1. High-Quality Prekindergarten Programming
Scott
Tamala Olsby and scott bodnar
Office of Early Childhood Education

2. Discussion Topics Importance of high-quality prekindergarten
Components of high-quality prekindergarten
Structural vs. Process Quality
Details of high-quality prekindergarten components and resources to support them

3. Common Ground
I fell into a pond on the way to meet my spouse’s parents for the first time.
I once rode my bike into the back of a parked car.

4. Importance of High-Quality PreK
85% increase in print awareness6
19% decreased need for special education services1
24% less likely to be convicted of juvenile crime1
20% more likely to graduate on time from high school1
19% more likely to attend college5
Earn $150,000 more over their adulthood1
1-Schweinhart, L., Monti, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W. S., Belfield, C. & Nores, M. (2005). Lifetime effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool study through age 40 (Monographs of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Number 14). Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press
5-Frede, E. C., & Barnett, W. S. (2011). New Jersey's Abbott pre-K program: A model for the nation. In E. Zigler, W. Gilliam, & W. S. Barnett (Eds.), The pre-K debates: current controversies and issues (pp. 191–196). Baltimore: Brookes.
6-W. Steven Barnett, Cynthia Lamy, and Kwanghee Jung. (December 2005) The Effects of State Prekindergarten Program on Young Children’s School Readiness in Five States (The National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University).

5. Texas Children Who Were Kindergarten Ready (2015)
TPEIR Statewide Report

6. Texas College Student Enrollment and Graduation
TEA State Academic Report and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

7. Components of High-Quality
Evidence-Based Curriculum
Student Progress Monitoring
Teacher Qualifications and Professional Development
Class Size and Ratio
Family Engagement
Program Evaluation
Data Reporting

8. “Structural” vs. “Process” Quality

9. “Structural” vs. “Process” Quality
Structural Quality
Process Quality
High-Quality Prekindergarten

10. Evidence-Based Curriculum Components of High-Quality
Items to Consider
Curriculum choice
Effort to create classroom environments that are:
Developmentally appropriate
Culturally responsive
Linguistically responsive
Curriculum should be aligned with the 2015 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines
Encouraged to use SBOE’s approved prekindergarten instructional materials list
Supporting English Language Learners

11. Currently Adopted Instructional Materials
The Texas DLM Early Childhood Express
Opening the World of Learning: Texas Comprehensive PreK
Big Day for PreK Texas Program
HighScope Preschool Curriculum and Assessment
Frog Street PreK Texas System
Teaching Strategies System for Pre-K, Texas edition

12. Student Progress Monitoring Components of High-Quality
Items to Consider
Choice of tool
How can teachers be supported in this important task?
How are prekindergarten staff trained in the use of the tool?
How are prekindergarten staff trained in using the data to inform their daily instruction?
Use tool on Commissioner’s Approved List (new list)
Five (5) primary domains of development
Assess children’s progress 3 times a year (BOY, MOY, EOY)
Data used to inform instruction

13. Commissioner’s List of Approved Assessment Instruments
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has posted a new list of Commissioner-Approved Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Assessment Instruments for use during the school years in accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), § and §
Prekindergarten Assessment Instrument List
Kindergarten Assessment Instrument List

15. Teacher Qualifications and PD Components of High-Quality
How can we assist teachers who may have no formal training in child development and/or early childhood education?
What does effective professional development (PD) look like?
How does a district/charter offer PD to all staff?
Items to Consider
Bachelor’s degree
State teaching certification
Additional qualifications (defined in High-Quality PreK Grant)
30 hours of Early Childhood-specific professional development annually
15 hours (of the 30 above) of coaching annually

16. Support for Teacher Qualifications and PD
Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) Engage
Texas Gateway
Regional Educational Service Centers

17. CLI Engage https://cliengage.org/public/
Suite of web-based tools and resources
Student progress monitoring (CIRCLE)
Teacher professional development
Classroom observation tools
Coaching and collaboration tools
CIRCLE Activity Collection
Texas KEA (Kindergarten Entry Assessment)

18. Texas Gateway https://www.texasgateway.org/
Easily-searchable, web-based portal that houses:
Instructional materials
Teacher professional development materials
Educational reference materials
Provided by the Texas Education Agency
Early childhood education resources to be expanded greatly in 2018

19. Regional Educational Service Centers
ESC Service Map with websites
Early Childhood Specialists within each ESC to:
Provide professional development, workshops, technical assistance, coaching/mentoring as well as provide additional resources
Common PD: Prekindergarten Guidelines, Classroom Management, Conscious Discipline, Inclusion, Family Engagement, Curriculum Alignment, Using Data, etc.
TEA has monthly calls with ECE specialists to provide updates, share knowledge and highlight regional ECE work

20. Components of High-Quality
Class Size and Ratio
Components of High-Quality
Items to Consider
How can paraprofessionals be used to achieve ratio?
Size of physical classroom space
11 students per 1 teacher
Encouraged to not exceed 22 students per class

21. Components of High-Quality
Family Engagement
Components of High-Quality
Items to Consider
What needs do students’ families have? How is that data collected?
Options in meeting families’ needs in a comprehensive manner
Development and implementation of Family Engagement Plan
Requires a more comprehensive approach to early childhood education
Community partnerships

22. Components of High-Quality
Program Evaluation
Components of High-Quality
Items to Consider
What existing data could be reviewed for a comprehensive prekindergarten program evaluation?
How does the prekindergarten program evaluation fit in to other existing program evaluations done by the school district or charter?
Program is evaluated annually using relevant data
New tool = High-Quality Prekindergarten Program Self-Assessment
Make results available to parents

