Transcript leadershiplinc.illinoisstate.edu

Effective Practices in Building a Learning
Continuum: Lessons Learned for Illinois
Presentation at the IERC Research Symposium
June 7, 2011
Lisa Hood and Erika Hunt
Center for the Study of Education Policy, Illinois State University
LINC Overview
• Purpose: To identify potential barriers to
developing and sustaining a seamless learning
continuum and to identify policies and strategies
with which education leaders from early childhood
and schools can effectively coordinate the two
systems.
• Phase 1:
– LINC Advisory Group
– LINC Curriculum Module
• Phase 2: P-12 Effective Practices Study
Definition of a Learning
Continuum
An effective learning continuum that spans
the learning experiences from birth to
beyond ensures continuity in children’s
experiences as they move from one care and
education setting to another.
Benefits of Early Learning
• Academic Argument
– Improved outcomes in elementary schools (e.g., higher
achievement test scores; reduced need for special
education services, and lower grade retention rates)
– Improved outcomes in later education (e.g., higher rates of
school completion, higher rates of degree attainment
• Economic Argument
– High returns on early investments
– For every dollar invested in preschool programs we could
expect to see $7 to $10 return
– Early Learning creates smarter kids, more productive
adults and a stronger economy
• Social Argument
– “Early learning begets later learning and early successes
breeds later success” (Heckman, 2008)
Disadvantages of a Two System
Approach to Learning
• Quality experiences gained in early childhood settings
can be lost if not followed by consistent quality
experiences in elementary school (Kauerz, 2006)
• ‘Fade out’ research shows that cognitive development
and learning for at-risk students wash out overtime if
not supported by a quality elementary education
experience (Barnett, 2002)
• A fragmented system that allows for little flexibility in
accommodations of individual differences (Maeroff,
2006)
Moving Toward a Vision of What a
Seamless Learning Continuum Could Be
• Alignment of curriculum and instruction across
developmental levels and grades
• Alignment of professional development activities and
coordinated learning experiences for teachers and childhood
professionals
• Greater articulation between and across grades and
developmental levels
• Push Ups/Push Downs (Kaurez, 2008)
• Wraparound services that include extended school
experiences for children before and after school (Maeroff,
2006)
LINC Director and Principal
Survey (2008)
• Surveys to early childhood program directors and
elementary school principals
– Surveys sent to 1,753 childcare center directors stratified
by location and city population
• 205 responses from early childhood program directors
(12% response rate)
– Surveys sent to all 2,628 elementary education principals
• 403 responses from elementary principals (15%
response rate)
• Delphi surveys data gathering of expert advisory committee
members
Findings: Most Common Policies and
Practices of Elementary Principals
Findings: Least Common Policies and
Practices of Elementary Principals
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
2.08
2.06
1.92
1.89
1.87
1.67
1.47
Learning Continuum Practices More Often
Practiced By Principals with Pre-K Programs
Practice
df
F-Statistic
P-value
Adopt curricular practices from early learning
4
5.062
p<.001
Align curriculum with Illinois Early Learning Standards
4
14.170
p<.000
Include PreK teachers in common planning time
4
11.742
p<.000
Elementary teachers observe PreK classrooms
4
4.564
p<.001
Offer professional development on early learning
theories
4
11.050
p<.000
Share aggregated student data with PreK teachers
4
9.965
p<.000
Barriers to the Learning Continuum
Reported By Principals
Barrier
Mean
SD
Not enough time to build partnerships
2.42
1.082
Incompatibility of schedules between the two systems
1.96
1.042
Privacy laws that strictly regulate the sharing of student
information among people and systems (e.g., FERPA)
1.95
1.045
Recommendations to
Preparation Programs
Theme
Principals
Infuse early childhood and 
learning continuum content
and experiences into the

curriculum





Early Childhood Program
Directors
Developmentally appropriate

practices
Integrating early learning standards

into policies/practices
Curriculum and instruction to meet
young learning needs
Administrator’s role in developing

Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
and Response To Intervention (RTI)
for preschool-age children
Provide a course for each level of
schooling (early childhood,
elementary, and secondary education)
Hire a faculty member/course
instructor with early learning
experience
Provide opportunities for observing
early childhood providers
Provide opportunities for
observing K-12 classrooms
Recognize philosophy
differences between early
childhood and elementary
education
Teach students about the whole
span of a child’s learning and
development beginning in
infancy
Recommendations to
Preparation Programs
Theme
Include content and experiences
about collaboration and teambuilding
Principals


