Florida: Auditing early learning programs - will more states follow?

This past December, Florida's Auditor General released an audit of "the governance structure of the State's early learning programs, Statewide administration and oversight of the School Readiness and Voluntary Prekindergarten Education (VPK) Programs (the primary early learning programs in the State), and early learning coalition program delivery and operations."

While the audit found that "as a whole, ... the statewide governance structure of the early learning programs ... was adequate for purposes of the School Readiness and VPK Programs", the audit also identified areas in which "efficiency and effectiveness of early learning program administration and accountability could be enhanced." The audit makes 32 findings grouped under the broad areas of "Early Learning Programs Governance and Accountability", "Statewide Early Learning Program Administration and Oversight" and "Early Learning Coalitions", addressing such critical areas as reimbursement processes, curricular review and approval, implementation of the Statewide Quality Rating and Improvement System, parental program eligibility and copayment determinations, and employee background checks.

It is commendable that Florida has audited its early learning offerings. Few states, it would seem, have conducted a similar audit, yet, as the study verified, an area governed and funded by multiple entities and offered by such a diversity of providers is ripe for this type of analysis. Let's hope more states follow Florida's example and audit their early learning programs, to more efficiently spend resources and improve the quality of services and oversight.

Maine: Expanding access to dual enrollment

Last month, the dual enrollment task force created last summer by Governor LePage issued an interim report with its findings and recommendations. The report identifies barriers to greater access -- barriers that many states, in fact, might uncover through a similar evaluation -- around the areas of (1) transportation and scheduling, (2) funding, (3) school/district capacity (help for guidance counselors to connect students with available opportunities), (4) access to program information, and (5) policy barriers (at the school/district, institutional or state level).

The task force makes some smart recommendations addressed at dismantling these barriers, which again may be potential solutions in other states as well. These recommendations include:

• Using existing regional CTE centers and center staff to expand access to early college opportunities
• Offering courses outside the regular school day/year (which the report notes would be especially beneficial to those students juggling work and family obligations)
• Expanding online dual enrollment options - particularly important, as the report notes, in a rural state such as Maine.

It will be interesting to watch if and how the numerous recommendations are taken up by stakeholders in the coming year, and whether other states pick up on the suggestions made by Maine's task force.

Pennsylvania: Early learning transitions strategies in district plans

As happens all too often here, I find the most interesting policy developments when I'm not looking for them. Yesterday while on a completely unrelated 50-state statutes and regs slog, I came across a Pennsylvania regs provision related to district six-year strategic plans. While many states require districts to develop local accountability plans, this provision was unique in that it sets the expectation for districts to show some serious intentionality about making successful transitions to pre-K, and from pre-K to kindergarten.

Specifically, each district "strategic plan must be based on an analysis of internal and external needs". Plans must include a short "description of how the district will provide for a smooth transition for prekindergarten students [when pre-K is offered]," or from home or "any early childhood care or education setting to the school setting. This description must include how the district will coordinate with the infants and toddlers and preschool early intervention agencies that serve children with disabilities to ensure a smooth transition for those children to the school district's prekindergarten program.”

Given the importance of smooth transitions in the early years, imagine the potential impact if every state placed similar importance on local planning for successful transitions. More on the importance of early transitions in:

• Making the Case for P-3 (Kristie Kauerz, ECS, 2007)
• Transition and Alignment: Two Keys to Assuring Student Success (Mimi Howard, ECS, 2010)
• Building and Supporting an Aligned System: A Vision for Transforming Education Across the Pre-K-Grade Three Years (NAESP Foundation Task Force on Early Learning, 2011)
  

College readiness: On governors' radar

ECS is continuing to summarize the education-specific proposals and accomplishments governors include in their 2012 State of the State addresses, and it is clear that various issues that are the "bread and butter" of P-20 councils and P-20 alignment efforts across the states are on governors' radar. Just one of them: college entrance exams (ACT and SAT).

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad proposes that the state foot the bill for all juniors to take a college entrance exam and the opportunity to take a work skills readiness test. Meanwhile, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez puts forth that the state should pay for high school sophomores to the take the PSAT.

On the accomplishments side of the equation, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell notes that the number of students taking the ACT or SAT is up in the state, with a 20% one-year increase in Fairbanks alone (since ACT or SAT scores are one of the eligibility criteria for the new governor-supported state scholarships).

More later on other 2012 State of the State goals and accomplishments with implications for P-20 transitions and alignment.

Arizona: Introducing the "Arizona Ready" Education Council

Last month, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer issued an executive order to create the "Arizona Ready" Education Council. Superceding the P-20 council Governor Brewer formed through earlier executive orders, the Arizona Ready Education Council will build upon the goals and strategies identified by the previous entity.

Is the council a new P-20 council for the state? While the executive order and related press release do not use the term "P-20", the council's diverse membership, and focus on improving student outcomes at key junctures (3rd grade reading, high school graduation, and baccalaureate completion) and improving teacher quality, suggest that the group is intended to function as such.

It will be important for the council to incorporate voices from the early learning community as the group works towards one of the objectives identified in the press release: to improve the number of 3rd graders reading at grade level from 73% to 94%. It is not clear that the council includes an explicit "P" representative at this time, yet the early years are critical for any state that intends to move the needle on 3rd grade reading proficiency.

Nevada: Getting serious about aligning data systems

My last post in December concerned state efforts to create "homework assignments" for P-16 and P-20 councils, to help ensure they provide recommendations on issues of key interest to state leaders. And in fact, last fall Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval issued an executive order creating a homework assignment for his state's P-16 council around the state's data systems.

The executive order directs the council to conduct a "collaborative review" of the state's data systems and provide recommendations for the design and implementation of a quality P-16 data system for both student and educator data. The council's efforts must be coordinated with the recommendations developed by the Teachers and Leaders Council regarding a performance evaluation system. All the P-16 council's data efforts must be completed by August 1, 2012.

The council also has a redesigned Web site that allows the public to better track progress in these efforts.

Creating homework assignments for P-20 councils

P-20 councils need to have meaningful work to do--without it, they are perceived as window-dressing. In this context, "meaningful work" often means developing recommendations the council has reached consensus on, that are given to governor and legislature as the fodder or foundation for policy changes.

To get a state P-16 or P-20 council to develop recommendations on an issue, some legislatures have effectively created a homework assignment for the council. One of the clearest examples is from Texas, where statute enacted several years ago directs the P-16 council to recommend to the commissioner of education and the higher education coordinating board a "college readiness and success strategic action plan" that includes specified elements.

Another Texas provision directs the P-16 council to work with the State Center for Early Childhood Development to create a school readiness certification system for certifying the effectiveness of preK and other early childhood programs in preparing children for kindergarten.