Raising All Boats: State Pre-K Raising All Boats: State Pre-K as a System-building Strategyas a System-building Strategy

Lessons from New YorkLessons from New York

Dr. Mon CochranDr. Mon CochranTufts UniversityTufts University

OutlineOutline Goals and Purposes of Pre-k ServicesGoals and Purposes of Pre-k Services Pre-K in New York – An OverviewPre-K in New York – An Overview Involvement of CBOs: Opportunities and ChallengesInvolvement of CBOs: Opportunities and Challenges Universal/Categorical DecisionUniversal/Categorical Decision Centralization: Of what?Centralization: Of what? CurriculumCurriculum Teacher QualificationsTeacher Qualifications Broader Infrastructure IssuesBroader Infrastructure Issues The Politics of PreKThe Politics of PreK PreK in the Next Decade – A few predictionsPreK in the Next Decade – A few predictions Q & A - discussionQ & A - discussion

Goals and Purposes of Pre-k Goals and Purposes of Pre-k ServicesServices

School ReadinessSchool Readiness The expressed goal of most (all?) state pre-k The expressed goal of most (all?) state pre-k

programsprograms How is school readiness defined? Does it include How is school readiness defined? Does it include

emotional and social development in addition to emotional and social development in addition to language and cognition?language and cognition?

A Broader Perspective: Children, Families, A Broader Perspective: Children, Families, Schools, and CommunitiesSchools, and Communities Continuity of care for childrenContinuity of care for children The caring needs of employed parentsThe caring needs of employed parents Employers and the labor marketEmployers and the labor market

With the introduction of prekindergarten,do we want to expand and improve the state’soverall early care and education system, or build another silo along side Head Start, non-profit child care, for-profit child care, and regulation-exempt care?

KEY QUESTION

Pre-K in New YorkPre-K in New York

Survey of UPK Director’s: 94

Districts; 1999-2000(2 years)

CCR&R Study:Impact on infant &toddler programs:N=32 CCR&Rs

2001

Document Analysis:District plans &

final reports 1998-2000 (3 yrs)

Intensive Case Studies:

4 school districts2002-03

Community-Based

Centers Survey(N=284)

2004

The Cornell Implementation Studies

Cornell Early Childhood Program Websitehttp://www.human.cornell.edu/che/HD/CECP/index.cfm

Pre[k] Now Website: www.preknow.org

Citation: Holcomb, B. A Diverse System Delivers forPre-K: Lessons Learned in New York State. Pre-KNow Research Series

Book: The Promise of Pre-K Robt. Pianta & Carollee Howes (Eds.) 2009, Brookes

My e-mail: mmc6@cornell.edu

New York UPK Program ScopeNew York UPK Program Scope

2006

2009

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Year

$ in

mill

ion

s 2006

2009

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

Year

# ch

ildre

n s

erve

d

1998

1999

20002001

2002

1998

1999

2000

20012002

Policy Parameters – NY UPKPolicy Parameters – NY UPK

Administered by the State Department of Education, thru Administered by the State Department of Education, thru school districtsschool districts

Local policy-making, within state parametersLocal policy-making, within state parameters Universal coverage over 3 to 4 years was goal; began in ‘high Universal coverage over 3 to 4 years was goal; began in ‘high

needs’ school districts (incl. all of NYC).needs’ school districts (incl. all of NYC). Certified teachers (Masters) and staff developmentCertified teachers (Masters) and staff development $2700-$4000 per child (2.5 hrs./day, 180 days/yr.), depending $2700-$4000 per child (2.5 hrs./day, 180 days/yr.), depending

on % ‘high needs’ childrenon % ‘high needs’ children Community collaboration, with at least 10% of funds Community collaboration, with at least 10% of funds

contracted outcontracted out Curriculum approach must be ‘developmentally appropriate”Curriculum approach must be ‘developmentally appropriate” Parent involvement and support services mandatedParent involvement and support services mandated

Percent of children in school- and Percent of children in school- and Community-based SettingsCommunity-based Settings

49%

51%

school district community

61%

39%

Upstate NYC

Impacts of UPK on Participating Child Impacts of UPK on Participating Child Care Centers in New YorkCare Centers in New York

Higher overall revenues Higher overall revenues Reduced parent feesReduced parent fees Increased enrollments, espec. low income Increased enrollments, espec. low income

families, English language learners, special families, English language learners, special needsneeds

Increased programming – literacy, mathIncreased programming – literacy, math Enhanced staff development/trainingEnhanced staff development/training Teacher salary increases – in 40% of Teacher salary increases – in 40% of

programsprograms

Investment Indicators -CBOs Remodeling classrooms New equipment New educational materials Hiring more teachers Hiring assistant teachers/aides Hiring substitute teachers to facilitate teacher participation in professional development Hiring staff developers or curriculum specialists Increasing teacher salaries Increasing salaries of assistant teachers/aides

and support staff More field trips

Other Advantages to Substantial use of Other Advantages to Substantial use of Community-Based SettingsCommunity-Based Settings

There is a better fit with the child care needs of There is a better fit with the child care needs of employed parents – full-day care.employed parents – full-day care.

