1. Using Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) to Support
Curriculum Alignment

2. KELS Toolkits
This is one in a series of toolkit presentations developed to guide early care and education providers in appropriate and effective use of the Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS).
As a prerequisite to this training, participants should first be familiar with the KELS Overview Toolkit and the KELS document.

3. How do Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) Support Curriculum Alignment?
Making the connections:
Conceptual knowledge and skills
Guiding principles from School Readiness Framework
Kansas College and Career Ready Standards (KCCRS)
Kansas Early Learning Standards (2014 Revision)
The third revision of the KELS is structurally and conceptually different than previous versions. The new standards move away from skills-based learning to focus more on conceptual knowledge and higher level thinking strategies such as analyzing, evaluating and interpreting information. The 8 domains are the same-promoting a whole child perspective -- but the individual standards are now written to describe large concepts that incorporate foundational skills and knowledge. These standards are based on research indicating that the acquisition of such knowledge and skills provides the foundation for later learning that promotes success in school. The standards are also aligned with the guiding principles of the Kansas School Readiness Framework and with the KCCRS for kindergarten reading and mathematics as well as with the Kansas Social, Emotional, and Character Development Model Standards (2012) for K-12.
Options:
Provide link to the KELS for participants to access from their own devices during training
Provide print copies of the KELS for each participant
Provide display copies of the KELS for each table or group to use as reference during training

4. Learner Objectives
Participants will:
Understand and apply the definitions of “curriculum” and “curriculum framework” as used in early care and education.
Understand the meaning of “alignment” within the context of early learning standards.
Identify how well your current curriculum addresses the domains and standards of the KELS in terms of coverage, balance, depth and difficulty.
Make a plan for what to do if you identify gaps.

5. What Does “Curriculum” Mean to YOU?
What do you think of when you hear the term “curriculum”.
How would you describe the curriculum you use with the children in your childcare or early educational setting.
If not all participants know each other, first ask for a show of hands to find out who works with infants/toddles and who works with preschoolers? Who works in childcare, community preschool/Head Start, school district preK, early childhood special education, early intervention/Part C, Parents as Teachers, other home visiting programs? Other settings?
Next, ask participants to take 10 minutes to talk with others at their table to answer these 2 questions. Let them know that there are no “wrong answers”. We want to know what curriculum means to them. Ask them to choose a recorder and a reporter who will share your thoughts with large group. You may want to ask for a volunteer to chart responses on poster paper, white board, or chalk board so that participants can identify commonalities and differences.
As results are shared, you might comment on components identified by participants that are consistent with the upcoming definitions rather than simply identifying a “curriculum in a box”.

6. What is Early Childhood “Curriculum”?
Philosophy (how children learn)
Goals and objectives (what children learn)
The teacher’s role (adult directed vs. child-centered teaching strategies)
The role of the family
The physical environment
(Trister-Dodge, 1993)

7. What is “Curriculum”? Curriculum means a written plan that includes:
The goals for children's development and learning
The experiences through which they will achieve these goals
What staff and parents do to help children achieve these goals
The materials needed to support the implementation of the curriculum
(Office of Head Start, 2015, p. 120)
Fast forward more than 20 years, and here is how the Office of Head Start has defined curriculum for children birth to five in the Head Start Performance Standards. The definition goes on to say: “The curriculum…is based on sound child development principles about how children grow and learn. “
What differences do you notice in this definition and the previous one? [“Written” plan, “children’s development”, “experiences”, “staff and parents” “support the implementation”]
What’s consistent? “Goals”, “learning”, e.g., “how children learn”
What’s missing? “Teacher’s role”, “Physical environment”
Does that mean these are no longer important? No. These are components of Developmentally Appropriate Practice across early care and education settings
Office of Head Start (2015). Head Start Program Performance Standards. § Definitions. p U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Youth.

8. What About Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers?
“A written curriculum does not preclude the recommended practices of reciprocal and responsive interactions between teachers and babies.”
(EHS Tip Sheet 10, 2003, p. 1)
This guidance from Early Head Start goes on to say this about curriculum for infants and toddlers:
“The written curriculum plan defined in the Performance Standards provides a framework within which a local EHS program can articulate their beliefs about what infants and toddlers need to learn and how they learn those things. The local program’s curriculum plan provides guidance for how the environment is created, what materials are needed and how they can be used, and how the adults help facilitate learning. A thoughtful curriculum plan that is understood by the entire staff as well as the families will provide consistency in how staff follow the baby's lead and in how well they understand and support the learning of the baby's own curriculum. “(EHS Tip Sheet 10, 2003, p. 1)