23. Self-Assessment Tool Purpose:
Assist districts/charters with identifying strengths and opportunities for growth
Make program adjustments to meet the needs of students and to increase quality
Define specific pathways to improve prekindergarten program quality leading to positive child outcomes

24. Quality Components and Strategies – Phase 1
Access
Eligible 4-year-olds
Eligible 3-year-olds
Provision of high quality prekindergarten
Children with Special Needs
Community Awareness
English Language Learners
Student Progress Monitoring
Frequency of Use
Link to Classroom Instruction
Referrals/Intervention
Transition to Kindergarten
Teacher Qualifications
Certification/Qualifications
Evaluation and Mentoring/Coaching
Professional Development
Enrollment
Outreach Strategies
Enrollment Process
Enrollment Assistance with Documents
Family Engagement
Family Engagement Plan
Communication
Use of Interpreters
Parent – Teacher Conferences
Report Cards
Program Expectations
On-Campus Opportunities
Participation
Support to Parent
Curriculum
Choice of Curriculum
Alignment
Link to Classroom Environment
Instruction
Concept/Skill Development
Daily Schedule
Balance of Teaching Strategies
Teacher Interaction with Students
Planning
Program Evaluation
Collection & Reporting of Data
Data Analysis

25. The Self Assessment Process - Instructions
The following pages will present each of the quality components of prekindergarten programs. Simply read the strategy and circle which description in that row best describes your prekindergarten program. For example, District A identifies that they are educating between 50-75% of eligible 4-year olds and circles that description.
Component
Strategies
Emerging
Proficient
Advanced
Eligible 4 yr olds
Approximately half of eligible 4-year-olds in the community, including prekindergarten eligible children with disabilities, are enrolled in a district-provided high quality prekindergarten program.
50%-75% of eligible 4-year-olds in the community, including prekindergarten children with disabilities, are enrolled in a district-provided high quality prekindergarten program.
Greater than 75% of eligible 4-year-olds in the community, including prekindergarten eligible children with disabilities, are enrolled in a district-provided high quality prekindergarten program.
Eligible 3 yr olds
Approximately half of eligible 3-year-olds in the community, including 3-year-old children with disabilities, are enrolled in a district-provided prekindergarten program.
50%-75% of eligible 3-year-olds in the community, including eligible 3-year-old children with disabilities, are enrolled in a district-provided prekindergarten program.
Greater than 75% of eligible 3-year-olds in the community, including eligible 3-year-old children with disabilities, are enrolled in a district-provided prekindergarten program.
Provision of high quality prekindergarten
There are no district-provided high quality prekindergarten programs in the community.
The district-provided high quality prekindergarten program is provided for ½ day only.
The district-provided high quality prekindergarten program is provided for both ½ and full day for children and families.
Children with Special Needs
Access to special education services and qualified personnel in inclusive prekindergarten settings is available but limited and the majority of services are provided in special education settings.
Access to special education services and qualified personnel in inclusive prekindergarten settings is available with some services provided in special education settings.
Access to special education services and qualified personnel in inclusive prekindergarten settings with same-aged nondisabled peers is available and the majority of services are provided in inclusive settings.
Access

26. 2016-2017 SELF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Tally the results from each page of the Self Assessment.
Access
Emerging
Proficient
Advanced
Eligible 4-year-olds
Eligible 3-year-olds
Provision of High Quality Prekindergarten
Children with Special Needs
Community Awareness
English Language Learners
Enrollment
Outreach Strategies
Enrollment Process
Enrollment Assistance with Documents
Curriculum
Choice of Curriculum
Alignment
Link to Classroom Environment
Instruction
Concept/Skill Development
Daily Schedule
Balance of Teaching Strategies
Teacher Interaction with Students
Planning
Student Progress Monitoring
Emerging
Proficient
Advanced
Frequency of Use
Link to Classroom Instruction
Referrals/Intervention
Transition to Kindergarten
Teacher Qualifications
Certification/Qualifications
Evaluation
Professional Development
Family Engagement
Family Engagement Plan
Communication
Use of Interpreters
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Report Cards
Program Expectations
On-Campus Opportunities
Participation
Support to Parents
Program Evaluation
Collection & Reporting of Data
Data Analysis

27. 2016-2017 SELF ASSESSMENT “NEXT STEPS”
The following strengths were identified through this Self Assessment: 1. 2. 3.
The following opportunities to grow were identified through this Self Assessment:
Next Steps for Continuous Improvement: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

28. Components of High-Quality
Data Reporting
Components of High-Quality
Items to Consider
How can the collection and review of this data be used internally by charter schools to influence quality efforts?
How can the collection of this statewide data be used by TEA?
Following data is reported in PEIMS/ECDS annually:
Demographic data
Enrollment in half-day and/or full day
Sources of funding
Class size
Staff to teacher ratio
Type of curriculum
Student progress monitoring tool and results
Kindergarten readiness data
Teacher qualifications
Family engagement plan

29. Conclusion Increased quality: Evidence-Based Curriculum
Student Progress Monitoring
Teacher Qualifications/PD
Class Size/Ratio
Family Engagement
Program Evaluation
Data Reporting
“Process” quality = Positive Child Outcomes
Texas Education Agency, Regional Education Service Centers and CLI provide support for high-quality prekindergarten programming

30. Key Questions
What quality measures could be considered strengths in your charter school?
What quality measures could be considered opportunities for growth in your charter school?
How can your charter school increase its “process” quality in its prekindergarten program?
What next steps will you focus on?

31. TEA – Office of Early Childhood Education
Marnie Glaser, Executive Director
Scott Bodnar, Manager
(512)
Howard Morrison, Statewide Coordinator
Tamala Olsby, Program Specialist
(512)
Anna Gu, Program Specialist: Prekindergarten Partnership Grant

32. © 2017 by the Texas Education Agency
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