Schools needn’t find space in existing buildings.Schools needn’t find space in existing buildings. Programs can be included that fit the cultural and Programs can be included that fit the cultural and

ethnic backgrounds of families.ethnic backgrounds of families. The family support and parent involvement The family support and parent involvement

alternatives are expanded.alternatives are expanded. Staff in Community-based Programs may have a Staff in Community-based Programs may have a

better understanding of DAP than those in school better understanding of DAP than those in school settingssettings

Challenges Linked to Involving Challenges Linked to Involving Community-based SettingsCommunity-based Settings

Salary differential between teachers in school- and Salary differential between teachers in school- and community-based settings.community-based settings.

Monitoring and insuring quality in community-based Monitoring and insuring quality in community-based settings.settings.

How to reach children in family-based care?How to reach children in family-based care? Infrastructure needed to write and manage contracts Infrastructure needed to write and manage contracts

with community-based settings.with community-based settings. Need for policy innovations to allow equitable Need for policy innovations to allow equitable

blending of UPK state funds with federal and other blending of UPK state funds with federal and other state funds. state funds.

Universal or Categorical?Universal or Categorical?

Assumed trade-off between intensity for high-Assumed trade-off between intensity for high-need children and political marketability.need children and political marketability.

Where is cut-off point? How regulate? Where is cut-off point? How regulate? Impacts on CBO involvement?Impacts on CBO involvement?

In New York, high need school districts In New York, high need school districts receive higher per-child subsidies, and came receive higher per-child subsidies, and came first when funding was capped.first when funding was capped.

Locus of Control – How Centralized?Locus of Control – How Centralized? State agency needs to translate intent of State agency needs to translate intent of

legislation into core regulations.legislation into core regulations. State-level agency cannot anticipate or State-level agency cannot anticipate or

appreciate full range of possible community appreciate full range of possible community partners.partners.

Local decision-making and design begets Local decision-making and design begets community ownership and shared values re community ownership and shared values re program quality.program quality.

State-level monitoring essential; dissemination State-level monitoring essential; dissemination of promising practices very helpful.of promising practices very helpful.

One Curriculum – or Many?One Curriculum – or Many? No evidence that particular curriculum ‘brand’ No evidence that particular curriculum ‘brand’

makes difference in school readiness.makes difference in school readiness. New York specified child-centered, New York specified child-centered,

developmentally appropriate parameters; wrote developmentally appropriate parameters; wrote a curriculum guide; specified language and a curriculum guide; specified language and literacy.literacy.

School districts may specify curricular elements School districts may specify curricular elements across sites, to provide consistency and focus across sites, to provide consistency and focus professional development.professional development.

Recent research shows that adding curriculum Recent research shows that adding curriculum “supplements” can improve reading readiness “supplements” can improve reading readiness and impulse controland impulse control

Percent of ClassroomsPercent of ClassroomsWith Certified TeachersWith Certified Teachers

25%

75%not certifiedcertified

Upstate NYC9%

91%

N=454N=1499

Teacher QualificationsTeacher Qualifications

Considerable variation exists from state to Considerable variation exists from state to state.state.

New York has set a high bar: Masters plus New York has set a high bar: Masters plus certification.certification.

Is there solid evidence that the Masters is Is there solid evidence that the Masters is worth the extra time/money in child outcomes?worth the extra time/money in child outcomes?

New birth-grade 2 certification in New York New birth-grade 2 certification in New York has been a hard sell to colleges and students.has been a hard sell to colleges and students.

Broader Infrastructure IssuesBroader Infrastructure Issues

Teacher preparationTeacher preparation Professional developmentProfessional development Promising practices exchangePromising practices exchange Ongoing technical assistanceOngoing technical assistance Site development/expansionSite development/expansion Blending fundsBlending funds TransportationTransportation Infants and toddlersInfants and toddlers EvaluationEvaluation

The Politics of PrekindergartenThe Politics of Prekindergarten

The economic argumentsThe economic arguments Long-term financial savingsLong-term financial savings Equity – reduce disparity in achievementEquity – reduce disparity in achievement

School reform/workforce preparationSchool reform/workforce preparation ECE system-buildingECE system-building Time and timingTime and timing

The Next DecadeThe Next Decade

Expansion to universal coverageExpansion to universal coverage System-building – with addition of 3-year-System-building – with addition of 3-year-

oldsolds Professional development – cultural Professional development – cultural

diversitydiversity Head Start shift to 0-3?Head Start shift to 0-3? Pressure from baby boom retirementPressure from baby boom retirement

Growth of US Population Over Age 65

01020304050607080

Pop

ulat

ion

(in

mill

ions

)