9. What is a “Curriculum Framework”?
“A complex idea containing multiple components including goals, content, pedagogy, and instructional practices.” (NAEYC & NAECS/SDE, 2003, p. 6), (DEC, 2007, p. 3) “…a dynamic system that should guide all aspects of a high quality program.” (DEC, 2007, p. 3) “The specific elements of a cohesive, universally designed curriculum framework include assessment and progress monitoring, scope and sequence strategies, and activities and intervention strategies.” (DEC, 2007, p. 5)
In recent years, our professional organizations have begun to describe the components of a comprehensive curriculum construct in terms of a “curriculum framework”.
Here you see descriptions from a joint position paper by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) and an influential paper on curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation published in 2007 by the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children. [Read descriptions].
You may recall that in the KELS, “curriculum” is described as “The organized, planned, content of learning. It identifies a sequence of skills or knowledge that a child may exhibit and is structured around a philosophy regarding how children learn. Instructional strategies and methods are used to teach the specified content” (p. 7-8). The KELS definition is consistent with the broad concept of a “curriculum framework” adopted by early childhood professional organizations in recent years.
Jennifer Grisham Brown and her colleagues provided the most concise description in their 2009 paper cited in the references: “A curriculum framework is the underlying support or foundation from which all practices related to promoting children’s growth and development are identified, implemented, and evaluated.” (p. 132)

10. Kansas Early Learning Standards
To reiterate, as you know from the KELS Overview, the KELS serve as a guide for creating quality learning environments, developmentally appropriate activities and learning opportunities, and the development or selection of appropriate curriculum. The standards are NOT designed to serve as the curriculum for an early care or education program. The KELS DO provide a lens for looking at daily activities and curricula to see if they address important areas of child development (which is the alignment process we’ll be talking about shortly).

11. If we think of early learning standards are the “What”, and curriculum as the “How”, the curriculum framework is the “how, when, where, under what circumstances, and how well” children will be expected to demonstrate what they know and are able to do as a result of participating in high quality early learning experiences linked to standards.
Remember the 4 components of a comprehensive curriculum framework identified by DEC: ongoing assessment, including progress monitoring, and identifying a developmental scope and sequence that guides in planning the developmentally appropriate activities and interventions. The curriculum framework represents a set of related practices in a cyclical process for ensuring access, participation and progress for all learners that results in improved outcomes and leads to success in school and life. Adaptations, modifications, and differentiated instruction are provided for all kids and accommodations are made for children with disabilities who have IFSPs or IEPs. DEC and others have described the role of universal design for learning or UDL in the development of a comprehensive curriculum framework for meeting the needs of diverse learners. UDL is an approach to planning for multiple means of expression, representation, and engagement to allow children different ways to demonstrate what they know or have learned. If you’re interested, more information about UDL is included in the Toolkit on Using KELS to Support Young Children with IFSPs and IEPs.

12. Assessment and Progress Monitoring
Used for intended purpose (screening vs. diagnosis)
Authentic (genuine, ongoing, natural activities)
Family-centered/team-based (people familiar with child)
Good psychometric qualities (reliable, valid)
Feedback guides instructional decisions (data-based)
(DEC, 2007)
Here’s a quick look at what we mean by assessment and progress monitoring.
Developmentally appropriate assessment practices are needed to gauge how near a child is to mastering a specific standard and to keep track of child progress to guide instructional planning (Bodrova, Leong, Paynter & Semenov, 2000). DEC suggests this means using measures for their intended purpose (e.g., screening vs. evaluation vs. diagnostic assessment). It means authentic assessment practices (e.g., ongoing assessment during naturally occurring routines and activities, by people familiar with the child). That means families and family information are part of the assessment process. Norm-referenced or standardized assessments, if used at all, should be valid and reliable for the populations they are used with. And perhaps most important, assessment information should be USED for it’s intended purpose, which means information collected is summarized and analyzed to assist us in making data-based instructional decisions that result in improved child outcomes.
What do the KELS have to say about assessment?
Given the multitude of ways in which information can be gathered, the selection of procedures and tools for assessment and planning is left to the discretion of early care and education professionals. ( KELS p. 7) However, we know that assessment and progress monitoring measures and procedures are increasingly guided by program requirements, e.g. for Head Start. EHS, Early Childhood Block Grants, the Kansas Preschool Program, Parents as Teachers, Part C/B programs, and home visiting program requirements. But while you may not have much discretion about some assessment measures you are required to use with kids, you can strive to use developmentally appropriate assessment practices.
(Remind of KELS Assessment Module).

