Resampled color

August 2014
In This Issue
PRACTICE TIPS

Don't Bug Me!

Turn your children's love for exploration and creativity into a project that can last for several days or even weeks.  The project approach of learning helps children make in-depth actual studies of topics or information that are of interest to them. They are like a good story with a beginning, a middle and an end.

 

Here's how to turn your classroom or your whole program's learning into a project.

 

THE BEGINNING:

Find out what children want to learn more about. When you are observing and talking with your children, you'll notice and discover what they're playing with and are investigating. Ask them if they'd like to know more about the topic and make a list of the kinds of things they'd like to find out. Children might even guess what the answers could be.

THE MIDDLE:

Children investigate the topic by researching through books and the internet. Then they represent what they've learned through building models, creating materials, or even acting out through dramatic play. 

THE END:

The projects and learned information are shared with families and other children in the program.

 

A buggy example: The Bug Story

 

 CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE ARTICLE   

 
CHALLENGE NEWS

Apply Now for Early Learning Leadership Initiative (ELLI)

 

Early Learning Leadership Initiative is one of many new supports developed to aid Delaware Stars programs working to enhance program quality and move up in Star rating.

 

More than 175 childhood professionals from all across Delaware are currently enrolled in the Aim4Excellence™ National Director Credential as a part of the Early Learning Leadership Initiative (ELLI).

 

Applications are currently being accepted for the ELLI beginning in September 2014.  A limited number of slots are available so interested participants are encouraged to apply early.  For more information or to apply, visit McCormickCenter.nl.edu/elli/ 

or contact the ELLI Program Coordinator,  
Maria Edgerton directly at  medgerton@nl.edu or 302.824.4926.   

 

Those who successfully complete of the Aim4Excellence™, an online national director credential through the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership qualify for the Administration Credential in Delaware Stars. The credential includes nine modules that cover the essentials of early childhood program administration.  This credential is offered through a unique online delivery model designed to help early childhood directors better manage the many tasks they juggle every day.  The credential focuses on the essential knowledge and skills needed to deliver high-quality programming for young children.

 

Vickie Wilkerson of the Sharon Temple Child Care Learning Center proudly said regarding her experience in ELLI, "My staff stated that I am a better director. I have become better organized and have practiced planning ahead. I have learned a lot and have implemented strategies and tools learned from the class to enhance the program at our center."  Melissa O'Brien described her experience this way, "I have been in child care for 11 years and have never received training like this. Aim4excellence is a great tool that has helped me expand my knowledge and understanding of the different dynamics it takes to run a center. Being a part of the working group in this training allows me to speak with others in my field openly in a professional environment about what is going on in my center." 

 
 CLICK HERE for full article

  New Preschool Grant Program Will Expand Opportunity to More of America's Early Learners

 


 
Across the country, there is a great need for early learning. But the need isn't just for preschool seats - it's for high-quality early learning programs that can put children on the path to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. Research has shown the powerful benefits of high-quality early education. Children who receive rich early learning experiences are less likely to need special education services. They're in better health, and they get better jobs. Yet, today, only 30 percent of 4-year-olds in the U.S. participate in state preschool, and 10 states don't offer it at all.  Among other industrialized nations, the U.S. ranks 25th in enrollment of 4-year-olds in early learning.
 
President Obama has issued a call to expand access to high-quality preschool to every child in America.
Recently, an important down payment was made toward that goal when Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary, Sylvia M. Burwell, announced the availability of funds through the Preschool Development Grants program.
 
This new $250 million federal program will support states to build, develop and expand voluntary, high-quality preschool programs for children from low- and moderate-income families. It will be jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. All states--including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico--are eligible to apply by Oct. 14, 2014.
 
Secretary Duncan noted, "Through the Preschool Development Grants, we continue our efforts to create educational opportunities that prepare our youngest Americans for success in kindergarten, through elementary school and beyond. This new grant competition will prepare states to participate in President Obama's proposed Preschool for All program--a federal-state partnership that would promote access to full-day kindergarten and encourage the expansion of high-quality preschool programs for 4-year-olds from low- and middle-income families."

