Read the full-length newsletter articles below.
North Carolina & Ready Schools
By June St. Clair Atkinson, Ed.D.
North Carolinians can be proud of their history as educational innovators – from opening the first public university in the nation to starting the first Governor's School to pioneering school-based accountability. Many innovations are also in place to strengthen high schools, boost middle school literacy, and provide virtual learning opportunities.
Given all of this effort, and the many successes that have been accomplished, what can citizens make of the state's continual problem with school dropouts and a high school graduation rate that still shows approximately one-third of all entering ninth graders not graduating from high school five years out?
There won't be a test later, but pay close attention to the answer, because high school dropouts and poor achievement affect everyone in the state, costing millions in reduced tax revenues (high school dropouts are poor earners) and increased public health, crime, and welfare payments (dropouts are more likely to be on public assistance and commit crimes).
Seeking to rescue middle and high school students currently at risk is certainly part of the solution but to truly prevent the dropouts of tomorrow, we must go back to the future: to the day a child is born. Why? Because children are born learning, and if we wait until third grade or first grade or even kindergarten to pay attention to what they've missed, it's already late in the game.
Research tells us that at least half of the educational achievement gaps between poor and non-poor children already exist at kindergarten entry. A child's brain works on a "use it or lose it" principle, and synapses not used or stimulated early on will be discarded and more difficult to reconstruct later. The larger the gap at school entry, the harder it is to close.
Recognizing this, North Carolina educators and policymakers had the foresight to launch Smart Start and More at Four, assuring that we are reaching children at birth to assure that they are getting access to the developmental opportunities they need to be successful in school. But now we need to go a step further.
We have brought together early childhood and school leaders, parents and communities to take this next step forward, launching the NC Ready Schools Initiative. This is a national initiative that focuses on the early years that span from age 3 to grade 3.
In June 2007, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted the Ready Schools definition and endorsed the recommendation that all elementary schools link with a community planning team to conduct a ready schools assessment as part of their School Improvement Planning process. It endorsed the "Power of K" position paper clarifying what kindergartens should be like – not the pushed-down academic structures often resulting from the pressures of accountability and No Child Left Behind.
Research from states where Ready Schools programs are further along shows that such programs are helping to increase reading scores significantly (from 49% to 70% passing rates for African American first graders in Montgomery County, MD) and to decrease proficiency gaps based on race and ethnicity. In addition, more careful consideration is going into who serves in a principal's role in the elementary grades. If that person does not have training in child development and the early years, pilot participants are providing professional development in those areas.
An emphasis on the crucial learning period from birth through the early grades can also help ensure the success of existing programs such as No Child Left Behind, which have a heavy focus on academics and accountability. It is imperative for educators to understand that they can teach academic content in developmentally appropriate ways for young children. We also know, that as critical as pre-K for at-risk students is, without sustained focus and appropriate instruction, these children may experience "fade out" – or a loss of learning gains – by grade 3. Thus, the notion of "book-ending" education – focusing on children of high school age and very young children – is important to our ultimate goal of success for all students.
With the introduction of the NC Ready Schools Initiative, combined with our existing efforts through Smart Start and Governor Easley's More at Four Program to enhance early childhood education, North Carolina has an excellent chance of reversing those high school dropout numbers and continuing to reduce the achievement gap. We can't start soon enough – because when it comes to educating North Carolina's children, this is one test we cannot afford to fail.
For more information on the NC Ready Schools Initiative, go to www.ncreadyschools.org.
June St. Clair Atkinson, Ed.D. is the State Superintendent of North Carolina
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What's Missing from the Education Equation?
By Emily Darnell-Nuñez
Leaving early childhood education out of the funding formula is like building a house without pouring the foundation. It may hold up for a while, but eventually, the roof is going to fall in. This is something the state legislators should keep in mind as the legislative session resumes this week.
One of the tasks will be to consider a proposed funding formula for childhood education. The money provided by the state is badly needed, and lawmakers are to be congratulated for once again stepping in to fill the ever-widening education shortfalls in the federal budget.
But the state funding formula, while well-intentioned, doesn't quite add up.
The budget emphasis on children in grades K-12 leaves out children from birth to age 5, whose early experiences, research tells us, are the most reliable indicators of future success – or failure.