13. Scope and Sequence Scope - broad areas of development
Sequence - order taught/learned
Standards may serve as scope and sequence if they include all areas of development and learning
(DEC, 2007)
The ‘scope’ in the term ‘scope and sequence’ is “increasingly influenced by state and federal early learning standards” (National Governor’s Association, 2010; Scott-Little, Kagan, Frelow, & Reid, 2008; Scott-Little, Lesko, Martella, & Milburn, 2007) and tiered models of instructional supports that we’ll talk about in a few minutes.
In 2007, DEC took the position that early learning standards that address all developmental domains and are aligned with common core standards could serve as scope and sequence. Others have since suggested that the scope of an early childhood curriculum should not come from a single source. Multiple sources may be needed. This may be especially true for blended programs where not only the instructional methods but the skills and concepts being taught differ according to the needs of individual children. (Grisham-Brown and Petti-Frontczak, 2013).
Developing an early childhood “scope and sequence” creates a timeline for when and how activities/lessons aligned with standards will be presented through the year (also called "curriculum mapping”) and how often assessment information is collected and reviewed to evaluate how well the program is doing to move young children toward mastering goals aligned with the KELS.

14. Activities and Interventions
“Curriculum” that guides day-to-day interactions
Goals, content, instructional practices, environment, toys/materials, pedagogy
Accessible to full range of diversity represented (DEC, 2007)
Central to the design of activities and interventions within the curriculum framework is the philosophy that children learn best 1) in developmentally responsive environments; 2) when they are actively involved in developmentally appropriate activities often of their own choosing, with materials in which they are interested; and 3) when their families are actively involved in their education and services are provided in natural or inclusive environments, i.e., where a child would be if he/she didn’t have a developmental delay or disability.
Recently, Jennifer Grisham Brown and her colleagues have expanded on the 4 primary components of a curriculum framework to describe the critical role of supports such as “a supportive leadership team, collaborative partnerships, quality professional development, and an adherence to data-driven decision-making” (Grisham-Brown, et al., 2014,. 99).

15. Now that we know what it means…
This is NOT a training on choosing a specific curriculum
This training WILL help you
Identify how well your current curriculum addresses the domains and standards of the KELS
Make a plan for what to do if you identify gaps
Now that we have a common understanding of what is meant by the terms “curriculum” or “curriculum framework”, we need to clarify that this is NOT a training on how to choose an effective curriculum. But you will find a few “best of the best” resources on identifying developmentally appropriate, evidence based curricula in the Virtual Toolkit that accompanies this Power Point.

16. Influences in Development of Curriculum Framework in Early Childhood
“Early childhood team members serving children in blended programs are challenged to:
Identify a comprehensive and single curriculum
Reconcile standards from multiple sources
Determine how to teach standards to children who function at various developmental levels.”
(Grisham-Brown, et al., 2009, p. 132)

17. Multiple Mandates for Accountability in Early Childhood
This table comes from a report of the National Early Childhood Accountability Task Force called “Taking Stock: Assessing and Improving Early Childhood Learning and Program Quality (see references for citation). Even in small print, it illustrates the multiple standards and other accountability measures that exist across the four largest EC systems: child care, head start, state funded PreK, and special education/early intervention. And many more programs are part of our fragmented EC system, with their unique accountability requirements and program standards (e.g., early childhood mental health, nutrition, healthcare, and family support programs).
From a systems perspective, state early learning standards for birth to five provide universal expectations for programs and professionals to enable them to set and reach common goals for young children and their families (Early Childhood Systems Working Group, 2014, p. 8 See Virtual Toolkit for reference.)
(National Early Childhood Accountability Task Force, 2007, p. 18)

18. Illustration of ECE Framework for Tiered Supports
Another guiding force in the development of an early childhood curriculum framework aligned with state standards is the prominence of tiered models of support in improving instruction and intervention.
This graphic comes from the joint policy paper on Frameworks for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood developed by the Division for Early Childhood, the National Association for Education of Young Children, and Head Start (see reference at end of presentation).
Tiered models of intervention have their origin in the original public health pyramid model of prevention, promotion, and treatment. The more effective we are at preventing factors that adversely impact health and promoting practices that positively influence health, the fewer people end up needing intensive health services.
Tiered models of support as illustrated here organize instruction and intervention in a hierarchy of increasing intensity, with tier 1 considered universal practices or “core” curriculum (for all), tier 2 as targeted practices for some children who need additional supports to make progress in the core general education curriculum, and tier 3 as the intensive, individualized instruction or interventions necessary for a few children for whom tier 2 support is not sufficient. Note that we’re still talking about the general education curriculum when we talk about tiered levels of support for all, some and few. Young children with IFSPs and IEPs may access the general education curriculum or appropriate activities at tier 1 in some developmental or content areas, while needing tier 2 or 3 supports to ensure meaningful participation and progress in other areas, just like their peers. Likewise, children who are typically developing, children who experience environmental risk factors, and children who are dual language learners may at some time demonstrate the need for targeted (tier 2) or individualized intensive supports (tier 3) in one or more early learning domain.
(DEC, NAEYC, & NHSA, 2013)