We hope the early learning community in Delaware will join us in starting to think about how Delaware might benefit from this new resource of funding for early learning
  

 CLICK HERE for full article 

 
New Poll Shows Broad National Support for Early Childhood Investments

Released in late July, 2014, results of this new poll show that providing children with a strong start in life should be one the nation's highest priorities, second only to increasing jobs and economic growth. The poll also found that nearly 90 percent of Republicans and Independents, as well as 97 percent of Democrats, support making early education and child care more affordable. A new national poll released in late July by the First Five Years Fund finds that 71 percent of voters--including 60 percent of Republicans--support greater federal investments in early childhood education. Importantly, these same voters are willing for Congress and President Obama to spend now in order to capitalize on the economic return on investment from early childhood education, as documented by Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor James Heckman.

 

"An overwhelming majority of Americans from diverse political and demographic backgrounds support federal action on early childhood education," said First Five Years Fund Executive Director, Kris Perry. "They understand its return on investment. They demand that Congress fund programs that meet high-quality standards. And, they want to invest now."  FULL POLL RESULTS: www.GrowAmericaStronger.org/poll  

  

Following a year of unprecedented state expansions of early childhood programs--in red and blue state alike--the national poll results reveal that 64 percent of voters say our political leaders should be doing more to ensure that children start kindergarten with the knowledge and skills to do their best. Seven in ten Americans also support a proposal that would increase federal investment to help states provide more access to high-quality early childhood programs for low- and moderate-income families.

 

Heckman's research shows that investing in high-quality early childhood education for disadvantaged children from birth to five yields a 7-10 percent return-per child, per year-through improved education, health and societal outcomes and the reduced need for social spending. Federal investments would help states and local communities provide better quality programs to more parents and children from birth to five and expand access to high-quality preschool, child care, home visiting and parent programs.

 
A newly developed Family and Provider/Teacher Relationship Quality Measurement Tool will soon be available at no cost!

Mark your calendars for important webinars to promote quality in early childhood care and education! Westat and Child Trends are hosting webinars on the Family and Provider/Teacher Relationship Quality (FPTRQ) Measurement Development project, which has developed measures of provider/teacher practices that facilitate a positive family and provider or teacher relationship.

 

Three webinars will provide information about FPTRQ specifics for the following audiences, and at the following dates/times:

  • Monday, September 8, 1:30 - 2:30pm - State and local administrators/policymakers and federal staff: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
  • Wednesday, September 10, 1:00 - 2:00pm - Professional development community and practitioners/provider communities: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Webinar attendees will learn about:

  • The FPTRQ project;
  • FPTRQ's conceptual model of family and provider/teacher relationships;
  • The development of the FPTRQ surveys;
  • A review of the psychometric properties of the FPTRQ constructs and subscales; and
  • How to administer, score, and use the surveys.

 CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT INFORMATION AND ALL LINKS   

 
Early Childhood Teacher Invites President to Visit Classroom and...

Picture: Leslie A. Gresham, M.A., early childhood educator, meets with President Barack Obama in Denver on July 8. They are joined by Denver area residents Liz Cooper, Carolyn and David Reed, and Alex Dooley at the Wazee Supper Club.

Have you ever thought about writing to the President of the United States? Did you do it? Well, Leslie did.

 

In March, 2014, Leslie A. Gresham, recent recipient of the Apple Award for "Early Childhood Educator of the Year" in Douglas County School District, Denver, Colorado wrote to President Obama.

 

Part of her letter shared this invitation - "I absolutely love doing what I do, as do my teammates at Pioneer Preschool.  We have up to 66 preschoolers in four fully inclusive classrooms of special needs and typically developing little ones.  I would like to invite you to come visit and see us in action. I am confident you would be amazed and delighted to see what's going on in early childhood.  Thank you for your time and support."

 

Of the meeting Leslie said, "I was impressed with the President's knowledge regarding the benefits of providing early childhood education and its impact down the road for our children and society.  Our state, like many others, is involved in many initiatives to support the President's agenda for early childhood.  As a full-time early childhood special education teacher, I continue to be energized by the students while challenged with how to further our platform--educating others is/has been key.  I am especially interested in the social emotional development of our youngest students and supporting families with the many issues of raising socially competent children.  I see it's a big part of the conversation in Early Childhood. How exciting!" 

Family Outreach All Around the First State! 

