Blog > Archive by category 'Raising Quality of Care & Education'

North Carolina Wins Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant

Friday, December 16th, 2011 | Author: Tracy

North Carolina was among nine winners chosen from 37 applicants. In addition to North Carolina, the winners included California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington.

“This is incredible news for North Carolina! It is the result of decades of work building the nation’s most sophisticated early childhood system. Just think, two decades ago North Carolina had one of the highest infant mortality rates in the nation, the worst child care standards in the country, and only 33% of children attending child care in high quality care. Today, we have turned that on its head; the infant mortality rate is the lowest in our state’s history, our child care standards are among the nation’s best, and two-thirds of children in child care are in high quality care. This grant will allow North Carolina to take our system to the next level, ensuring that all children have the experiences needed to build a foundation for learning and to grow into healthy, successful adults. We must continue to invest in our youngest children both at the federal and state level,” said Dr. Olson Huff, Board Chair of The North Carolina Partnership for Children.

From the U.S. Department of Education

The RTT-ELC grant competition will focus on improving early learning and development programs for young children by supporting States’ efforts to:

  • increase the number and percentage of low-income and disadvantaged children in each age group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are enrolled in high-quality early learning programs;
  • design and implement an integrated system of high-quality early learning programs and services; and
  • ensure that any use of assessments conforms with the recommendations of the National Research Council’s reports on early childhood. (§1832(b)(1), title VIII, Division B of P.L. 112-10, the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011).

Awards in Race to the Top will go to States that are leading the way with ambitious yet achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling, and comprehensive early learning education reform.

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Barbara’s Story

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 | Author: Eric

Hi Millie [Millie Nelson, NC Pre-K Coordinator for Smart Start Rowan],

My name is Barbara Bell mother of Abilene Bell who attends the Pre-K program at Morgan Elementary.  I wanted to thank you so much for sending the information to me regarding the DIAL-3 screening that was performed with the Pre-K students the last week of October 2011. I was really put at ease when I received your letter with very detailed information and an actual copy of the screening format and results. This was greatly appreciated because I do tend to be a very detailed oriented person and have to know every little thing and annoyingly be a little nitpicky where my children are concerned. So thank you for taking the time to gather and send me that important information.

My husband tries to keep me grounded and focused on the more important picture which is, that Abilene is learning so much and is very happy with her teachers. My husband and I are really impressed with the NC Pre-K program. Abilene surprises us everyday with new found knowledge. For example, She can now recognize all of her letters and numbers as well as write most of them. We have read to her every day since she was tiny and now she tries to read with us sounding out all of the letter sounds and even shocking us with reading words right away. Just the other day, she recited “The Pledge of Allegiance” to us without error and I actually teared up and boasted with pride. She has also learned and demonstrated to us, counting with some adding and subtracting. I could go on and on about the positive changes in our little girl there is so much we could tell you.

The NC Pre-K program has been very beneficial for Abilene and our family. We really appreciate Mrs. Hinesley and Ms. Gardner for all they have taught Abilene they are really doing a great job and making such a huge; great positive difference in her life as well as ours. Thank you so much for letting Abilene and our family be a part of this wonderful program.
Sincerely,

Barbara and Robert Bell

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Web-based Supports for QRIS: The Pennsylvania Experience

Friday, October 28th, 2011 | Author: Tracy

The QRIS National Learning Network and the BUILD Initiative are hosting a webinar, Web-based Supports for QRIS: The Pennsylvania Experience, on November 14th at 3:00 PM (ET).

Learn how Pennsylvania plans to use a web-based platform to help early care and education programs successfully participate in Keystone Stars, the state quality rating and improvement system (QRIS).

Over the past two years, Pennsylvania early care and education leaders have worked collaboratively to create a web-based platform aimed at helping early care and education providers work smarter. The platform includes links to a host of cost-saving opportunities, administrative tools and templates, an automated child management and billing software specifically designed to meet PA subsidy rules, marketing resources, an on-line staffing service, opportunities for networking and more.

A new module, designed to help providers identify and link to the tools and resources they need to succeed in Keystone Stars QRIS system, is now under development. This webinar will demonstrate the platform, describe benefits to participating providers, and discuss the many ways web-based technologies can be used to help QRIS participants, as well as the Technical Assistance staff that support them, work more effectively and efficiently.

Registration and Sign-Up: Register for this webinar. Call-in instructions will be e-mailed to you after you register. In order to maximize the value of the webinar, they invite you to send questions and topics in advance of the call, and ask that you use the registration form to do so.