19. Jennifer Grisham Brown and her colleagues conceptualized the link between early learning standards and tiered models of supports in early childhood in this way:
“Each tier represents different ways team members can address and children can evidence their accomplishments. At the bottom tier (i.e., Tier 1), teams address the essence of a standard or outcome identified for all children of a particular group or age. In other words, Tier 1 is composed of concepts and skills that all children are intended to perform in order to evidence the standard (e.g., child uses language for a variety of purposes).” (2009, p. 132). The Tier 1 scope is also generated from developmental milestones for the target population of children, items from a curriculum based assessment, and adaptations based on universal design for learning (UDL) to meet the needs of all children.
“Within Tier 2, instruction regarding the components or parts of the standard is addressed, typically on a need-by-need basis for children requiring more practice or support (e.g., child requests assistance when needed). As children's needs increase, so do the frequency and the intensity of instruction. Therefore, at Tier 2, some children may need targeted instruction when they are learning the components of the standard” (2009, p. 132).The Tier 2 scope is reflected in components or parts of a learning goal or standard that are considered to be emerging and often the focus is on helping children demonstrate what they know and can do (e.g., by providing multiple means of expression). At tier 2 children require more planned practice opportunities and/or support to independently demonstrate components of a goal or standard.
“Within Tier 3, children may demonstrate competency toward the standard by using an alternative form or by showing progress on prerequisite or foundational behaviors (e.g., child uses pictures to communicate basic needs, where the child is working on the function of the standard of ‘uses language for a variety of purposes’).… or children who are working toward the function of the standard, intensive, individualized and intentional instruction may be required. Such instruction necessitates a specific plan for how to set the occasion for and respond to children's attempts to demonstrate the targeted skill.” (2009, p.132)
Children receiving Tier 2 and 3 support continue to receive universal instruction in the form of access to developmentally appropriate activities at tier 1 through principles of UDL.

20. Examples of Tiered Frameworks For Early Childhood
These are some of the prominent models of tiered intervention approaches developed specifically for early childhood. More information about these models can be found in the Virtual Toolkit at the links provided there, and below, in case you have time to respond to questions about any of the examples.
Building Blocks Model (Sandall & Schwartz, 2008)
Pyramid Model (Fox, Dunlap, Hemmeter, Joseph, & Strain, 2003)
Recognition and Response (Buysse et al., 2013)
Center on Response to Intervention in Early Childhood: RTI in Early Literacy and Language (Greenwood, et al., 2012)
Mention a new and timely resource available early in 2016:
Horn, Eva M., Palmer, Susan B., Butera, Gretchen D., & Lieber, Joan A. (2016). Six steps to inclusive preschool curriculum: A UDL-based framework for Children's School Success (CSS). Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes Publishing Co.

21. Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS)
For Kansas school children, preK through grade 12, this is the tiered model of supports, and the model identified in the KELS:
“The Kansas Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), for students in preK through high school, facilitates the proper implementation of Kansas Early Learning Standards through the provision of evidenced based instruction and behavioral practices. Such supports are provided in response to the specific instructional and behavioral needs of children and are based on the ongoing and frequent collection of universal screening and progress monitoring data.” (KELS, p.2)
A comprehensive universally designed curriculum framework embedded within tiered models of support as described by our professional organizations in early childhood is consistent with the Kansas MTSS framework.

22. Aligning Curriculum Framework with KELS
Within the parameters of our “guiding forces”, early care and education providers and programs select or develop the curriculum framework that best meets the needs of the children and families they serve.
The KELS provide a resource for determining how well a specific curriculum or curricular framework addresses the skills or knowledge that young children should have and exhibit by certain ages across domains.
Since the first iteration of Kansas Early Learning Guidelines and Standards (2006) nearly a decade ago, many/most early childhood practitioners and early care and education programs have either aligned their curriculum and early learning experiences for infants, toddlers and preschoolers with our state early learning guidelines or standards, OR are using a curriculum or curriculum-based assessment (CBA) that the publisher has aligned with the KELS. A list of the curricula and CBAs known to be aligned with the 2014 KELS is included at the end of this presentation. If you do not see the name of your program’s curriculum or assessment on the list, we encourage you to contact the publisher and ask if they have completed or would be willing to complete an alignment with the KELS.

23. It’s DAP
“Alignment is desirable, indeed critical, for standards to be effective”.
Copple & Bredekamp (2009, p. 4)
Alignment with early learning standards is part of Developmentally Appropriate Practice. (Citation for DAP book included in references.)

24. What is Meant by Alignment?
“…coherence and continuity among goals, standards, desired results, curriculum, and assessments, with attention to developmental differences as well as connections across ages and grade levels.”
(NAEYC-NAECS/SDE, 2003, p. 27)
This definition comes from the joint position statement on curriculum, assessment and program evaluation in early childhood referenced at the end of this presentation.
So how do our Kansas Early Learning Standards fit with the process of alignment we will be talking about today?

