Toward Better Policy for Early Care and Education in the United States This resource list was created as an accompaniment to the paper on "Towards Better Policy for Early Care and Education in the United States."

The U.S. can no longer afford the inefficiency of making policy by funding stream for early care and education (ECE). Our children and families deserve better. Our economy will be stronger when public policy at all levels – federal, state and local – is both more efficient and more effective.

Historically, the care and education of children before they enter school has been viewed as a personal (maternal) responsibility, with limited public support largely focused on poor families. Public policy and investment have waxed and waned over time.

A small, selected group of states gathered in Chicago September 8-9, 2011 for a high-impact meeting providing the opportunity to engage closely with early learning and education experts and receive focused guidance on articulating the state's vision in an effective application.

Dr. Lynn Kagan, the Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Early Childhood and Family Policy and Co-Director of the National Center for Children and Families at Teachers College, Columbia University and Professor Adjunct at Yale University's Child Study Center, delivered the keynote plenary.

IS YOUR STATE UP TO THE CHALLENGE?

This PowerPoint Presentation was given by Tawara D. Goode at the Up to the Challenge State Team Meeting September 9, 2011 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois.

A compendium of articles, briefs and references compiled by the Early Childhood Systems Working Group and organized to align with the ELC application.

Below sections of the compendium are listed separately so you can review separate resources. You can also Download the entire document as a PDF.

• (A)(3) Aligning and coordinating early learning and development across the State (10 points)

Building an Early Learning System: The ABCs of Planning and Governance Structures,Charles Bruner, Michelle Stover Wright, Barbara Gebhard and Susan Hibbard, State Early Childhood Policy Technical Assistance Network and the BUILD Initiative, 2004. This paper defines an early learning system – including early learning and support for child health, family strength, and community connection. It shares important “rules of thumb” for creating the state planning and governance structures to build it.

Building Ready States: A Governor’s Guide to Supporting Comprehensive, High-Quality Early Childhood State Systems, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Rachel Demma, 2010. This report by the NGA Center offers six policy strategies governors can use to build and nurture a comprehensive, high-quality early childhood system.

• (B)(1) Developing and adopting a common, statewide Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (10 points)

Characteristics of Quality Early Learning Environments, The Ounce of Prevention Fund. First-rate early learning programs that are safe, healthy, stimulating, organized, and, most importantly, led by well-trained teachers, help children enter school ready to learn and succeed. This resource outlines what you do and do not want to see in programs.

Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Compendium of Quality Rating Systems and Evaluations , Child Trends, April 2010. This Compendium produced for the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation profiles QRS in 26 states and local areas and provides an analytic framework for assessing the critical elements of QRS and QRS evaluations.

• (C)(1) Developing and using statewide, high-quality Early Learning and Development Standards

A Review of School Readiness Practices in the States: Early Learning Guidelines and Assessments, Child Trends, June 2010. Research on the importance of the early childhood years has compelled states to support children’s school readiness. This brief provides an overview of state practices related to the development and implementation of Early Learning Guidelines (ELGs) and school readiness assessments. The appendix provides a 50 state profile of state ELGs and school readiness assessment practices.

A Window to the World: Early Language and Literacy Development, Jaclyn Kupcha-Szrom, ZERO TO THREE Policy Center, 2011. This policy brief on early language and literacy articulates recommendations and outlines research on the important role parents and early childhood professionals play in the brain development that occurs during the first three years of life, which includes fostering a child’s early language and literacy skills. Literacy is part of a process that begins at birth as babies learn to communicate and begin to acquire language. When this development is not nurtured, children begin to fall behind and a gap in language and literacy emerges.

• (D)(1) Developing Workforce Knowledge and Competencies and a progression of credentials

Credentials for the Infant/Toddler Child Care Workforce: A Technical Assistance Tool for Child Care and Development Fund Administrators, National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative, 2010. This report provides a guide to states and territories planning to develop or implement a system for formally recognizing the specialized knowledge and skill sets needed by infant/toddler caregivers. There is an increased availability of infant/toddler coursework and training and recognition of professional achievements of infant/toddler caregivers through credentials, certificates, certification, or endorsements. This guide includes examples and insights from existing state programs.

Establish Core Competencies, Rachel Schumacher, CLASP, 2010,.  This resource provides research, recommendations, and state examples to support CLASP’s Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project recommendation: Establish a core body of knowledge, skills, and expertise that providers and caregivers need in order to give babies and toddlers quality care, based on current research on social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.