3-183 - How to get from “P” to “K”? Lessons learned from developers, evaluators, and policy analysts of three early childhood initiatives

Session Type: Conversation Roundtable

Integrative Statement

Preschool to third grade (PreK-3) approaches hold promise to help close achievement gaps. One of the biggest obstacles to PreK-3 work is bridging the traditional boundaries of the early learning and the K-12 education systems. This presentation will include a discussion about three early childhood initiatives from a single state that have tried to promote continuity of goals, assessment, curriculum, and professional development between PreK and K. Promoting continuity and alignment is complicated by barriers inherent in the two different systems (e.g., different enrollment policies, schedules, teacher training, and organizational structures). Educational practitioners, developers, and policy makers across the country need effective approaches that can address those challenges. The conversation will focus on strategies that have addressed some of the elusive PreK to K connections desired in a PreK-3 framework, and factors that support and hinder these strategies. The discussion will involve intervention developers, implementation leaders, evaluation experts, and policy analysts to share lessons learned and to solicit ideas about innovative solutions to these challenges. The roundtable will provide an exchange of ideas about what types of connections seem to work best under what conditions and where future PreK to K efforts should focus. Erika Gaylor, Ph.D. who has been involved in several of the larger PreK-3 initiatives across the country will serve as moderator. She will facilitate the conversation that will include multiple perspectives on the same issues and promote a greater understanding of the challenges and successes of PreK to K connections.

Sub Unit

• School Readiness/Childcare

Moderator

• Erika Elizabeth Gaylor, Sri International

Panelists

• Shari Golan, SRI International

• Arthur Reynolds, University of Minnesota

• Kathryn A Tout, Child Trends

• Kristie A Kauerz, University of Washington