Congress, Administration Bring Early Learning to Forefront; CEC Early Childhood Leaders Urge Consideration of All Young Children

Coming on the heels of a joint U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Early Learning Listening and Learning Tour held in cities across the country, yesterday the U.S. Senate Education Committee convened a hearing solely focused on early childhood education and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, also known as No Child Left Behind). 

Yesterday’s hearing brought early learning to the top of the Senate Education Committee’s agenda, and addressed many of the issues professionals in the early childhood education field have known for years, such as the critical impact early learning has on future developmental, academic, and social success. 

CEC – and its Division for Early Childhood (DEC) – have applauded this long overdue focus on early learning which started in earnest last month during the Administration’s Early Learning Listening and Learning Tour. 

Over the last five weeks, leaders of CEC’s Division for Early Childhood (DEC) testified at hearings held across the country as part of the Early Learning Listening and Learning Tour.  The Tour, which was led by Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Education and Joan Lombardi, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,  focused on four key areas:  family engagement; standards and assessments; workforce and professional development; and understanding preschool-grade three structures. The hearings featured expert panels including CEC members Phil Strain and Kathy Hebbeler, in addition to testimony from the field.  CEC/DEC members were on hand to provide written  and oral testimony. 

CEC Board Member, Monika Shealey, Assistant Professor of Special Education at Florida International University, testified in Orlando about the vital role of family engagement in providing individualized early childhood services.  Dr. Shealey – on behalf of DEC – called on the Administration to support policies which are family centered, especially in the area of assessment. “The assessment process must be designed to facilitate family inclusion at multiple levels in response to family-identified preference and with sensitivity to family values, needs, language, and culture,” Shealey stated.

In Chicago, Illinois DEC President, Robin Miller Young; Ohio DEC Vice President, Kristie Pretti-Frontczak; and DEC Information Technology Chair, Ted Burke, all called for standards and assessments which reject a one-size-fits all approach and instead focuses on meeting the diverse needs of young children from the creation of such standards and assessment systems.  “Innovative service delivery system initiatives such as inclusive programs, tiered instructional models linked to data-based decision-making, and a seamless continuum from birth to age eight will require us to ensure that our assessment tools are linked to the Early Learning Standards,” stated Dr. Miller Young.

Building upon DEC’s Recommended Practices, a resource which provides information about effective practices that promote learning and development for young children, DEC members called for program and professional standards whereby inclusion is foundational and assessments recognize that young children are individuals.  CEC and DEC have emphasized the need for early childhood practitioners to have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to work with all young children (including those with disabilities) and their families within natural and inclusive environments to promote growth, development, and learning. 

Additionally, Dr. Pretti-Frontczak and Mr. Burke shared concern that there are many questions that remain unanswered in the area of standards and assessments for young children, including how to make assessments meaningful, and the need to develop and evaluate the quality, appropriateness, and impact of early learning standards on programming and services for young children. Furthermore, Dr. Pretti-Frontczak expressed the need for further research and development regarding assessment approaches, tools, and alternative assessment practices for children with disabilities, especially children from diverse cultural backgrounds and for those with particular types of disabilities (i.e. autism spectrum disorders).

As Congress and the Administration move forward in reauthorizing ESEA, CEC – in collaboration with its Division for Early Childhood – will remain actively engaged and involved to ensure that early learning initiatives consider the needs of all young children, including those with disabilities and the professionals who work on their behalf.  

Read DEC’s Full Comments Submitted to Early Learning Tour

More information from the U.S. Department of Education

Comments

[Jen Babcock]

I am very happy to hear that the the idea of students being taken into consideration as individuals when it comes to standardized testing in now being addressed. Hopefully this will allow for special educators and school districts to focus more on their students and not stress so much about meeting state standards.

I think that implementing a tiered level of instruction and advocating for more family inclusion and participation will only benefit the schools and students.

The parents (and community too for that matter)need to be taught the strategies and in's and out's as well as the students. It takes a village to raise a child, not just a group of teachers.

[Heidi]

I am thrilled that early learning is taking a front seat in education. I am an early childhood educator who has always believed that the earlier learning takes place the more students can learn. Early childhood education can lay the foundation for the education that takes place for years after. I hope further action will be taken and early childhood education is seen for its importance.

[Ma.I-li]

I think this is great. I think the following topics are really important- family engagement; standards and assessments; workforce and professional development; and understanding preschool-grade three structures. These things would help parents, teachers and students be successful in the future not only the present. Early education is a foundation. A foundation needs to be strong to last. I also hope it would be given real and continuous action.