Connecticut early care & education progress report, 2012
An overview of early care and education in Connecticut, including public spending on early care and education, children served by child care subsidies and other publicly-funded programs, the quality of care in publicly-funded settings, and the school readiness and elementary school outcomes of children from low income areas
Other
Connecticut early care & education progress report, 2012: Executive summary
A summary of an overview of early care and education in Connecticut, including public spending on early care and education, children served by child care subsidies and other publicly-funded programs, the quality of care in publicly-funded settings, and the school readiness and elementary school outcomes of children from low income areas
Executive Summary
Early childhood state advisory councils: Status report
An overview of progress made by early childhood state advisory councils on seven mandated activities under the federal State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care grant, which provides funds to states to develop comprehensive early childhood systems, and profiles of the advisory council in each state and territory
Other
Improving access to high-quality early learning programs in Rhode Island
An overview of the early learning system in Rhode Island, including program characteristics, funding streams, enrollment, quality improvement efforts, and licensing and regulation
Fact Sheets & Briefs
Integrated services for Aboriginal children and families
This paper discusses an empirical research study based on a community consultation process for the development of an integrated children and families centre. Conducted in Western Australia in 2009, the consultation was designed specifically for the Noongar Aboriginal community, drawing on Indigenous research methods and sociocultural theory. The paper discusses the study's findings, considers its Australian policy and international contexts, and explores challenges to providing integrated child and family services for Aboriginal families. It identifies key elements of successful service delivery and highlights the significance of consultation and collaboration in developing culturally appropriate services. The paper concludes that the widely recognised need to 'close the gap' in Indigenous health and education services is not being met with sufficient funding, and notes the ever-widening gap between purported policy imperatives and the process of addressing inequalities. (author abstract)
Reports & Papers
Linking early childhood to the early elementary years to improve student outcomes and reduce the achievement gap
A discussion of the benefits of a coordinated birth through third grade approach to early and elementary education in Michigan
Fact Sheets & Briefs
"NAEYC's key attributes of quality preschool programs" applied to the Jordanian kindergarten context
Jordan's education system is currently undergoing rigorous and comprehensive reform processes that focus on improving the status of educational policies and experiences for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Kindergarten education in Jordan has been dominated until recently, by the private-sector. For the past decade, the Ministry of Education has taken initiative to provide government-funded kindergarten programs. The main objective of this research was to evaluate program practices implemented by private and public-sector programs and examine their alignment with Developmentally Appropriate Practices. Using NAEYC's "Top 10 Signs of a Good Kindergarten Classroom" as evaluative guidelines, observational data was collected from 118 classrooms (50-private, 68-public). Demographic data were also obtained from classroom teachers; level of education, specialty, and years of experience. The results of the analysis revealed significant differences in application of the 10 NAEYC guidelines between public and private-sector programs. Ministry of Education kindergarten classroom practices were found to be closely aligned to best practices compared to private-sector programs. Also, teachers with bachelor's degrees and those with early childhood education backgrounds outperformed their counterparts in the application of Developmentally Appropriate Practices. Years of experience yielded no significant results for this sample of teachers. Reflecting on the results of this study, several recommendations were posed. (author abstract)
Reports & Papers
Noise disturbances in daycare centers before and after acoustical treatment
The authors' aim was to study noise-related problems in personnel at Swedish daycare centers. The authors' study comprised staff (N = 81) who completed a questionnaire (noise, illumination, indoor climate, hearing problems) at five daycare centers with noise problems. After basic and activity sound measurements, absorbers were attached to the ceilings and to two adjacent walls in the playing and dining rooms. Thereafter, basic and activity sound measures were repeated and the questionnaire was also repeated six months later. The acoustical treatment reduced the sound pressure levels by 2 to 6 dB in the playing rooms and by 0 to 3 dB in the dining rooms. The reverberation time was reduced by 20% to 50%. After the treatment the perceived noise disturbance level decreased slightly but not significantly and the proportion of the staff who often or very often planned the daily activities to reduce the noise level had decreased from about 39% to 25%. Similarly, the percentage that often or very often had a need for silence after work had decreased from 42% to 37%.
Reports & Papers
Noise disturbances in daycare centers before and after acoustical treatment
The authors' aim was to study noise-related problems in personnel at Swedish daycare centers. The authors' study comprised staff (N = 81) who completed a questionnaire (noise, illumination, indoor climate, hearing problems) at five daycare centers with noise problems. After basic and activity sound measurements, absorbers were attached to the ceilings and to two adjacent walls in the playing and dining rooms. Thereafter, basic and activity sound measures were repeated and the questionnaire was also repeated six months later. The acoustical treatment reduced the sound pressure levels by 2 to 6 dB in the playing rooms and by 0 to 3 dB in the dining rooms. The reverberation time was reduced by 20% to 50%. After the treatment the perceived noise disturbance level decreased slightly but not significantly and the proportion of the staff who often or very often planned the daily activities to reduce the noise level had decreased from about 39% to 25%. Similarly, the percentage that often or very often had a need for silence after work had decreased from 42% to 37%. (author abstract)
Reports & Papers
Physical activity in preschool children with the transition to outdoors
Background: It is known that children are more physically active outdoors than indoors. However, few previous studies have observed the time course for physical activity as young children transition from indoor to outdoor activities. Methods: Participants were 3-to 5-year-old children enrolled in the Children's Activity and Movement in Preschool Study (CHAMPS). Trained observers used the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Preschool Version (OSRAC-P) to record children's physical activity levels over 20 minutes in outdoor settings. The 20-minute outdoor observational period began immediately following the transition from indoors to outdoors. Results: Children's activity levels were moderately high at the time of transition and declined over the 20-minute observation period. Different patterns, however, were observed for boys and girls. Overall, boys were more active than girls. Boys' activity levels declined in a linear fashion over the 20-minute period, while girls' activity levels increased slightly, decreased, and then increased slightly again. Conclusions: These data indicate that physical activity levels decline with increased duration of outdoor play. The frequency and duration of outdoor play should be investigated for the purpose of optimizing physical activity levels. (author abstract)
Reports & Papers
Prek-3rd: Getting literacy instruction right
A discussion of approaches to literacy instruction in prekindergarten through third grade education models
Fact Sheets & Briefs
Reforming preschool to ready children for academic achievement: A case study of the impact of pre-k reform on the issue of school readiness
Research Findings: Policymakers preschool reforms that are to prepare young children for school success have sparked important conversations within the field of early childhood education over how these programs are to ready young children for school. This article presents findings from a case study that examined this issue of school readiness across a collection of pre-k programs. Doing so illustrates how preschool reforms can impact early childhood stakeholders' understanding of school readiness, what it is they do with their students in their programs, and why. Practice or Policy: These findings demonstrate how policymakers' pre-k reforms can tighten the link between preschool and elementary school in a way that prioritizes the goals of K-12 education systems. They also suggest that for those who want to expand the construct of school readiness they should do so in a way that addresses and recognizes the challenges pre-k stakeholders in local contexts face on a day-to-day basis. For policymakers, there appears to be an opportunity and willingness within the ECE community for preschool reform. They should take advantage of this willingness for change by considering policy solutions that value the complexity of the child and of the field of early education itself. (author abstract)
Reports & Papers
The United States is far behind other countries on pre-k
A comparison of preschool policies, participation rates, and funding levels in the United States and in other developed and developing countries
Fact Sheets & Briefs