 
The Family Outreach Team for the Office of Early Learning has been all over the First State this summer connecting with families, sharing the message about the importance of quality early learning  for young children and the available resources for families in the first state.  The Family Outreach Team's appearances in August included the Peach Festival in Wyoming and at the Backpack Festival and a Blue Rocks game in Wilmington.


  



PARTNER NEWS

FROM HEALTHCARE PARTNERS: 

 Health Care Grants available for Families in Need

 

Maintaining good health is so important to young children, aged birth to five years. Here is one way to get assistance if needed.

 

The United Healthcare Children's Foundation is seeking grant applications from all over the country in need of financial assistance to help pay for their child's health care treatment, services or equipment not covered, or not fully covered by their commercial health insurance plan.

Qualifying families can receive up to $5,000 per grant with a lifetime maximum of $10,000 per child to pay for surgery, prescriptions, therapies, counseling or equipment such as wheelchairs, orthotics, eyeglasses and hearing aids.

To be eligible, children must be 16 years old or younger.  Families must meet economic guidelines, reside in the U.S. and have a commercial insurance plan.

For more information or to apply, go to the United Healthcare Children's Foundation website: http://www.uhccf.org/apply/

 

FROM DIVISION OF FAMILY SERVICES:

 Betty Gail Timm Appointed Administrator of OCCL

 

Please join us in congratulating Elizabeth (Betty Gail ) Timm who has accepted the position of the administrator for the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) in the Division of Family Services, Delaware Children's Department. OCCL licenses and regulates family, large family and center early care and education providers, day treatment centers, residential child care facilities, child placing agencies and the Criminal History Unit. Betty Gail brings a wealth of experience having been a provider in early education in a private center, Head Start center, and a university-based center. She has served as classroom teacher, associate director, director, administrator, and early childhood trainer.  For the last several years, Betty Gail has served as the resource and development manager within OCCL, working on the revision of the various sets of regulations. She has been involved in the work of the Challenge grant and we know she is someone who values partnerships and builds strong relationships and can creatively solve problems. Congratulations!

 

FROM PREVENT CHILD ABUSE DELAWARE:   

DeRasmo featured on Essentials of Childhood Webinar 

  

Delaware's own Karen DeRasmo, director of Prevent Child Abuse Delaware, was a featured speaker for the August 19, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm webinar, the third in a five-part series entitled "Essentials for Childhood."  The webinar provides an overview of CDC's Essentials for Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers resource and how it is being used to create the context for healthy children and families. Participating states will discuss activities in which they are currently engaged to promote positive parenting and how state health departments and their partners can use Essentials for Parenting strategies and other resources to promote healthy parent/child relationships. Participants will learn: How Essentials for Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers supports safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children; and How state health departments and their partners can use Essentials for Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers strategies and other resources to create the context for healthy children and families.

 

FROM DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH:   


 

 
FROM DELAWARE STARS AND ITS PROGRAMS
Rising Stars Shining Bright!
Here are the programs who moved up in July!  

CONGRATULATIONS to these brand new Star 5s:

Boys and Girls Club @ Milford, Kristin's Care Preschool and Learning Center, LLC, Lessons Learned Day Care and Preschool II  

 

And it is a pleasure to announce that these programs have earned Star 4 status:  Kiddie Kollege Institute, Lakiesha Truitt, Salvation Army Early Learning Center, The Fairchild Day School, Tutor Time Child Care Harmony Road.

We also congratulate the Delaware Stars programs that have attained new status as Star 3 programs during the past month!  As Delaware families look to the Stars when searching for early childhood programs for their children, they find quality early learning programs such as the Stars programs that have moved up in quality rating!

  See the complete list of who is moving up!
Early Learning Challenge Funds Playground for Ezion Academy
  The Early Learning Challenge's Infrastructure Fund assisted Ezion Fair Community Academy by providing funding for the purchase and installation of age- appropriate playground equipment for use of the children in their care.  Ezion is located in the Southbridge section of the City of Wilmington and serves infants, toddlers and preschoolers.   Ezion was previously using a near-by park for their outdoor play area which created many challenges.  Since Dr. Christopher Curry, the director of Ezion, was able to identify an outdoor play area approved by the Office of Child Care Licensing, the Infrastructure Fund application from Ezion was approved and the playground equipment will be used to meet the active physical play needs for the children.  Dr. Curry invited Brigitte Shellenberger, manager for the Infrastructure Fund at Children and Families First, to the opening day of the playground.  The Ezion Fair Community Academy officially opened its newly constructed playground in a ceremony held on Thursday, August 7, 2014.  Dr Curry noted, " With the strong assistance and support from the Delaware Stars program, staff are better able to not only provide a high quality program for their children, but an outside safe and secure area for their children's physical development.  As indicated by all levels of Delaware Government present (Congressman, State Senator, County Executive, Mayor, City Councilman, etc.), without the Stars Program, quality foundation learning for children wouldn't be possible, especially for children in underprivileged areas."
FROM NURSE/FAMILY PARTNERSHIP:
 