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National Survey on Child Care Supply and Demand

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 | Author: Tracy

The National Opinion Research Center will be conducting a survey on child care supply and demand: The National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE). It’s the first survey of its kind since 1990 and will provide a national picture of the current child care field.

According to the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), the NSECE will update and greatly expand the information available on all forms of early care and education, the child care workforce for these programs, and families’ child care needs and patterns of use. Results of the NSECE will be used to develop child care and early childhood education policy, including policies that:

  • Support provider professional development and working conditions,
  • Help providers operate effectively within the marketplace and in ways that promote child development, and
  • Improve families’ access to care that meets their needs and is respectful of their preferences.

The NSECE will include a provider survey, a household survey, and a child care workforce survey, based on nationally representative samples.

The National Opinion Research Center, along with its partners, is conducting the NSECE on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Many providers will be contacted to participate. Please encourage providers in your community to participate. NACCRA has officially endorsed the effort. Learn more at http://www.naccrra.org/policy/national-survey-of-early-care-and-education.php. 

More information about the survey is available at http://nsece.norc.org

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PreK-3rd Working in Washington State

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 | Author: Tracy

A study by the Foundation for Child Development chronicles how The New School Foundation influenced primary education reform in Washington by creating one of the leading PreK–3rd programs in the United States.

“The PreK-3rd program was implemented in two of the lowest performing public schools in Seattle. After eight years encountering obstacles and resistance, the PreK-3rd program at South Shore School began to produce results. Now, not only is this program influencing other districts in Washington, but also PreK-3rd efforts in the rest of the country.”

Read the report.

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Class Sizes During Early Childhood Affect College Outcomes, Study Finds

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 | Author: Tracy

From the Chronicle of Higher Education:

Students enrolled in smaller classes during early childhood have an increased probability of attending college, earning a college degree, and entering high-earning fields, according to a study published on Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The likelihood of students’ attending college increased by 2.7 percentage points, and the effect was more than twice as large among black students. The odds of earning a degree increased by 1.6 percentage points over all.

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Dr. Donna Bryant talks about Smart Start program

Monday, October 24th, 2011 | Author: Tracy

Dr. Donna Bryant, a Senior Scientist at FPG Child Development Institute, tells Barlow Herget that early education works for children, especially poor, at rick children if they continue to receive a good education throughout their school years.  Hear what Dr. Bryant says about new research into childhood learning.

Listen to the interview.

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Governor Requests for Additional NC PreK Funding

Monday, October 10th, 2011 | Author: Tracy

Today, Governor Perdue sent a letter to legislative leadership asking them to create over 6000 new NC Pre-K (formerly More at Four) to comply with Judge Manning’s order that all at-risk four-year-olds have access to the program. Additionally, the Governor released a plan from DHHS to add an additional 36,000 slots over the next four years.

Dr. Olson Huff, Board Chair of The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc.

“In asking for funds to provide more at-risk children with quality preschool, Governor Perdue is heeding Superior Court Judge Howard Manning’s decision in the ongoing Leandro case. Throughout the decision, Judge Manning emphasized the importance of early education, calling particular attention to Smart Start, North Carolina’s early childhood system that serves children birth to five. “’Put another way, each at-risk child under age 4 that is receiving services from Smart Start will be better prepared, physically and developmentally, to benefit from NCPK’s educationally based prekindergarten programs when they arrive at age 4.’ Judge Manning wrote.

Higher third grade test scores, higher high school graduation rates, and better job skills require an investment in children beginning at birth. Unfortunately, large cuts to Smart Start and More at Four (now NC PreK) during the last legislative session were a step back from North Carolina’s long standing commitment to young children. We’ve heard from families around the state regarding how devastating this has been for their children and their communities. Today, at last provides some good news.”

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Pew Report Calls K-12 System a “Relic”

Monday, October 03rd, 2011 | Author: Tracy

As the Pew Center on the States completes its 10-year commitment to the Pre-K Now campaign, the organization has released a final report that challenges the nation’s policy makers to transform public education by moving away from our current K-12 system. The report concludes:

Our nation is at a crossroads. Public education that begins with five year olds is a relic. Decades of costly reform efforts targeted at older children have not delivered the results we need. To strengthen our democracy and secure our future, we must once again meet George Washington’s call to promote the institutions of knowledge. The challenges ofthe 21st century demand a new vision of public education, a Pre-K-12 vision.

Dowload the report.

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Jennifer Garner speaks about the importance of early education

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 | Author: Tracy

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