Resources to Support States: RTT-ELC Framework

Author(s) or Presenter(s): NPDCI
Publication Date: March, 2012

Resources to Support States: RTT-ELC Framework

The following resources, primarily focused on workforce issues, developed by the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (NPDCI), may be useful for states in the development and implementation of early childhood professional development systems that support inclusion. The resources are available at: http://npdci.fpg.unc.edu/resources/resources-support-states-rtt-elc-framework-0

Contact Pam Winton (pam.winton@unc.edu) for additional information about the resources.

A. CREATING CROSS-SECTOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

The Big Picture Planning Guide: Building Cross-Sector Professional Development Systems In Early Childhood, 3rd Ed. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (2011). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

The Big Picture Planning Guide is designed to support a cross-sector, state-level planning process that leads to a single, integrated, professional development system, across all early childhood sectors. The planning guide provides a four-step sequence for considering the key components and contexts of a statewide early childhood professional development system. A definition and conceptual framework for professional development are included, as well as suggestions for facilitation, guiding questions, key considerations, and planning forms. Note: The Big Picture Planning Guide brings together related resources and tools developed by NPDCI into the four-step planning process.

The Landscape: A Statewide Survey for Providers of Professional Development in Early Childhood. Buysse, V., Hollingsworth, H., & West, T. (2011). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion.

The Landscape is used to gather information, state-wide, about professional development in early childhood from the perspective of professional development providers. The Landscape includes demographic questions about the PD providers and gathers information about the professional development they provide, including the content addressed, the characteristics of the learners (e.g., level of education, age group served), the approaches used, and the level of intensity that is representative of the majority of professional development provided. The Landscape is available in hard copy or as an online survey.  

The Planning Matrix for Early Childhood Professional Development. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (2011). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

The Matrix is used as part of a state-wide planning process to gather information from representatives of key early childhood agencies and initiatives about their agencies’ professional development efforts. The information collected includes the target audience of each agency’s professional development, the content delivered, professional development approaches used, who the professional development providers are, and the supports they receive in their professional development role. The information provides agencies with an understanding of each other’s statewide professional development efforts and identifies areas for collaboration and for making changes. The Matrix is available in hard copy or as an online survey.  

Recommendations for Meaningfully Involving Families in State Planning Meetings. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (2007). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

This 1-page handout provides recommendations and strategies for preparing, engaging, and supporting family involvement in state-level meetings.

Creating Participatory Meetings. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (2007). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

This 1-page handout provides key points for consideration when planning, facilitating, and providing follow-up on meetings.

Guidance for Technical Assistance Providers on Working with States. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (2007). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

This 1-page handout provides recommendations for supporting cross-sector, state-level planning.

Building Integrated Professional Development Systems in Early Childhood: Recommendations for States. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (2010). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

This document includes comments on professional development in early childhood that were provided to the US Department of Education’s Listening and Learning about Early Learning Workforce and Professional Development Tour in May, 2010. The document provides three recommendations for states that are developing cross-sector, integrated professional development systems to improve early childhood programs and services.

 

B. PROMOTING EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN

Research Synthesis Points on Early Childhood Inclusion. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (2009). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

This document is a summary of key conclusions or “synthesis points” drawn from a review of the literature and research syntheses on early childhood inclusion. References are provided for each key conclusion.

Early Childhood Inclusion: A Joint Position Statement of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). DEC/NAEYC. (2009). Early childhood inclusion: A joint position statement of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

The Joint Position Statement provides a shared definition of inclusion and outlines essential components of inclusion. The components of inclusion — access, participation, and support — can be used to identify high quality programs and services.

Access, Participation, and Supports: The Defining Features of High Quality Inclusion.  Buysse, (2011). Zero to Three, 31(4), 24-31.This article provides a description of specific practices related to the key components of the Joint Position Statement on Inclusion: access, participation, and support.

 

C. HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS

Why Program Quality Matters For Early Childhood Inclusion: Recommendations For Professional Development. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (2009, November). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

This concept paper advocates for the need to link early childhood program quality and professional development, with a particular focus on how this topic relates to early childhood inclusion. Recommendations supporting the incorporation of dimensions of inclusive program quality into professional development for the early childhood workforce are made. The paper includes a table listing key components of state’s Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) including their standards relating to including children with disabilities.