Nurse-Family Partnership Reports Reduction in Preventable Deaths  

 

Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) released results of the first randomized clinical trial of an early intervention program in a high-income country to show reduced maternal and child death. The study, "Effect of Home Visiting by Nurses on Maternal and Child Mortality  reported in JAMA Pediatrics, found that NFP involvement reduced preventable deaths among low-income mothers and their first-born children living in urban, disadvantaged neighborhoods. The trial began in 1990 and was concluded in 2011; enrolled low-income mothers in Memphis, TN; and produced "a significant reduction in preventable child death from birth to age 20." They also found that mothers in the treatment group were less likely to die than those not receiving treatment. Research with this group will continue. 

 
FROM DELAWARE FAMILY VOICES: 
Creating a Common Vision Summit   

 

A free one-day summit lead by a facilitator for parents and professionals with an interest in children's mental health treatment and behavior concerns.

When: Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Time: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Where: The Duncan Center  500 W. Loockerman St., Dover DE

Registration for the summit is requested. Please contact Wanda Ford at (302) 669-3034 or by email at sfn@defv.org.

Flyer:  Creating A Common Vision Summit 
FROM DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES:

Delaware Department Awarded Project LAUNCH Grant 

The Children's Department has been awarded a Project LAUNCH grant.  This five year grant allocates $800,000 each year to promote wellness and address the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and behavioral needs of young children from birth to eight years.  Using a public health approach. Delaware's Project LAUNCH facilitates improved collaboration and coordination across child-serving systems and the integration of behavioral and physical health services with the ultimate goal of ensuring that children are thriving in safe, supportive environments and entering school ready to learn.   

 

This is a joint initiative between the Delaware Children's Department's Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health and the Department of Health and Social Services' Division of Public Health in partnership with the Red Clay Consolidated School district, Nemours Children's Health System and early learning/child care programs within the neighborhoods that are feeder patterns for Warner Elementary and Shortlidge Academy. These are communities long identified with multiple environmental risk factors and gaps in services/supports for young children, birth to 8 years.

 

For more information, contact Delaware Youth and Family Center, 302-633-2600.  

 
FROM SUSSEX HEALTH COALITION:
Sussex Success Sponsors Healthy Family Dollar Dinners 

 

Come out and enjoy a healthy affordable family dinner for only a dollar during our Healthy Family Dollar Dinners. There will be chef demonstrations and guest speakers but door prizes and give-a-ways. Our fall schedule is twice a month on Wednesdays:

  • September 3 & 17
  • October 1 & 15
  • November 5 & 19
  • December 3 & 17
  • January 7 & 21

Dinner starts at 6:00pm. For details, contact Amanda Meade at 302-262-9459.

 

YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER. The deadline for registration is Friday at noon for the following Wednesday.  

 

This Program is a Sussex Success Program! A United Way Initiative in partnership with the Sussex County Community.

 
FROM PENNSYLVANIA KEYS:
Website Offers Tools for Effective Communication

When is the last time you took a look at your program through someone else's eyes? In spring 2014, Regional Keys conducted 11 focus groups with families asking about how they choose child care/early learning. The results, a 20- minute presentation highlighting the results of the focus groups entitled, Why our words matter - Taking a closer look at 2014 Child Care Selection Family Focus Groups,  may make you take a fresh look at how you connect with families about quality early learning and your program's benefits.
 
Visit the PA Keys website for additional tips and resource on using these results to better connect with families with your written and face-to-face communications.