25. NAEYC: Aligning the “What” with the “How”
“Learning standards, or content standards, provide the what of education, but they do not describe the how of education. The content standards set the goal toward which teaching and learning opportunities are directed for young children. The how of learning should be aligned to the content standard through our understanding of best practices to increase the chances of attaining the goal, even as the goal itself needs to be aligned with our knowledge of children’s learning processes.” (NAEYC, 2012, p.7)
This quote comes from a more recent NAEYC position paper called Common Core State Standards: Caution and opportunity for early childhood education. The link is included in the references at the end of this presentation and in the virtual toolkit that accompanies this training.
The NAEYC 2012 position statement on Common Core State Standards goes on to say:
“Likewise the content standards should inform how children's learning is assessed so that children can show proficiency... Especially critical is maintaining methods of instruction that include a range of approaches--including the use of play as well as both small- and large-group instruction--that are considered appropriate for young children.” (p.7)

26. Aligning Curriculum and Activities with the 2014 KELS
“Using the Kansas Early Learning Standards as a reference point allows early care and education professionals to improve instructional planning and teaching through alignment of curriculum and other learning activities, providing both uniformity and flexibility.”
(KELS, 2014, p. 7)
[Read quote.] As you know from the KELS Overview and virtual toolkit, the KELS make clear what infants, toddlers and preschoolers should know and be able to do as a result of experiencing quality early learning opportunities. The KELS create a continuum that links early development to school readiness and later learning in school and life. The immediate intended outcome is improved instructional planning and teaching at every age level, across early care and education settings.

27. Why Alignment is Important
Alignment is a critical step in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a curriculum framework to ensure:
Access to and full participation by all children
Adherence to the program’s mission and goals
Assurance that individual children’s and families’ needs are met
Accountability to agency and state standards/mandates
(DEC, 2007, p. 5)
DEC is the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children and the paper this comes from is referenced at the end of this presentation.
The Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework (HSCDELF, 2010) talks about the importance of alignment as a way to ensure “programming is not narrowly focused on certain domains, or that lesser attention is paid to some domains.”

28. Even for Infants and Toddlers?
“ELG/ITs should be aligned with Pre-K guidelines and K–12 standards in a way that illustrates how the foundations of learning are established in the first years of life”
“Child assessment should be aligned with ELG/ITs and its purpose and use should be clearly defined”
(Peterson, Jones, & McGinley, 2008, p. 4)
This Zero to Three publication offers key considerations and a rationale for aligning and connecting state Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers and Standards with preK standards, kindergarten standards, program standards, licensing standards, and with curricula and assessments used in 0-3 programs.
Petersen, Sandra; Jones, Lynn; McGinley, Karen A. (2008). Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Recommendations to States. Washington, DC: ZERO TO THREE.

29. Vertical vs. Horizontal Alignment
“Alignment is a key component of effective early education and continuity in services provided to children across programs/systems and age/grade levels. In order to be maximally useful, the ELG document must align with other standards documents used for children younger and older than those covered in the ELGs.” [Vertical alignment]
“The ELGs should also align with other materials used in conjunction with the development of young children, such as the curricula and assessments used with the age range addressed by the ELGs.” [Horizontal alignment]
(Gebhard, 2010, p.6)
What Barbara Gebhard is describing here in another Zero to Three publication on “Putting Standards into Practice” is the importance of vertical and horizontal alignment of standards. She uses the term Early Learning Guidelines (ELG) in place of Early Learning Standards.
The 2014 KELS are aligned across ages and grade levels: Infant-toddler standards align with preschool standards which align with kindergarten standards, which are aligned with Kansas College and Career Ready Standards. The vertical alignment has been completed for us. So the process left to us to complete is the horizontal alignment.

30. The Impact of Alignment with Early Learning Standards?
“All children attain better outcomes by the
end of 3rd grade across all critical domains
of learning and development; disparities in students’ readiness for college and career training decrease over time.”
(CEELO, 2014)
The long range impact is described here in a statement that comes from a logic model for aligning early learning standards at a systems level, including alignment of standards for birth to five with content standards for kindergarten, as we have done in Kansas. It was created by the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO). You’ll find the reference at the end of this presentation.
So it’s important, it improves instructional planning and teaching, and it will help improve child outcomes and reduce gaps in school readiness: where do we begin with the alignment process?

