
• high-quality curriculum
• a nurturing learning and care environment

9
Guiding Principles of a PK-3 System

• Childrens overall development is what matters
  most.
• Parents and families are central to childrens
  social, physical, and cognitive development.
• School readiness is largely defined by
  age-eligibility of children in combination with a
  ready school.
• (Education Commission of the States
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation, July 2007)

10
Components of a PK3 SystemSchool Organization

• Principals and teachers have ongoing professional
  development, planning time.
• Administrators foster teamwork among teachers and
  between teachers and paraprofessionals.
• Principals connect schools with families and
  community early childhood programs.
• Schools are ready for children.
• Source Foundation for Child Development
  http//www.fcd-us.org/issues_more/issues_more_show
  .htm?doc_id463877

11
Ready SchoolsEight Dimensions

• Leaders and leadership
• Transitions
• Teacher supports
• Effective curricula
• Engaging environments
• Family, school, and community partnerships
• Respecting diversity
• Assessing progress
• Source The Ready School Assessment, High/Scope
• Educational Research Foundation

12
Components of PK 3 Classrooms as Learning
Environments

• Instruction integrates child-centered and
  teacher-directed approaches.
• Class sizes are appropriate for childrens ages
  and needs, and accommodate an active curriculum.
• Appropriate adult-child ratios allow children to
  receive individual attention and foster strong
  relationships with adults and their peers.
• Source Foundation for Child Development

13
Learning Environments Quality Full-day
Kindergarten Priorities

• Class sizes and ratios based on national
  standards
• Curriculum based on Kindergarten Learning
  Experiences
• Accreditation by National Association for the
  Education of Young Children (NAEYC), or an
  approved alternative
• Continuity of curriculum and assessment PK-2/3
• Ongoing and relevant professional development

14
Quality Full-Day Kindergarten Grant Priorities,
continued

• Smooth transitions from PK to Grades 2/3
• Inclusion of children with disabilities
• Appropriate education of English Language
  Learners
• Family involvement and engagement
• School Readiness and Curriculum Committees
  promote leadership, and cross-sector partnerships

15
Components of a PK3 System Alignment

• Curriculum, instruction, and assessment
• are aligned horizontally and vertically
• focus on social competence and self-regulation as
  well as academic content
• are integrated across content areas and
  accommodate individual differences
• provide data to target professional development
• Source Foundation for Child Development
  http//www.fcd-us.org/issues_more/issues_more_show
  .htm?doc_id463877

16
Vertical and Horizontal Alignment

• Vertical alignment Alignment of standards,
  curriculum and assessment across grade levels
• Horizontal alignment Alignment of standards,
  curriculum and assessment within a grade level
• Temporal alignment alignment across the year
  (may include summer)

17
Planning ToolAlignment PK-3

• Chart Fill out a row, column, or a selected
  number of boxes that reflect what is happening in
  your school or district.
• Discussion
• What is happening now in your district that
  supports this approach? Where are the gaps?
• What are other strengths, challenges, and
  resources in the district to move forward?

18
Kindergarten Learning Experiences

• The purposes
• translate content standards into appropriate
  kindergarten level activities and experiences
• connect preschool (Preschool Learning
  Experiences) through grades 1-3
• help children transition between grade levels
• provide a tool for curriculum planning
• guide professional development
• share meaningful information with parents
• http//www.doe.mass.edu/ess/reports/0408kle.pdf

19
The Kindergarten Learning Experiences

• Includes
• standards from six Curriculum Frameworks
• interpretations of the standards adapted to be
  suitable for kindergarten
• sample activities that would meet the standards
• explanations of key terms and methods
• Does not include
• standards inappropriate or less relevant for
  kindergarten

20
The Sample Activities

• are based on child development
• support active learning across domains
• promote curriculum integration
• promote inclusion of all children, and
  appropriate modifications
• embed social-emotional interactions
• embed literature across the curriculum

21
Exploring the Kindergarten Learning Experiences

• Chart Find the sections listed down the left
  side of the chart, then fill in page numbers and
  comments in the empty columns.
• Sections
• The role of play and integrated curriculum
• Strategies for teaching English language learners
• Sample activities for informational writing
• Connection between narrative story structure in
  ELA and the Arts Theater strand
• Extra credit (not on chart) One of the Tips for
  Teachers in the Comprehensive Health chapter

22
Strategies to Build a PK-3 System

• Develop a commitment to and shared responsibility
  for every childs success.
• Assemble vertical teams (PK-3) to work on
  aligning curriculum, instruction, assessment, and
  to coordinate transitions and comprehensive
  services
• Develop joint professional development for
  practitioners, including Head Start and private
  preschool providers when appropriate.
• Form partnerships with families, understanding
  that the responsibility rests primarily on school
  staff.

23
Elementary School Services

• Barbara Solomon 781-338-6262
  bsolomon_at_doe.mass.edu
• Alice Barton 781-338-6354 abarton_at_doe.mass.edu
  
• Mary Curro 413-493-1603 mcurro_at_hps.holyoke.ma.us
  
• ESS phone number 781-338-6350
• Email address ess_at_doe.mass.edu
• Webpage http//www.doe.mass.edu/ess/