FROM THE RAISING OF AMERICA:
Documentary Series Explores Early Childhood and Our Nation's Future
 
Are We Crazy About Our Kids? is the latest episode in the documentary series, The Raising of America.  The episode  focuses on the Cost/Benefit Equation, exploring the economics of investing in high-quality early care and preschool. It pays for itself several times over. So what is holding us back?
SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL SUCCESS

Delaware's B.E.S.T.:  A Bright Future for Families with Young Children  

Seven years ago families in Delaware needing help for young children with severe challenging behaviors had very few mental health providers serving children under six, and no providers used evidence-based mental health treatments designed specifically for young children, incidents of public preschool expulsions were at an all-time high.  That all changed with Delaware's B.E.S.T., a grant initiative through the Delaware Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (DPBHS), which provided mental health services and supports for Delaware's youngest population (birth to five years old) and their families.

 

With help from a $9 million, six-year federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), DPBHS and a multitude of partners from the early childhood community have accomplished amazing outcomes.

 

On August 7, 2014, those partners joined several families who received services to celebrate the success of the grant.  A  sustainable, comprehensive young child mental health statewide system of care has been developed providing new treatments and services that are now part of the department's in-home and outpatient treatment protocol.    

 

Through B.E.S.T., which stands for Bringing Evidence-based Systems of Care and Treatment for young children and their families, therapists are receiving training in proven treatments, early childhood providers are learning new skills to address challenging behaviors and most importantly, children and their caregivers are experiencing healthier family interactions.

 

 CLICK HERE for full article and more photos 

Husband and Wife Team Give Delaware their Best!

       

The husband and wife team of Joshua and Lisa Masse, both Ph.D. clinical psychologists, were an integral part of the Delaware's B.E.S.T. a grant initiative through the Delaware Division of Prevention

Joshua and Lisa Masse

and Behavioral Health Services (DPBHS), which provided mental health services and supports for Delaware's youngest population (birth to five years old) and their families.  Josh is a certified PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction
Therapy) Master Trainer. 

 

E-News recently talked with Joshua and Lisa about their roles and experience as part of the B.E.S.T. (Bringing Evidence-based Systems of Care and Treatment for young children and their families) team.

 

Joshua provided clinical training for a variety of professionals in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and its variants, such as Teacher Child Interaction Training (TCIT) and Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE).

 

Lisa led the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Service, a statewide consultation service that now has ten licensed clinicians providing child specific and program consultation. The service provides training to early childhood professionals, enhancing their skills and expertise in promoting young child mental health and working effectively with children with challenging behaviors.  Lisa also worked with administrators to develop and define which services would be provided and focused on measuring progress and community impact, determining how data would be collected, what data to retain and the best ways to present data to the community to inform stakeholders of the progress of the program. She also provided her services to the clinical side, maintaining a caseload of approximately 10 to 12 child specific cases, as well as leading CARE and TCIT trainings.

 

Joshua shared that he was pleasantly surprised by the gradual shift in the way in which the therapies permeated Delaware. As the training spread to more clinicians, more families experienced positive results as a result of the therapy. That led to "positive contagion," a phrase coined by Joshua that refers to the phenomenon whereby families started to ask agencies and providers if they offered PCIT--a powerful indication of the success of the therapy.

 

Lisa was wonderfully surprised that the program was able to prevent such a high number of child expulsions from early learning programs-upwards of 95 percent in just four years! 

We wish Josh and Lisa well as they leave Delaware to go to Massachusetts, where Josh will be an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.

 

 CLICK HERE for full article 

POLICY & TRENDS
CHILD HEALTH
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
Brushing Up on Oral Health

 

The National Center on Health (NCH) is pleased to announce the July 2014 issue of Brush Up on Oral Health. This issue describes the features of a dental home. It offers tips for Head Start staff to help parents and pregnant women appreciate, find, and use a dental home. It also includes a healthy snack that can be prepared in the Head Start classroom or at home. 

    

W.K. Kellogg Foundation Holds White House Symposium on Transformative Family Engagement

 

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation recently held a White House Symposium on transformative family engagement, corresponding with the release of a poll commissioned by the Kellogg Foundation that asked parents questions on their quality of life. The event brought together leaders such as U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, White House Domestic Policy Council Director Cecilia Muñoz and Deputy Assistant to the President for Education Roberto Rodríguez as well as philanthropic champions and experts in the field to discuss how to achieve educational equity for children through family engagement.  