31. KELS Alignment Review Process
A - KELS Alignment Review Process Overview
B - KELS Alignment Review Process Action Plan (Word document or fillable PDF)
C - KELS Alignment Templates by Domain (Word document or fillable PDF)
D - KELS Alignment Review Tool (Word document or fillable PDF)
There is no single, universal approach to aligning early learning standards to a curriculum or curriculum framework. If you previously aligned the KELS or KELD with your curriculum, you may want to follow the same process as before. Or, you may be using a curriculum or curriculum-based assessment that has already been aligned with the 2014 KELS. The list of known publisher alignments with the KELS is included at the end of this presentation. If you are not using a publisher-aligned curriculum or curriculum based assessment and have never aligned your curriculum with early learning standards, we offer here an alignment process developed for the 2014 KELS adapted from alignment review tools developed by the NCQTL (2011), Wisconsin (2013) and Washington (2013). You’ll find links to those alignment tools in the references at the end of this presentation. Electronic copies of the KELS alignment forms listed here are found in the folder for this presentation included on the KELS flash drive. [Note: at a minimum, participants should have copies of the Action Plan form. Facilitators may want to provide copies of the Overview and Review Tool as well, and consider making a display copy of the KELS Alignment Templates for participants to review.]
For some programs, the alignment process can seem a challenging task, but it’s a task most providers feel is well worth the effort. The alignment process we have developed is designed to be completed by a team, but it could certainly be undertaken by a single provider with a commitment to improving developmentally appropriate experiences, learning opportunities, and outcomes for kids.
If you work in a group setting, you may already have a leadership team or curriculum workgroup that will support you in aligning the KELS with your curriculum framework. If not, workgroup membership will vary depending on the size and focus of your program. Administrative support—if not direct involvement—is critical, as is participation of stakeholders including family, early care or education teacher, special education provider, and any other interested participants whose membership on the committee would be helpful.

32. Getting Started Read the KELS Curriculum Alignment Process Overview
Use the KELS Alignment Review Process Action Plan as a guide
Steps 1-5 outline preliminary preparations
Determine the process for completing the KELS Alignment
Templates (step 6) for each domain (e.g., large group, small group or individuals assigned to domains) that will likely yield the most valid and reliable results. This means work group members must be knowledgeable in both the content area and age appropriate developmental expectations/milestones
Review Tool: Gap Analysis (step 7) for each domain (e.g., large group, small group, or individuals assigned to domains). Answer the alignment analysis summary questions in order to identify next steps and complete your action plan (steps 8-13)
[Note: it is not necessary to provide copies of the Overview since the information it contains is included in this presentation.]
The Overview is a handout you can use or share with your alignment review team members that summarizes the information about the review process in this PowerPoint. It is recommended that all team members have reviewed this PowerPoint presentation, the Toolkit that accompanies it, and the KELS Overview PowerPoint.
The Action Plan is your guide in the alignment review process. [Refer to handout. Go through steps, paying special attention to information related to steps 6 and 7, steps for which there are 2 additional KELS forms we’ll review as well.]
Let’s take a look at an example of a completed action plan form.

37. Anne and Linda also took on the task of sharing the outcome of the KELS alignment review process with families at the beginning of the coming school year. And it was decided that this process was valuable and should be repeated on a regular basis—but maybe not every year.
The KELS brochure listed on step 12 on the KELS flash drive.

38. KELS/ECO Alignment Template
Now, let’s take a look at the KELS/ECO Alignment Template used in the process we just described. This template was created initially for the purpose of aligning the KELS with the 3 Early Childhood Outcomes for IDEA programs serving infants and preschoolers with IFSPs and IEPs. It can also serve as a template for seeing how well your curriculum activities and goals align with the standards across domains. Your curriculum activities, or experiences, goals or objectives that address the standard are written in the space next to the standard for the age range or developmental level of the children in your early care or education setting.
[Note: If you are using a curriculum or curriculum based assessment that has been aligned with the KELS, you may be able to use that template to complete your alignment review. The benefit of the template provided on the KELS flash drive is that it’s a Word document that can be edited.]

39. KELS/ECO Alignment Template
What adults can do to support learning is the space for instructional methods, adaptations, and modifications you will make to ensure that all children can be successful in the planned activity or lesson. Consistent with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), this helps us ensure that we are planning for diverse learning styles and abilities from the outset.
And since the document is available in Word format, you can edit any of the columns to better fit your program.

40. Emergent vs. Published Curricular Approach
Determine the best approach for completing the KELS Alignment Template for your curriculum framework:
Published approach: for providers or programs that use an established curriculum, goals or items from the curriculum are written out or noted by number in the space next to the early learning standard
Emergent approach: for providers or programs that use a project-based curricular framework or have developed their own written curriculum unique to their population, planned activities and experiences are written next to the early learning standards
(Washington State Department of Early Learning, 2013)

41. Published Curricular Approach
Here’s a completed example of an alignment review of a published curriculum based assessment, TS GOLD. You can see from this example that when you are using a published curriculum’s scope and sequence, you can simply cross reference the item from your curriculum that aligns with a particular standard. In the column for what adults can do to support learning for this activity, this program identified the curriculum modifications described in the Building Blocks book that they thought were relevant to their population.

