Reshaping Early Childhood Systems in Kentucky

Terry TolanExecutive DirectorGovernor’s Office of Early Childhood

The Women’s Network 10th Statewide Issues Forum

EVERY child in EVERY community ready . . .

What does School

Readiness mean?

In Kentucky school readiness means . . .

that each child enters school ready to engage in and benefit

from early learning experiences that best promote the child’s

success and ability to be Ready to Grow,

Ready to Learn & Ready to Succeed.

50%

50%

Not Ready Ready

2015 State of The State: KentuckyKindergarten Entry Results

Kentucky’s Children

• 54,949 Kindergarteners• 22,567 (40.2%) served by State-

funded Pre-K• 12,864 (26.2%) served by Head

Start• 9,431 Families visited by

HANDS (Home Visiting)• 42.6% of Children living 150%

of FPL or below (0-6)• 24,361 receiving Child Care

Subsidy

Kentucky’s History of Serving Young Children

1990s• Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA)• Family Resource Centers• Full Utilization agreements• Head Start in all 120 Counties

2000s• KIDS Now Initiative (25% Tobacco Settlement)• STARS statewide rating system (voluntary)• Kentucky Early Childhood Standards• Parent Guides Compendium• Continuous Assessment Guide• Governors Task Force on Early Childhood

Development & Education • HANDS Home visiting statewide

The Research. . . Emerging Information

• 40% of Children 0-5 not in organized programs prior to kindergarten

• James Heckman: Character skills and “soft skills”

• Whole child approach: five developmental domains

• Importance of social emotional development

• Effective adult-child interactions in early learning programs

• Effects of toxic stress on early development (ACEs)

• Dialogic reading and serve and return

What does

School

Readiness

mean?

Kentucky’s History of Serving Young Children

2010s

• Kindergarten Readiness Definition• Universal Uniform Kindergarten

Screen• Alignment of EC Standards to

Common Core and Head Start • United Way Born Learning

Academies• Growth of CECCs• Early Childhood Profiles• $44.3 million Race to the Top –

Early Learning Challenge• Kentucky All STARS• Required STARS Participation

• Inclusive Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS)• Expansion of Born Learning®

Academies• Integration of Strengthening

Families• Responsive Professional

Development• Integration of a unified Registry for

Professional Development• Expansion of the Longitudinal Data

System (LDS)

Components of the Plan

What’s next: Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge

State Leaders Urge Investing in Early Childhood Programs The SREB Early Childhood Commission calls for states to raise the quality of early education programs and ensure they are well-coordinated across multiple agencies and budgets. The recommendations in Building a Strong Foundation: State Policy for Early Childhood Education also cover wider access and accountability. The central goal: high-quality programs with teachers specifically trained to work with young children.

What’s next: Growing Support

What’s Next: Future Recommendations

• More at risk kids in high quality programs

• Expanded collaborative delivery of public preschool

• 200% of Poverty• High quality public and private providers

with state funding• High quality professional EC workforce• Enhanced funding for high quality

programs• Comprehensive and integrated policies

and programs

SREB ECC ConcludesWhat we know today about how young children learn builds an inarguable case for making early childhood development a priority in our states. The challenges are complex, but the evidence is compelling.Investing now in our youngest lays a sturdy foundation for all of our later investments. The sooner the better for a strong start in life.

Let’s make sure every child in every community enters school ready to grow,

ready to learn, and ready to succeed!

http://kidsnow.ky.govhttp://facebook.com/GOEChttp://twitter.com/GOEC

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Terry TolanGovernor’s Office of Early Childhood125 Holmes St.Frankfort, KY(502)782-0200terry.tolan@ky.gov

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