Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge: 2016 Annual Performance Report. Pennsylvania
Author: US Department of Health and Human Services
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,State Programs,Educational Quality,Accountability,Program Evaluation,Program Effectiveness,Access to Education,Program Validation,Child Development,Academic Standards,Educational Assessment,Health Promotion,Family School Relationship,Preschool Children,Preschool Teachers,Teacher Competencies,Credentials,Teacher Characteristics,School Readiness,Outcome Measures,Tables (Data),Educational Legislation,Federal Aid,Federal Legislation,Federal Programs

This Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) annual performance report for the reporting period of 01-01-2016 to 12-31-2016 in Pennsylvania provides a detailed summary of accomplishments, lessons learned, challenges, and strategies that the state of Pennsylvania will implement to address those challenges. Some accomplishments highlighted in the area of Community Innovation Zones include the following: (1) Several Community Innovation Zones (CIZ's) have made improvements in their relationships along the P-3 continuum. Grantees accomplished goals such as curriculum alignment between early learning and school district programs, increasing on-time kindergarten registration through coordinated efforts, and the creation of early learning councils with stakeholder representation across the P-3 continuum; (2) In 2016, Pennsylvania focused on building the sustainability of these successful local projects by making promising practices accessible statewide and building the capacity of the CIZ collaborations to obtain resources to continue work after the grant period ends; (3) The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) approached sustainability through the lens of focusing on the process of systems and adult behavior change, building capacity at the local level, and developing statewide collaborations; and (4) Interim results of the family engagement study to document best family engagement strategies of 12 CIZs. In the area of developing and expanding a statewide Tiered Quality Rating Improvement system (TQRIS), some of the following improvements have been accomplished: (1) Pennsylvania made significant progress towards re-visioning its tiered quality rating and improvement system (TQRIS). The new Keystone Standards, Training and Professional Development, Assistance, Resources and Supports (STARS) system will launch for the 2017-18 state fiscal year; (2) Pennsylvania launched its re-visioning process in February 2016 with the Keystone STARS Think Tank, a diverse group of 53 stakeholders chosen by an Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) selection team based on rigorous criteria to reflect geographic, racial, gender, and professional diversity; and (3) Using these Core Values, the Think Tank developed a logic model to build supply of quality diverse early learning programs; increase family access to quality programs; build and maintain a qualified workforce; empower program leadership; integrate data and management systems; create a responsive, strengths-based and individualized technical assistance/coaching system; and create a Keystone STARS administrative system that is consistent in quality and responsive to providers and the technical assistance/coaching system. In the area of improving early learning standards: (1) Pennsylvania participated in the Pre-natal-3rd Grade Governor's Institutes, &quot;P-3 Collaboration: Working Together for Student Success,&quot; increased by 40 percent. Eighty-six teams of school district, early childhood professionals, higher education and other representatives attended the four Institutes in Pocono Manor, Erie, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh; and (2) the Pre-natal-3rd Grade Governor's Institutes, &quot;P-3 Collaboration: Working Together for Student Success,&quot; increased by 40 percent. Eighty-six teams of school district, early childhood professionals, higher education and other representatives attended the four Institutes in Pocono Manor, Erie, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. It was noted that lack of funding at the local level has proven to be a barrier in the implementation of the new P-3 strategies learned at the institutes. In order to better support the implementation the team action plans, Pennsylvania offered $4,000 prototype mini-grants to all teams attending any of the Institutes since 2014. In the area of Comprehensive Assessment Systems, Pennsylvania leveraged its RTT-ELC grant to meet new Child Care and Development and Block Grant (CCDBG) requirements for a consumer website by enhancing the Pennsylvania's Promise for Children (PA Promise) website. Based on a content audit by Thoughtform, Inc., the PA Promise website contained high-quality content. Pennsylvania decided to expand the existing PA Promise website to meet and CCDBG grant requirements and better serve families. In the area of engaging and supporting families, Pennsylvania expanded its supports to CIZs and other organizations in the state to educate and engage families by providing five Community Innovation Zones training on implementing the Be Strong Parent Cafe approach in their communities. Detailed accounts of accomplishments in supporting the early childhood workforce, understanding the status of children's learning and development at kindergarten entry, and early learning data systems are also provided.