Sustainability Report RTT-ELC Sustainabil… · ELC grant period ran from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016. The state received a twelve-month no-cost extension, ending on December

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Sustainability Report

A Vision Forward for Early Learning New Mexico

March 2018

Sustaining the Early Childhood Initiatives Implemented under New Mexico’s Race To the Top–Early Learning Challenge Grant

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Sustaining the Early Childhood Initiatives Implemented under New Mexico’s Race To the Top–Early Learning Challenge Grant

Prepared in collaboration with

The Policy Equity Group, LLC

Jeffrey Capizzano, Kelly Etter, PhD, and Soumya Bhat

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................iv

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1

Purpose and Methods ................................................................................................................. 2

Understanding Early Learning New Mexico ................................................................................ 3

Early Learning New Mexico Impact ........................................................................................... 10

Stakeholder Survey Results .................................................................................................. 11

New Mexico’s RTT–ELC Project Details and Potential Enhancements .................................... 23

Sustainability Recommendations ......................................................................................... 33

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 38

Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Sustainability Plan ................................................ 39

Appendix A: New Mexico’s RTT–ELC Documents .................................................................. 41

Appendix B: Interview Respondents for the RTT–ELC Sustainability Report .......................... 42

Appendix C: Stakeholder Interview Questions ..................................................................... 43

Appendix D: New Mexico Stakeholder Survey ...................................................................... 44

Appendix E: Project Ratings by Role ..................................................................................... 54

Appendix F: Project Rankings ............................................................................................... 55

Appendix G: Sample MOU ................................................................................................... 56

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Acknowledgments

This document was prepared for New Mexico’s Region IX Education Cooperative by the Policy Equity Group, LLC in consultation with the New Mexico’s Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge (RTT–ELC) Executive and Leadership teams. New Mexico RTT–ELC Executive Team

Alejandra Rebolledo-Rea Director Early Childhood Services Division Children Youth and Families Department Marc Kolman Deputy Director Developmental Disabilities Support Division Department of Health Matt Pahl Former Policy and Program Policy Director Public Education Department New Mexico RTT–ELC Leadership Team Andy Gomm Bureau Chief Child & Family Supports Bureau Developmental Disabilities Supports Division Department of Health Katrina Montano White Bureau Chief Office of Child Development Early Childhood Services Division Children, Youth and Families Department Michael Miller Former Director, Literacy, Early Childhood and Humanities Bureau Public Education Department

Kathy Ytuarte Race to the Top Project Manager Public Education Department John Kraman Former Chief Information Officer Chief Information Office & Division of Information Technology Public Education Department

Introduction In 2013, New Mexico was awarded a four-year, $37.5 million federal Race To the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT–ELC) grant. The state had one of the country’s highest scoring applications, validating both New Mexico’s work in setting a strong foundation for the grant and its clear vision for the future of the state’s early childhood system.1 Each state receiving an RTT–ELC grant was required to address five areas of its early childhood system: (1) state-level coordination; (2) measuring and supporting the quality of early childhood programs; (3) promoting early learning and child outcomes; (4) workforce development; and (5) measuring outcomes. Projects funded through the grant were to address these five areas with the goal of closing school readiness gaps by increasing the number of high-needs children in high-quality early learning programs. Since 2013, New Mexico state agencies and stakeholders have used the RTT–ELC grant funding to implement several projects to improve New Mexico’s early learning system. These projects included:

1. Establishing stronger coordination, collaboration and governance across the state agencies implementing federal and state early childhood programs;

2. Developing the FOCUS Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS) to improve the quality of all early childhood programs by creating common aligned standards for program quality, measuring program quality based on those standards, and providing professional development and other supports to help programs achieve a higher level of quality;

3. Providing professional development support for early care and education childhood professionals to increase their knowledge and skills to better support the development and learning of New Mexico’s youngest children;

4. Identifying and supporting high need early childhood Investment Zones in New Mexico by building coalitions of early childhood stakeholders and conducting strategic planning to improve the quality of early care and education in the targeted areas.

5. Creating, piloting, and implementing the Kindergarten Observation Tool (KOT), which helps teachers and families understand a child’s developmental strengths and areas for growth so they can plan instruction to meet the needs of each child.

6. Developing an Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) that organizes and more effectively uses the state’s child, family, and program information from different early childhood data systems to support system improvement, planning and accountability and support families to find a quality early childhood program for their child in their community.

New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant ended on December 31, 2017.2 In the months prior to the end of the grant, the New Mexico RTT–ELC leadership team worked to identify ways in which the projects initiated through the grant would be sustained and enhanced. This report presents the findings from the sustainability planning process.

1 New Mexico’s application scored 236 points out of a possible 280 and ranked 10th among all states that applied. 2 New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant period ran from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016. The state received a twelve-month no-cost extension, ending on December 31, 2017.

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Purpose and Methods

As New Mexico considers its next steps in early learning systems development, it is important that state leaders and stakeholders gain an understanding regarding what was accomplished with the RTT–ELC funding, the outcomes that were achieved, what is needed to enhance the system going forward, and potential sources of funding for those improvements.

Accordingly, this report has three overarching goals:

1. To describe the work conducted under New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant and the impact of the RTT–ELC projects on the New Mexico early childhood system and stakeholders;

2. To identify a next steps for New Mexico’s post RTT–ELC work and recommendations for additional systems enhancements; and

3. To recommend ways to sustain the projects by creating efficiencies in the early childhood system and identifying potential non-state funding opportunities.

