PowerPoint Presentation

LEADERSHIP WSSDADesigned to develop proactive, visionary leaders, Leadership WSSDA offers committed school directors from across the state the opportunity to work closely together, sharing ideas and experiences throughout a year-long course. Participants experience in-depth discussions in an informal setting, grapple with issues and solutions first-hand, and share innovative district programs with fellow board members. Leadership WSSDA inspires you to challenge yourself in new ways and improve your leadership skills.

Plan now to participate in 2014, Applications will be accepted until January 3, 2014. 1Our TeamAngelica Alvarez, Highline School DistrictAngela Griffin, Federal Way School DistrictBrenda Rogers, Bethel School District Dick Wedin, Ellensburg School District

Each participant will introduce themselves, offer a little background and tell why they chose a project related to early learning.2Our State of Early LearningA Survey of Washington State School Districts

The survey was a product of our Leadership WSSDA team as our culminating class project. We hoped to learn both what early learning initiatives are being addressed by school districts across our state and what the level of support for early learning is amongst school board directors.3Survey Monkey

We developed our survey to be short enough to encourage participation and still answer the basic questions that we needed to study. This took longer than you might imagine. During the development we consulted with staff at OSPI and WSSDA because we hoped the results would prove useful in future planning and implementations. We planned a two week response window. The survey was sent out on October 3rd with an end date of October 17th.4

Early Learning Survey: Superintendents

Superintendents returned 92 responses or a response rate of 31percent.5Select your school district

We do know which districts responded to this detailed request for program information, therefor further research can be done on non responding districts to elicit a more complete picture.

6

All day kindergarten in our district is:

The majority , 73 percent, of superintendents responding say that all day kindergarten is available in all district schools. Only 10 percent report that all day kindergarten is available only in some schools. The remaining 18 percent have some availability. It may be that our survey attracted answers from those districts that are more heavily invested in early learning programs.7

If available, how is it funded?

The majority of responding superintendents report their programs are funded by a combination of state and local funds. 21 percent utilize some form of parent tuition and 11 percent is funded by federal funds.8Does your district provide in-kind support or budget support for non-special education preschool programs?

Two thirds, or 66 percent of the superintendents reported that their district provided in kind or budget support for non special education preschool programs. 9If yes, briefly describe:

In kind support is provided by making available facilities, utilities, transportation and/or training. Funds utilized are Title 1 and/or local levy funding. 10

Head StartEarly Head StartECEAPMigrant ProgramsReady StartJump Start

ProgramsMost districts referred to the presence of Head Start, Early Head Start and ECEAP programs. Some of these programs were enhanced in various models, such as services for migrant students, a Ready Start program for students who just missed qualifying for Head Start, or district provided staff assistants to increase the number of students served. Some districts provide a summer program for students who have not had preschool to get them ready for kindergarten.

11

Full Tuition Based ModelsHighly Subsidized Tuition ModelsFully Funded Programs in Select SchoolsFully Funded Preschool for All

ModelsA few districts reported that they funded universal half day preschool for all of their 3 and 4 year old students. Varied tuition based options were referenced, most involved some degree of subsidy. One district had a highly subsidized tuition based model, with tuition set at only $60 per month. Some provided programs in certain at risk neighborhoods that did not require income eligibility.

12PartnersEducational Service Districts (ESDs)YMCA, United Way and other community organizationsCooperative PreschoolsPrivate Providers

A more prevalent model utilized various partnership arrangements. Districts formed partnership agreements with Educational Service Districts (ESDs), funding organizations (YMCA, United Way, etc.), preschool cooperatives and private community providers.

13SupportStaffBuilding SpaceUtilitiesJanitorial ServicesTransportationFood ServiceCurriculumAssessmentProfessional Development

In Kind support across a spectrum of programs, including privately operated preschools, consisted of various combinations of building space including utilities and janitorial services, staff, transportation, food services, curriculum, assessment and professional development.

14Professional DevelopmentOutreach to Community ProvidersInclusion in Staff TrainingInclusion in PLCsInclusion in Alignment Work

Professional development included outreach by district learning specialists, inclusion of preschool teachers in staff training and professional learning (PLC) community meetings and curricular alignment work.

15

Does your district have a program that provides outreach and training to families with children ages 2-5 on how to get their child ready for kindergarten?

Just over half of all districts (56 percent) responding reported outreach and training to families to prepare their children to enter kindergarten.

16

If yes, briefly describe:

Many districts utilized programs at their elementary schools including literacy nights, open house events early in the year focused on expectations for students who will enter in the fall, and summer programs.

17ProgramsExisting PreschoolExisting Special Ed PreschoolSpecific Programs for At Risk PopulationsChild FindHome VisitingEarly Intervention

Of the more than half of districts reporting who had some sort of program for kindergarten readiness, many referenced their preschool and special education preschool programs. Emphasis was on at risk populations with a variety of programs and funding sources such as Child Find, early intervention and home visiting programs and many of the programs were grant funded through ESDs, community organizations, business and civic clubs.

18OutreachParentsCommunity Preschool ProvidersChildcare Providers

Additionally districts relied heavily on their outreach and training of local preschool providers and childcare providers.

19Curriculum

A variety of curricula was mentioned, but by far the most utilized was Ready or Kindergarten, which was cited by numerous districts.

20

Has your school district taken steps to create an alignment of the curriculum between the preschool community and the district kindergarten?

Half of reporting districts have aligned curriculum between the preschool community and the district kindergarten, but 27 percent had no such effort.21

Does your district have a paid position as an Early Learning coordinator or specialist?

Only 38 percent of responding districts have a paid position as an early learning coordinator or specialist.22Early Learning Survey: Board Directors

School Directors returned 133 responses, or a response rate of 9 percent.23

How aware and knowledgeable are you about the current research and impact that early learning (ages 2-5) has on later K-3 success?

Over half of school board directors identified themselves as aware or very aware of current research about the impact of early learning on future success. Only one was self described as unaware with 43 percent saying they were somewhat aware.24

Are you favorable to the idea of partnering with the community (giving in-kind or financial support) or providing programs that serve children ages 2-5?

Two thirds of board directors responding are favorable or very favorable to community partnerships to serve the preschool population, an additional 28 percent would be somewhat favorable and only 5.5 percent oppose this idea.25

Do you think that providing quality early learning opportunities is an effective strategy for reducing the opportunity/achievement gap?

A resounding 92 percent of board directors believe that quality early learning opportunities will be effective in reducing the opportunity/achievement gap in public education. This certainly speaks to widespread support for at least targeted intervention in early childhood.26

Do you think that pre-kindergarten education should be the responsibility of the public school system?

The response to this question was really interesting to our group and has some indication of where further discussion and education might be effective. Almost half of the directors responding believe that early education is in the province of public education while less that 21 percent oppose the idea. The large number (33 percent) of undecided respondents indicate a willingness to consider the idea. Other sources of research indicate that the inclusion of preschool in the mandate for the system of public education may be an area that is becoming centrist and could provide common ground across the political spectrum.27THANK YOU!Thank you for participating in this survey. This is part of a project by the Early Learning Project Team of Leadership WSSDA. This information is being aggregated together to build a statewide picture of the status of early learning programs in the state. Once collected together, the data can be analyzed by district size and geographic location. There will not be any analysis at the district level. We ask that you select your school district here to assist in further analysis electronically. This survey is open for responses until October 17, 2013.Thank you for participating in both our survey and our presentation. This is a subject that interests all of our team members and we expect to be further engaged in this area in our future endeavors.28