The Inclusive Classroom Profile (Soukakou 2007). The Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) is a structured observation rating scale designed to assess the quality of provisions and daily classroom practices that support the developmental needs of children with disabilities in early childhood settings. Ratings on the measure’s items indicate the extent to which “classroom practices intentionally adapt the classroom’s environment, activities and instructional support in ways that encourage access and active participation in the group, through adjustments that might differ from child to child.” Specific examples clarify the different ways by which inclusive practices can be embedded in the classroom to support the diverse needs of children with disabilities. The ICP has been validated and NPDCI has built a capacity to help states use the tool for program quality assessment. For more information, contact Elena Soukakou, author, at: elena.soukakou@unc.edu

Reaching Consensus on a Definition of Professional Development for the Early Childhood Field. Buysse, V., Winton, P. J., & Rous, B. (2009). Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 28 (4), 235-243. This article is based on the concept paper, Why Program Quality Matters For Early Childhood Inclusion: Recommendations For Professional Development listed above.

Program Quality and Early Childhood Inclusion Recommendations for Professional Development.  Buysse, V. & Hollingsworth, H. L. (2009). Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. 29(2). 119-228.

The Quest for Quality: Promising Innovations for Early Childhood Programs.  (2010). Wesley, P. W., & Buysse, V. (Eds.). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.

This book provides current research on issues and challenges surrounding quality programming in early childhood.

 

D. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WORKFORCE

The Big Picture Planning Guide: Building Cross-Sector Professional Development Systems In Early Childhood (3rd ed). National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (2011). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

For information about The Big Picture Planning Guide, see Section A: Creating Cross-Sector Professional Development Systems. Note: The Big Picture Planning Guide brings together related resources and tools developed by NPDCI into a four-step planning process.

The Landscape: A Statewide Survey for Providers of Professional Development in Early Childhood. Buysse, V., Hollingsworth, H., & West, T. (2011). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion.

For more information about the Landscape, see Section A: Creating Cross-Sector Professional Development Systems.

The Planning Matrix for Early Childhood Professional Development. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (2011). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

For more information about the Planning Matrix, see Section A: Creating Cross-Sector Professional Development Systems.

What Do We Mean By Professional Development In The Early Childhood Field?  National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (2008). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

This concept paper presents a definition and framework for professional development in early childhood. The definition and framework are intended to guide efforts aimed at ensuring that early childhood educators are highly qualified and effective in working with young children (birth through 8) and their families.

Competencies for Early Childhood Educators in the Context of Inclusion: Issues and Guidance for States. Winton, P. & West, T., (2011). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion.

This concept paper identifies issues and provides guidance to states as they develop, revise, and utilize early educator competencies in the context of inclusion. Key issues include ensuring that early educator competencies reflect knowledge, skills and emerging research on effective practices for working in inclusive settings with children with and without disabilities and children who are Dual Language Learners and that early educator competencies that support inclusion are linked with quality professional development opportunities, accountability systems, and other components of a comprehensive early childhood system

What We Know About Professional Development. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, (revised, 2011). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.

This document provides specific statements related to professional development in early childhood and references supporting the statements. Statements provide information about the current status of professional development in early childhood and research on effective approaches to professional development. 

Early Childhood Competencies:  Sitting on the Shelf or Guiding Professional Development? Winton, P.J. & West, T. (2009).  In C. Howes & R.C. Pianta (Eds.), Early Childhood Teacher Professional Development Interface with Quality Rating and Early Childhood Competency Systems. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Co.

This chapter examines the state of the field in early childhood competencies and competency systems, and in early childhood professional development systems. It discusses challenges, strategies and recommendations for aligning competencies with professional development.

Professional Development and Quality Initiatives: Two Essential Components of an Early Childhood System. Winton, P.J. (2010). In P. W. Wesley  & V. Buysse (Eds.) The Quest for Quality: Promising Innovations for Early Childhood Programs, Baltimore, MD: Brookes. Publishing Co.

This chapter examines systems-level challenges from the perspective of professional development and identifies ways that the interface between quality-assurance initiatives and professional development could be strengthened to ensure a high-quality workforce.

This document was developed by the NPDCI team. The work was supported by the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion funded through a grant from the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. The content and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the funding agency. Permission to copy, disseminate, or otherwise use information from this document for educational purposes is granted, provided that appropriate credit is given.