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Early Learning Vision Planning & Policy Questions

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Teresa Whiting & John Brandt (UT)Carol Eichinger (WI)

Reyna Hernandez (IL)

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Utah Early Childhood Data & SLDS

CHARM Data Bridge(Child Health AdvancedRecord Management)

CCDF ChildDatabase

Head Start ChildDatabases

Foster CareChild Database

IDEA Part CChild Database

IDEA Part BChild Database

Home Visiting Child Database

Title 1 PreschoolChild Databases

LEA PreschoolChild Databases

Utah DataAlliance

Data Warehouse(Statewide

LongitudinalData

System)

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• 2010 Wisconsin Early Childhood System Assessment Report reported:o While the state collects many types of data related to early childhood, we

don’t have the capacity to connect it, track children’s progress, or use it to assess the system.

• ECAC prioritized a comprehensive longitudinal data system to o use in planning and decision-making as a part of an integrated early

childhood systemo measure better outcomes for healthy, nurtured, safe, and successful

children in the State of Wisconsin. • ECAC formed EC LDS Project Team

– formulated a Work Plan to guide the process.– Project Charter was signed by DHS, DCF, and DPI as a part of the RTTT

application• Next steps include

o high level department briefings,o a survey of current data systems across all three departments, ando a Data Roundtable of invested stakeholders in February.

Wisconsin Governor’s ECAC

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Are children, birth to 5, on track to succeed when they enter school and beyond?

Which children and families are and are not being served by which programs/services?

Which children have access to high-quality early childhood programs and services?

What characteristics of programs are associated with positive child outcomes for which children?

What are the education and economic returns on early childhood investments?

*Vetted at a state-wide Collaborating Partners Video-Conference in August, 2011

Wisconsin’s Key “BIG” Policy Questions

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KANSAS—Early Learning Data

Using Early Learning Data

Current Status• School Readiness Data Task Force developing list of Data Elements

• Challenges: Inherent tensions when focusing on selecting data elements that are for the purpose of answering questions rather than ‘advocacy’

• Inclusion of KSDE Early learning programs in Longitudinal Data Base

• Challenges: communication; language

Vision for the Future• Use School Readiness Data Framework to make decisions at state/local levels

• Challenges: Coordination among agencies/systems; determine of specific data elements to answer policy/other questions

• Use programmatic data to inform state/local on program impact

• Challenges: collection process—new participants; new instruments

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IL Policy-Data Crosswalk

Are children, birth to age five, on track to succeed at school entry and beyond?

• Child Data: • Basic child information

o Unique child identifier

o Name

o Date of birth

o Gender

o Race/ethnicity

o Including bi-racial a multi- racial options more reflective of the growing diversity of the state

o Address (“zip code”)

• Basic family information

• Family circumstances

• Program participation

• Child health

• Developmental domains

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Key Policy Questions

1. Are children, birth to five in Illinois, receiving early care and education? What impact are those programs having?

2. Which children have access to early care and education programs?

3. Is the quality of programs improving?

4. What are the characteristics of programs?

5. How prepared is the early care and education workforce to provide effective education and care for all children?

6. What policies and investments lead to a skilled and stable early care and education workforce?

7. What child health and development services are being provided to children?

8. What are the family circumstances of children in early learning programs?

9. What longitudinal information do we want to know about children enrolled in early learning programs over time?

10. How is data being used to align, prioritize, and mobilize resources?

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Key Policy Questions – deeper dive

1. Are children, birth to five in Illinois, receiving early care and education? What impact are those programs having? Are children, birth to five in Illinois, receiving early care and education? What impact are those programs having?

• What results have been obtained for children on validated instruments measuring cognitive and non-cognitive development?

• What impact are early learning programs having on social-emotional development?

• What indicators are being used to measure children's developmental progress? And what are the trends?

• Do assessment trends over time indicate a closing of the achievement gap?

2. Which children have access to early care and education programs?

• What are the demographics of children and families in the state? What are the demographics of children and their families in early learning programs?

• Do at-risk children have access to programs?

• What is the attendance pattern for each child?

• What gaps in services exist for early learning programs? (across age, geographical region, and programs)

• Which children are enrolled in multiple programs?

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Contact Info and Resources:Teresa Whiting, twhiting@utah.gov

John Brandt, john.brandt@schools.utah.gov

Carol Noddings Eichinger, carol.eichinger@dpi.wi.gov

Reyna Hernandez, rhernand@isbe.net

To Request SST Support: Fill out a TA Request

Form on GRADS

or email support@sst-slds.org

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