 

READ MORE HERE 

 
EARLY LEARNING
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Daily Reading to Young Children Supports Language Acquisition and Literacy

       

 A new study by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that reading daily to young children, starting in infancy, can help with language acquisition and literacy skills. But, the report says, many children are missing out. All pediatricians should encourage parents to read out loud to their children every day, beginning in infancy, to promote literacy and strengthen family ties.

             

VIEW PBS NEWS HOUR VIDEO REPORT HERE  

 

POLICY STATEMENT HERE  

  

Effective Communication with Parents  

 

As a child care provider, you soon discover that parents and children are a two-for-one deal: Developing positive relationships with parents is critical to providing the best care possible to their children.  

 

But sometimes you already have a relationship with the child's parents--they may be related to you, live in your neighborhood, or be friends or acquaintances. This can be a real benefit since you might already share an open, trusting relationship with the parents. But this familiarity can also raise some challenges when you are caring for their children. 

 

This ZERO TO THREE post offers effective strategies for this important aspect of child care. 

 

CLICK HERE
         
EARLY LEARNING
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Having the Television On Can Hinder Language Development

        

Having the television on while you play with your toddler could hinder the child's language development, according to a new study. Researchers observed interaction between 49 parents and their toddlers, aged 12, 24 and 36 months, as they played together for an hour. During half of that time, a TV program with content for older children and adults was on in the background. The number of words and phrases, including the number of new words, spoken by parents was lower when the TV was on than when it was off, the study found. 

 

CLICK HERE to read more about this study.                

Verbs Make a Difference in  

Language Acquisition

 

For toddlers, learning basic words and the beginnings of sentence structures starts a whole new world into language. A new study, published in the journal Language Learning and Development, examines how "packaging" certain verbs into sentences can play a key role in influencing a child's vocabulary.  

 

READ MORE HERE          

 
EARLY LEARNING
EARLY LEARNING

Impact of Income Levels on  

Child Development 

 
A recent article in The Future of Children suggests that increasing family income in the early years of a child's life can boost a child's development by providing access to resources that stimulate the growth.  

 

READ MORE HERE

 
Latino Preschool Population Increasing

A new data analysis by Pew Research Center shows a large increase in the number of states where at least one-in-five public school kindergartners are Latino over the past decade. In 17 states, Latino children comprise at least 20 percent of the public school kindergarten population.   
 
READ MORE HERE
 
QRIS
EARLY LEARNING

Ensuring Data Quality in Early Care and Education

       

Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) aim to assess the quality of early care and education settings for young children, improve that quality, and communicate program ratings to parents and caregivers. Collecting and using data are core activities of a good QRIS. This brief, written by Child Trends and Mathematica Policy Research under contract with the HHS Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, describes best practices for data collection, management, and dissemination. 

              

 CLICK HERE FOR LINK   

 

How Much Can the Life of a Young Child be Improved by Intervening Early?  

 

The Brookings Institute has published a brief examining the effect well-evaluated, targeted interventions can have on the achievement gap that exists between children of differing socio-economic status.  

 

READ MORE HERE

 

 

 
EARLY LEARNING POLICY
EARLY LEARNING POLICY

Early Childhood State Policy Update

 
The Ounce of Prevention Fund has published the most recent edition of its semi-annual State Policy Update. The summer mini-update focuses on budget and policy changes that occurred over the recent legislative session. Organized by state, the update provides a snapshot of advocates' birth to five policy priorities along with state budget and policy changes from November 2013 through July 2014.  

 

READ MORE HERE

 
Accelerating Progress in Early Education

The New America Foundation has released a new report entitled Beyond Subprime Learning: Accelerating Progress in Early Education, which provides recommendations on streamlining programs, standards, eligibility requirements and funding structures.

READ MORE HERE, HERE and  HERE
 
EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY
MENTAL HEALTH

Early Intervention Improves Mortality Rates for Children and Mothers  

      

The Urban Institute has published "Exploring Instability and Children's Well-Being: Insights from Dialogue among Practitioners, Policy-Makers, and Researcher, which summarizes how  

changes in relationships, resources, environment and public supports can impact children. The report provides recommendations on ways to minimize the possibility of instability and better support children and families who experience instability.  

 

 

Read more  HERE. 