Studies by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council Research tell us that at least half of the educational achievement gaps between poor and non-poor children already exist at kindergarten entry. Children are born learning, and if we wait until third grade or first grade or even kindergarten to pay attention to what they've missed, it's already way too late. The larger the achievement gap at school entry, the harder it is to close.
One need only look at our state's dropout statistics to see that this is true. It's not only how much money you spend — and again, we're grateful that the state is spending the money — but where you put those precious dollars. To be clear, I am not suggesting that the state apply the funding formula to children ages birth through 5 – but rather, that it allow flexibility in the formula so that schools can take advantage of existing programs for this age group.
The evidence is in, not only from respected national researchers but from our own experience with innovative programs here in New Mexico, that supporting early childhood education is the best way to guarantee future
success: for our children, for our schools and for our economy.
I have seen for myself the difference that early childhood programs have made in the lives of families. The New Mexico Community Foundation has been funding early childhood education programs for five years, through New Mexico SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids), a program that fosters family engagement, early childhood and elementary school collaboration and best practices in transition. And the results are heartening.
Now in its fifth year, New Mexico SPARK is creating collaborations among schools, parents, and early child-care educators in San Juan County, Española, Laguna Pueblo, Albuquerque, Doña Ana County and Hobbs. SPARK works with families to ensure a seamless transition for 3 to 6 year olds as they move from pre-school programs through kindergarten into elementary school classrooms. They also work with local child development and elementary teachers as well as with parents, local health care providers, and businesses in these communities. The purpose of the program is to improve learning outcomes for vulnerable children and youth so that they are sustainable - in other words, to build a solid foundation for success.
For instance, by participating in a pre-school to kindergarten transition program, teachers, parents and administrators have come to understand that not only should schools be ready for children, but children should be ready for the school. After all, if a child is reluctant to go to school, not much learning is going to take place.
In a state where 25 percent of the population are children — half of them under the age of 8 — how many will be able to participate in an innovative program like this? According to the new funding formula, none. The formula gives school districts little authority in how they can use the funds and restricts funds from being used for children below the age of 5. The formula also has little to offer families, whose early engagement in school activities is another crucial measure of a child's future success.
As grateful as we are that the state is providing these funds, the formula is out of balance and should be corrected. We need to balance the equation to allow school districts more latitude to use the funding for innovative programs at all levels. Because in the end, this isn't about numbers or plus and minus signs. It's about children, and it's about everyone's future.
Emily Darnell-Nuñez is the State Coordinator for New Mexico SPARK.
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SPARK Ohio Surveys Parent Opinions
SPARK Ohio regularly produces a newsletter for parents. The new Spring 2008 edition of the newsletter features the following article on the results of a recent survey conducted among SPARK Ohio parents.
Results of SPARK Surveys with Parents
Parents and their children aged 3 to 5 are the main focus of the SPARK program,
thus SPARK is very interested in parents' opinions about both the program
and their parent partner. Each summer SPARK parents are surveyed for
this information. The survey results from summer 2007 indicate very positive
opinions by SPARK parents of both the program and the parent partners. The
vast majority of SPARK parents indicate the thing they like most about the
SPARK program is the developmental preparation and assessments their child
receives. In regard to their parent partners, SPARK parents overwhelmingly
report that their parent partner truly understands what their child needs in
order to be ready for school. Parents also report receiving high levels of trust,
understanding, and respect from their parent partners. The data show that they
value their relationship with their parent partner very highly.
Going to kindergarten can be a big challenge for all children because it is the
start of a new experience in a new environment. Therefore, every fall the
SPARK program seeks kindergarten parents' opinions about their child's experiences
prior to and at the beginning of entering school, a process called the transition into kindergarten. Good transition practices seek to make the move to kindergarten as easy as possible for both the parent and child. The transition surveys conducted by SPARK with all kindergarten parents measure the child and parent participation levels in various transition activities provided by the schools and preschools. The surveys also identify those activities that parents feel are important and useful for their child's experience in the move from preschool,
day care, home, or other preschool experience into kindergarten. The survey also allows parents to offer suggestions for improving transition practices in following years.