Include working with early
childhood providers as
experiences within internships
preparation program
Community relations courses
and practical experiences
Early Childhood Program
Directors



Provide specialized programs (for
principals)

Provide an option for a
specialized program in which
candidates can receive
specialized designations for
Pre-K-elementary, middle
school, or high school
Place more emphasis on
partnering and relationshipbuilding
Include working with K-12
providers (teachers and
administrators) in early
childhood leadership programs
Offer post-graduate courses
that include early childhood
administrators in joint training
sessions
P-3 Effective Practices Study
• National (and Canada) study on P-12
learning continuum programs to identify
effective practices in aligning systems
• Goals: 1) Identify and describe best practices
in P-12 alignment; 2) Define the role of
leaders in facilitating and sustaining the
continuum; 3) Recommend policies and
practices to leaders to develop and foster a P12 learning continuum
P-3 Effective Practices Study
• Research Design
– Case study of 3 state/provincial systems of P-12
programs
• Interviews with:Staff at state/provincial departments
of education
• Educators in local P-12 programs
– Observations
• Walkthroughs in classrooms
– Document review
• Policy, practice, and research documents related to P12 programs
P-3 Effective Practices Study
• Research Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the context and nature of the linkages and partnerships
between early learning providers and K-12 schools? What are the
promising alignment and coordination practices implemented?
How are the early learning program directors and elementary
school principals facilitating and sustaining the alignment of the
P-12 learning continuum?
What are the most current issues and barriers to creating a
seamless learning continuum?
What actions do practitioners recommend that would facilitate
their efforts to develop and sustain a learning continuum?
– Federal, state, and local policies?
– Types of preparation and professional development for
early childhood directors and principals?
P-3 Sites
• Hawaii
• Pennsylvania
• Ontario, Canada
Hawaii
(Preliminary Results)
• Sample:
–
–
–
–
–
State Department of Education staff
Private funder
University faculty
Early learning policy organization
2 P-3 sites:
• Wai’anae
• Ferrington Complex
• Policies and Practices
–
–
–
–
Culturally based programs
P-3 joint professional development and planning meetings
Data sharing between early learning programs and Kindergarten teachers
P-3 advanced certification program for teachers
Pennsylvania
(Preliminary Results)
• Sample:
–
–
–
–
–
State department of education staff
Local school practitioners
University faculty
Community Engagement Coordinators
2 P-3 sites:
• Pottstown School District PEAK program
• 1 large urban school district (TBD)
• Policies and Practices
–
–
–
–
Community engagement groups
P-20 Aligned data system
Aligned standards, curriculum, and assessments
Joint professional development across grades
Ontario, Canada
(Preliminary Results)
• Sample:
–
–
–
–
Provincial Ministry of Education staff
University researchers
Municipal leaders
2 P-12 sites:
• 1 school board near Toronto
• 1 regional office near Toronto
• Policies and Practices
– Early Years and Best Start Initiatives
• Full-day Kindergarten co-taught by EC and K teacher
– Play-based curriculum aligned with early learning and K-12 school
standards
• Comprehensive services prenatal to age 12
– Neighborhood hubs
– Family resource centers
Implications for Principal
Preparation
• What do aspiring principals need to learn?
– Developmentally appropriate practices
• How children learn best across the developmental continuum
• How to translate learning theories into effective classroom
environments and teaching
– Alignment of standards, curriculum and assessments
• How to align
• What quality alignment looks like
– Team-building and collaboration
• Teachers and staff within and across grade levels (including
early learning teachers)
• Families and schools
Implications for Principal Preparation
(Preliminary examples)
• Potential strategies for integrating P-12 content into redesigned
programs
– Course content
• Infuse P-12 (e.g., early childhood, special education, and ELL) within a learning continuum
paradigm where this content is treated as part of the system and not outside of it
– Field-based and internship experiences
•
•
•
•
Observe early childhood, special education, and ELL programs in action
Action research projects
Providing joint professional development
Working with diverse families, or developing or implementing programs for diverse
families
– Faculty
• Hire or partner with faculty members with experience in early childhood and early
elementary programs; special education and bilingual education
Dissemination of Results
• Final results will be published Summer/Fall
2011
• Final report will be available on the LINC
website (www.leadershiplinc.ilstu) and
available by request.
For More Information
• For more information about the LINC
project, contact:
Lisa Hood
[email protected]
Erika Hunt
[email protected]