Child Trends Examines Mental Health Services Landscape 

 
A new report by Child Trends describes the current landscape of mental health services and supports for children of all ages. The report urges a shift in focus that would break down the separation between mental health and physical health, promoting family and community well-being while providing more supports for positive development.

 

Read more  HERE 

 
DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS 
National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness
Supporting culturally and linguistically supportive practices.
Research facts about young dual language learners.
Handouts with basic information on topics related to children learning two or more languages, including  the benefits of being bilingual, the importance of maintaining home language, and the value of becoming fully bilingual.
DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS 
Young children who are dual language learners (DLLs) often code switch or mix different languages in the same sentence while speaking. This workbook defines and describes code switching, identifies who code switches and explains why code switching matters. It also includes examples of how adults can provide strong language models for children when they code switch. It can be used as a professional development tool for individuals or in group training activities.
In order to support the learning and development of young DLLs, staff need to understand children's backgrounds and experiences with more than one language or dialect. This resource can help you learn to gather accurate and useful language information for assessment and planning.
DLLs are a diverse group with different languages, experiences, strengths, and gifts. This resource outlines the language similarities among all children. It also points outs the differences between children learning two or more languages and those learning one language.

NEW RESEARCH
EARLY LEARNING
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL

Harvard Family Research Project offers Research on Transition to Kindergarten    

In the August issue of Family Involvement News, there are links to two popular and timely articles on transition to kindergarten.  

 


Ready for Success: Creating Collaborative and Thoughtful Transitions into Kindergarten
In this brief, Christine Patton and Justina Wang, from Harvard Family Research Project, look at ways of helping to make the transition into kindergarten a positive experience that will serve as a foundation to help children reach their full potential throughout their school years

In Getting Parents Ready for Kindergarten: The Role of Early Childhood Education, author
Holly Kreider reviews early childhood education and intervention literature and suggests that compared to non-preschool parents, parents of children who participated in preschool activities had higher occupational aspirations for their children, more satisfaction with their children's school performance and greater parent involvement in elementary years at home and in school.  
 

Effective Support for Social and Emotional Learning Pay Off


A recent study, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has been heralded as the first large-scale nationally randomized study of strategies for promoting the social and emotional development of four-year-olds. And, for the first time, based on findings from 307 Head Start classrooms and thousands of children in all regions of the country, it shows that teaching aimed at social and emotional learning can be effective on a large scale.

 

CLICK HERE for Executive Summary of research findings. 

 

CLICK HERE for descriptive article 

 
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
EARLY LEARNING

Mobile Technology and  

Family Engagement      

 

The Ounce of Prevention Fund, researchers at Northwestern University and the educational technology company Parent University formed a unique partnership to examine an innovative family engagement strategy: delivering parenting tips and support through text messaging. A study of the mobile technology and family engagement project found that more than 90 percent of the parents that participated in Parent University find tips sent via text a helpful way to receive parenting information.

Read more HERE and HERE
 

Father's Role Important to  

Language Development 


New research from the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests that fathers may tend to play a larger role in the language development of children than mothers. The studied surveyed more than 1,200 children in two-parent households, finding that a father's language was more highly correlated to their child's language than that of their mothers.  

 

Read more  HERE. 

 
CHILD WELL-BEING
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Early Intervention Improves Mortality Rates for Children and Mothers      


The Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics published a study with findings that suggest early childhood interventions, such as home visiting programs, can improve the mortality rates of both mother and child.

Read more  HERE and  HERE
 

Language Delays Linked to  

Behavior Problems 

   

A recent study conducted by researchers at Indiana University suggests that children who lack strong language skills have a reduced ability to regulate their behavior, which increases their likelihood of developing inattentive-hyperactive behavior problems.  

 

Read more  HERE and HERE . 

 
EARLY LEARNING
CHILD HEALTH

Kindergarten Readiness

    

Mathematica Policy Research has released an analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11, which examines kindergarten school readiness. The report focuses on four risk factors that can affect a child's development and school achievement: single parent household, household income, mother's education level, and non-English speaking households.  

 

Read more HERE and  HERE
 

Child Obesity 

 

Research conducted at the University of Buffalo and the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo and published in Pediatrics suggests that weight loss interventions which target both preschoolers and their parents are more successful than interventions which solely focus on the child. Read more here.  

 

Read more HERE 

 
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