42. Emergent Curricular Approach
And here is an example of an alignment template completed for a program using an emergent curriculum approach.
For a childcare setting that has developed their own curriculum around themes or units, or a program that uses the project approach as the core of their curriculum framework, activities within units, themes or projects with goals that address the standards can be written in the column next to the corresponding standard. In the next column this program has made notations about what adults can do to ensure all children can show progress on that standard by accessing and participating in the planned learning opportunity. They reference Universal Design for Learning in the heading, and the examples of adaptations they list demonstrate multiple means of expression, representation, and engagement.

43. Alignment Review Tool Questions
Coverage - how well curriculum addresses each of domains
Balance - how evenly are all domains represented within the curriculum
Depth - the number and sequence of developmentally significant skills related to later learning
Difficulty - the match between developmentally appropriate expectations and intellectual challenge at developmental levels (NCQTL, 2011)
The Action plan is the general guide for the KELS alignment review process and the KELS alignment templates are the nuts and bolts of the process. The summary and gap analysis of the Alignment process is documented on the last form we’ll talk about, the Alignment Review Tool.
The alignment process involves more than simple matching; it must take into consideration balance, breadth, depth, and difficulty of the curriculum goals and activities. These criteria for determining the degree of alignment with standards have been widely adopted in recent years and are included in the approach used by the Head Start National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning, (2011) Alignment Review Tool. You can find the link to that tool in the references. Additional information on this approach to alignment with early learning standards can be found in resources included in the Virtual Toolkit that accompanies this presentation.
Optional:
No Child Left Behind gave alignment a more sophisticated definition in non-regulatory guidance released in 2003, asserting that assessments must “measure the depth and breadth of the state academic content standards for a given grade level” (U.S. Department of Education, 2003, p. 12) as well as a range of other qualities, such as comprehensiveness and clarity for users. Hence, an alignment methodology used to satisfy NCLB must include qualitative analysis of alignment in addition to evaluating the content match between each item and standard.
U.S. Department of Education (2003, March 10). Standards and assessments: Non-regulatory guidance. Washington, DC: Author.

44. KELS Alignment Review Tool
[Refer to handout if provided. If not, remind that this tool is included on the KELS flash drive in the folder for this presentation.]
Here’s the cover page of the KELS Alignment Review Tool, as completed for Anne and Linda’s team. It includes the descriptions for each of the criteria being reviewed: coverage, balance, depth, and difficulty.

46. The last page of the review tool is where the alignment analysis is summarized. While the individual domains may be reviewed by small groups or individuals, the alignment committee members should all review the domain summaries and reach consensus in how these questions are answered.
In the example provided, the program’s alignment analysis found, like many other high quality programs, that they were providing a curriculum framework that was—for the most part—closely aligned to the Kansas Early Learning Standards. The revisions they made based on the gaps identified– in selecting an evidence-based supplemental social skills curriculum to integrate with their existing scope and sequence—made it more likely they will be adequately addressing the ATL and SED standards in their curriculum framework next year. And with the new assessment tool they plan to identify, the program will be better able to determine the impact of their revised scope and sequence on children’s social and emotional development in the coming year.

47. Closing the Gaps
Standards are meant to ensure that we set high yet achievable goals for all children. The tremendous diversity among children, including those from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and those with disabilities, warrant special consideration in ensuring that the standards and their implementation and assessment work to close gaps and disparities rather than widen them.
(Grisham Brown, et al., 2009 p.7)
We like to think of the alignment process as “closing the gaps”.

48. For More Information
Virtual Toolkit: Using KELS to Support Curriculum Alignment QT
I need a better understanding of this topic. Where should I begin
How do I find out what works to support infants and young children in this area
Show me what implementation looks like (for adults and children) in classroom and non-classroom settings
How can I get additional training on this topic
I would like to share this information with others, in a group setting. Is there a trainer's version of this virtual toolkit
Evaluation
For those of you who identified additional information or resources that you need to learn more about, here’s your Toolkit, an online professional development resource on curriculum alignment with early learning standards organized by your level of interest, the age range you work with, and settings.
Options:
Take participants to the website and do a quick review, pointing out the links to the articles referenced in the PPT
Let participants who have their own devices explore the toolkit, given the assignment of finding the articles referenced in the PPT
Provide a handout of the toolkit in PDF format for participants to follow along with as you take them through the toolkit online. Ask them which resources they want to see

49. Evaluation
What is one big idea or take home message from what you heard today
What excites you or concerns you about what you learned
Any insights from the session
How will you use what you learned from this session
Just an example of a simple evaluation that could be completed first on paper (to turn in) and then used as a wrap up discussion about next steps.