Some typical transition activities include the parent and child visiting a kindergarten
class, touring the school building, riding a school bus, meeting or communicating with the kindergarten teacher, attending kindergarten registration, or receiving a letter from the school or teacher all before the start of school. For Alliance, Canton City, and Minerva children entering kindergarten in 2007, the graph below presents evidence that kindergarten parents of SPARK children have higher rates of participation in these various transition activities than non-SPARK kindergarten parents. For example, SPARK parents exceed non-SPARK parents in attendance in kindergarten registration by 14.2%. We feel that SPARK parents' higher participation rates can be attributed to their parent partner's active involvement in keeping them informed about upcoming activities or services available for their child. More importantly, we believe that SPARK parents have welcomed and embraced the parent partner's role in helping the parents become their child's true learning advocate.
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SPARK North Carolina Emphasizes Parent Involvement in New Workshops
Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC), a SPARK North Carolina program, recently published an article on the importance of parent involvement. The article introduces DEPC's new workshop series, "Champions for Children."
What does being involved in your child's education mean?
Parent involvement is similar to eggs in a cake. You can make a cake without it, but it wouldn't be as good. Parent involvement is a key ingredient to not only the success of children, but the school and the entire community. When parents are welcome in the school and are consulted about decisions affecting their children, an atmosphere of trust and collaboration develops between school and home.
The Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC) believes that the quality of education shapes not only our children's future, but the future of communities in Nash and Edgecombe counties. To ensure that children from birth to age 8 are launched as life-long learners, DEPC works to create a strong foundation for children and families by advocating and supporting both high quality early care and a coordinated system of community resources. This foundation includes empowering parents to be active participants in school-based and system-wide decision making for their children, school or district.
Just as there is no cookie-cutter mode that works for every child, the same is true for parent involvement. If we are to be effective at engaging and involving parents, we must start earlier, rather than later, be consistent and supportive and provide a variety of ways for parents to engage. Parents of preschool-age children benefit from the opportunity to be engaged and connected to other parents and community resources well before their children enter school. DEPC offers support to parents of preschool-age children through the Child Care Resource & Referral Consumer Education program. Through this program, parents participate in a 3-part workshop series that includes: child development, successful transitions to school and locating community resources. By raising the expectations and viewing parents as their child's first teacher, we send a clear message that not only is a parent welcome at the table but that a place is reserved for them that no one else can fill.
In 2007 DEPC surveyed the parents of all kindergarten age children in both Edgecombe and Nash counties. More than 1,155 parents completed the survey-a response rate of 61%, providing feedback on parent-child educational activities, preschool experiences, transition to kindergarten and relationships with teachers. Overall, parents who are part of the DEPC SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) program rated their child's transition to kindergarten and readiness significantly higher than those not involved. Parents completing the survey spent an average of eleven hours per week participating in educational activities with their children including helping with homework and reading stories. Parents also reported greater comfort in communicating with their children's teacher.
During this New Year, DEPC will provide a "Champions for Children" workshop series on a variety of topics of special interest to parents and community people who work with parents and families. The workshop topics are wide and varied, including helping with homework, effective parent teacher conferences, self-esteem and student achievement, managing discipline and behavior, language development, as well as timely information regarding education policy and legislative mandates that affect all of North Carolina's children. The workshops are available in both English and Spanish and are held in local communities as well as the DEPC Family Resource Center in Rocky Mount. By incorporating information from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's Raising Achievement, Closing Gaps initiative, this series is effective for all parents, regardless of their child's age.
These workshops give parents the opportunity to not only gain insightful information in relation to their child's success in school, but to also engage in dialogue with school staff and teachers in a way that is meaningful and real. Parents who have participated in the workshop are prepared to be a voice for their child, and their community. DEPC is working to build a network of Champions who are connected and prepared to take action in support of our children, our schools and our communities.
When children have a parent who is involved it means increased performance in school and in life. They are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, graduate from high school and go on to higher education. Parent involvement improves teacher morale, helping teachers feel a stronger connection to not only the child but the entire family. When parents are involved at home and at school, the performance of all children in the school tends to improve. Communities grow stronger as families feel more invested in the school system and the school system becomes more responsive to parent and community needs. By focusing on ways to empower parents and families, DEPC is working to change the way we do business in our villages.
For more information on the DEPC and its programs and services, call 252.985.4300 or visit the Web site at www.depc.org.
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