State Advisory Council Birth to Age 8 Assessment, Screening, and Curriculum Support and Alignment

Summary Presentation for the Board of Early Education and Care

September 2012

SAC Birth to 8 Community Planning: Rural Community Support Grant

Two Core Functions of the Grant Community Strategic Planning: One-time grants to selected

Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grantees serving communities to support community birth through age 8 (“B-8”) three year strategic plans, anchored in local data. • Plans are to be based on child and family needs and the quality

and effectiveness of B-8 aligned systems linking local schools, local providers, and families through grants to communities.

Birth to 8 Assessment, Screening, and Curriculum Support and Alignment: One-time grants to non-profit entities serving communities in partnership with public school, public school districts, and/or a charter school serving children pre-kindergarten to third grade, to support assessment, screening, and curriculum support and alignment within the communities.

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Timeframe and Applicants Timeframe: July 2012 – October 31, 2012 Six programs for birth to 8 Assessment and Screening

category ($30,000) Six grantees were awarded $5,000 each for Birth to

Eight: Barnstable Fall River Gill Montague Malden New Bedford Taunton

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Facilitate dialogue among local entities (i.e., public schools and early education alignment and a shared understanding of curriculum, assessment, and screening practices and care programs, including out-of-school time providers) to support the trainings in the communities served;

Make clear, specific recommendations on assessment and screening tools and practices that will support alignment; and

Develop a plan for coordinated assessment, screening, and curriculum alignment that will best support children and families in the communities served across the mixed delivery system.

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SAC: Core goals

Activities Achieved to Date:

Held focus groups to integrate effective systems of assessment, early childhood curriculum, and screening alignment to serve children birth through age eight

Secured consultants

Completed Community Resource Guide

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Panelists:

David Thomas, Barnstable Public School Early Education & Care Coordinator

Rita Celia, CFCE Coordinator for Triumph, Inc. in Taunton

Dr. Anne McKenzie, Executive Director at the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative.

• Rural Community Support Grantee

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