50. References
Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) (2014). Can we make standards alignment a little less painful? Early learning Chiropractory. Conn-Powers, M., Conn-Powers, A.F., Traub., E.K., & Hunter-Pishgahi, L. (2006, September). The universal design of early education: Moving forward for all children. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs, Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, 3rd Edition. Washington, DC: NAEYC. Division for Early Childhood (DEC) (2007). Promoting positive outcomes for children with disabilities: Recommendations for curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation. Missoula, MT: Author. %20Childhood.pdf

51. References
Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), & National Head Start Association (NHSA) Frameworks for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood: Description and Implications, Dombro, A., Colker, L., & Trister Dodge, D. (1998). The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers. Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies. Early Head Start Tip Sheets. (March, 2003). Early Head Start Tip Sheet No. 10, Infant/Toddler Curriculum. Head Start National Resource Center. DHHS/ACF/OHS. Gebhard, B. (2010). Putting standards into practice: States’ use of early learning guidelines for infants and toddlers. Zero to Three,

52. References
Grisham-Brown, J., Pretti-Frontczak, K., Hawkins. S.R., & Winchell, B.N. (2009). Addressing early learning standards for all children within blended preschool classrooms. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 29:3, Grisham-Brown, J., Pretti-Frontczak, K., Bachman, A., Gannon, C., & Mitchell, D. (2014). Delivering individualized instruction during ongoing classroom activities and routines. Blending Practices for All Children (Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series No 16), Los Angeles: Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children. Kansas Early Learning Standards Committee (2013). Kansas Early Learning Standards: Building the Foundations for Successful Children. Topeka, KS: Kansas State Department of Education, Kansas Inservice Training System (2015). Curriculum-based assessments for measuring early childhood outcomes. Parsons, KS: Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities,

53. References
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) (2012). Common Core State Standards: Caution and opportunity for early childhood education. National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE) (2003). Building an effective, accountable, system in programs for children from birth through Age 8. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning (NCQLT) (2011). Curriculum, Assessment and the Head Start Framework: An Alignment Review Tool. Retrieved from,

54. References
National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning (NCQTL) (2012). Choosing a Preschool Curriculum. Administration for Children and Families. Office of Head Start,  
National Early Childhood Accountability Task Force (2007). Taking Stock: Assessing and Improving Early Childhood Learning and Program Quality. Foundation for Child Development, PEW Charitable Foundation, & The Joyce Foundation,
Office of Head Start (2015). Head Start Program Performance Standards. § Definitions. p U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Youth.
Petersen, Sandra; Jones, Lynn; McGinley, Karen A. (2008). Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Recommendations to States. Washington, DC: ZERO TO THREE,

55. References
Preece, C. (2013). Exploring the Meaning of Curriculum in the Early Head Start Classroom. HHS/ACF/EHSNRC, REL-NEI Early Childhood Education Research Alliance and Center for Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (2013). State early learning standards: Lessons learned from applying implementation research. Webinar archive and handouts, Trister Dodge, D. (1993). A guide for supervisors and trainers on implementing the Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood. Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies. Washington State Department of Early Learning (2013). Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines Curricular Alignment Tool,

56. References
Washington State Department of Early Learning.  (2013).  Washington state early learning and development guidelines curricular alignment tool. Retrieved from
Wisconsin’s Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement System (2013). Curriculum and the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards: An Alignment Review Tool,

57. KELS Alignments (as of December 2015)
Assessment and Program Evaluation System (AEPS)
Carolina Curriculum [Available in KELS Toolkit on flash drive.]
COR Advantage
Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) for 0-3 [Available in KELS Toolkit on flash drive.]
Galileo G3 Assessment Scale 3-5
Parents as Teachers Foundational Curriculum [Available in KELS Toolkit on flash drive.]
Teaching Strategies GOLD
Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment, Second Edition (TPBA-2) [Available in KELS Toolkit on flash drive.]
If you are not using one of the tools listed, we urge you to check with the publisher of your curriculum or curriculum based assessment to find out if they have aligned—or would be willing to align—their tool with our early learning standards.

58. Acknowledgement
The Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) Training Project, a project of the University of Kansas, Life Span Institute at Parsons, was funded through a grant from the Kansas State Department of Education with funds from the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund.
Leadership support for this project was provided by the Kansas State Agencies Early Childhood Leadership Team with representatives from:
Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund
Kansas Department for Children and Families
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Kansas State Department of Education

59. Contacts Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund
Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson St., Rm. 152
Topeka, Kansas 66612 or
Kansas Department for Children and Families
Strengthening Families
555 S. Kansas Avenue
Topeka, Kansas 66603 or
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Bureau of Family Health
Curtis State Office Building
1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 220 or
Kansas State Department of Education
Early Childhood, Special Education,
and Title Services
900 SW Jackson St. or

60. Suggested reference for this PowerPoint:
Acknowledgement
Suggested reference for this PowerPoint:
Rinkel, P., Lindeman, D.P., Heintz, C., & Mitchell, L.(2016). Using Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) to Support: Curriculum Alignment. Life Span Institute at Parsons, University of Kansas, Parsons, KS.