How Diverse Providers Implemented Best Practices and Experienced Program Standards and Supports

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Topic - School Readiness/Childcare

Abstract

Having access to high-quality early education opportunities has been noted to drive children’s positive educational and lifelong outcomes, as it is linked to greater achievement in school, better health outcomes, and increased earnings as adults (Friedman-Krauss et al., 2019; Schweinhart et al., 2005; Yoshikawa et al., 2013). Understanding these benefits, cities all over the country are striving to increase the availability and quality of early childhood programs. Recently, a city in the Pacific Northwest deepened its commitment to early learning by launching a citywide preschool program.

In 2019, a process evaluation was conducted to understand participating providers experiences, as they endeavored to provide quality educational experiences for the city’s youngest learners. The evaluation examined 1) how participating providers implemented early childhood best practices in areas such as classroom management and 2) how participating providers experienced the preschool program standards and utilized program supports (e.g. coaching, assistance with application and enrollment).

The participant sample included six sites, which offered public pre-K in a variety of settings (e.g. home based) and offered different service delivery models (e.g. focus on dual language learners). The analysis methods included descriptive statistics using demographic data, and qualitative analysis using a directed content analysis approach (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005) drawing from interviews with administrators and focus groups with staff, as well as equity-focused classroom observations.

Qualitative analysis revealed six themes that captured provider experiences with best practices, standards, and supports. All providers adopted strategies to use child-driven practices and create classroom environments that honored children’s identities and promoted their autonomy. For many providers, working in co-teaching teams and/or collaborating with families was critical to their ability to do this successfully. Providers acknowledged a need for support in meeting the social-emotional needs of all of the children in their classrooms as they worked to implement high-quality curriculum, instruction and assessment practices. Providers had a deep understanding of the program standards such as the need to adopt an approved curriculum like HighScope® or use Teaching Strategies Gold® (TSG) to track children’s progress. However, the experiences with adhering to these standards sometimes varied by site type. Lastly, providers received a number of supports from the city including technical assistance or access to additional behavioral services. The most frequently cited benefit of being a part of the program was having access to professional development such as coaching and training; however, this support was not consistently accessed and utilized in accordance with providers’ varying needs.

The evaluation pointed to a few areas that this jurisdiction could consider as their preschool program continues to grow, including orienting stakeholders to the purpose of the coaching model, vetting social and emotional development resources or offering targeted or tiered professional learning opportunities. These recommendations may be useful for other cities and states that have implemented public preschool programs and are looking to support the providers offering early care and education services.

Authors

• Lindsey Allard Agnamba, School Readiness Consulting
  Non-Presenting Author

• BreAnna Davis Tribble, School Readiness Consulting
  Presenting Author

• Kristina Rodriguez, School Readiness Consulting
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sherylls Kahn, School Readiness Consulting
  Non-Presenting Author