To achieve these goals, three sources of information were collected, reviewed, and analyzed to provide an accurate description of each RTT–ELC project. In addition, broad input on the impact of RTT–ELC initiatives was sought from multiple stakeholders, ranging from representatives of state agencies to early childhood practitioners. These data sources are discussed in more detail below:

Document Review: This included: The New Mexico’s RTT–ELC application; RTT–ELC progress reports and budget updates; New Mexico’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan; and evaluations conducted by organizations implementing the RTT–ELC projects were analyzed. These documents provided important information about the state’s grant. Appendix A provides a list of the documents that were reviewed.

Interviews: To obtain input from those involved in implementing the RTT–ELC projects, in-person and phone interviews were conducted with the staffs from state agencies (NM Public Education Department, Department of Health and Children, Youth and Families Department), project leaders for one or more RTT–ELC projects, and community early childhood advocates. An interview protocol captured information on the goals of each project, key benefits, the anticipated cost of sustaining the work, enhancements to the current work, and potential alternative funding sources. Appendix B provides a list of individuals interviewed and Appendix C presents the questions used in these interviews.

Stakeholder Survey: A survey was created to ensure that the report was informed by New Mexico’s broad stakeholder community. The survey included questions about the impact of each RTT–ELC project, ways in which each project could be enhanced, and the importance of early care and education in the state. The survey was administered on SurveyGizmo. A link to the survey was sent to a 1,300-person stakeholder list, posted on the state’s website, and sent out on various early childhood listservs and newsletters. Broad dissemination of the survey helped ensure that nearly all New Mexico early childhood stakeholders had the opportunity to provide input. Appendix D presents the stakeholder survey questions. There were a total 234 respondents that ranged from early childhood professionals, stakeholders and the philanthropic community.

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Understanding Early Learning New Mexico As a result of the work conducted under New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant, New Mexico has branded the inter-departmental structure that administers all early childhood programs birth to age five as “Early Learning New Mexico” www.earlylearningnm.org (See Figure 1). To meet the goal of increasing the number of high-needs children in high-quality programs, the Race To the Top – Early Learning Challenge grant was leveraged to effect change and positive outcomes at the state, community and child and family level through six projects (See Figure 2 on page 10). The key elements of the RTT–ELC approach are discussed below: State-Level Initiatives Coordinated Governance At the foundation of New Mexico’s RTT–ELC approach is the development and implementation of a coordinated governance structure at the state level that worked to align and coordinate the state’s early childhood programs. Like every state, funding for early childhood programs and services reach New Mexico children and families through a number of different federal and state programs, including Head Start and Early Head Start, the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Part C (early intervention) and Part B (Section 619) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the state’s voluntary PreK (Prekindergarten) program, home visiting, and other programs. Different state agencies in New Mexico are responsible for the implementation of different early childhood programs (See Table 1).

http://www.earlylearningnm.org/

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Figure 1. Early Learning New Mexico Project Overview

Each early childhood programs have different mandated goals; eligibility criteria; program standards; professional development; technical assistance opportunities, as well as different accountability measures and data reporting processes. The fragmentation complexity of the early childhood funding and accountability creates significant challenges to the implementation of a cohesive and coordinated early learning system at the state and local level. Prior to RTT–ELC, the Public Education Department (PED), the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD), and the Department of Health (DOH) – the three state agencies with authority over one or more of the state’s early childhood programs – operated with limited coordination. In New Mexico’s RTT–ELC application, the state cited the need to transform the programs that historically served children through categorical and soloed funding streams into one coherent system of addressing early care, health, and learning. As part of the RTT–ELC grant, the state created a coordinated governance structure that facilitated decision making and communication across PED, CYFD, and DOH. The state’s approach was consistent with research that has found that collaborative, cross-systems early childhood governance can improve services for children; support greater stakeholder involvement; and create stronger K–12 linkages.3 The governance structure allowed each agency to retain control of the programs under its purview, while 3 Dichter, H. (2015). Rising to the Challenge: Building Effective Systems for Young Children and Families, a BUILD E-Book, accessed January 15, 2017, http://www.buildinitiative.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/E-BookChapter1StateSystemsBuildingThroughGovernance.pdf.

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putting in place procedures for sharing information and coordinated decision-making. The specifics of the governance structure are outlined in a manual that articulates the people, processes, communication, and reporting involved in RTT–ELC collaboration and coordination.4 The governance structure included the following components: Table 1. New Mexico Agencies Responsible for Federal and State Early Childhood Programs

New Mexico State Agency Early Childhood Programs* Public Education Department (PED) Part B, Section 619 IDEA (Early Childhood Special

Education) PreK Program** Title I, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

Department of Health (DOH) Part C, IDEA – Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) Head Start State Collaboration Office

Child Care Home Visiting Program PreK Program** Early PreK

* Only the federal or state program is included here, not the initiatives undertaken with the funding. **The New Mexico PreK program is jointly administered by PED and CYFD.

Clearly defined composition and roles. New Mexico’s RTT–ELC governance structure consists of three administrative levels. Individuals from all three agencies are represented at each level, which are: • Executive Team: These members are high-level representatives from each state agency with the

ultimate decision-making authority for the RTT–ELC grant. These individuals are responsible for the overall budgeting and allocation of resources for the grant and communicating with the Office of the Governor.

• Leadership Team: These members hold key early childhood positions within each administrative state agency, including the RTT–ELC project coordinator. These individuals provide strategic guidance and oversee the project leads—the individuals who oversee the six RTT–ELC projects.

• Project Leads: These members manage the teams implementing each RTT–ELC project and have project oversight and responsibility for achieving the objectives for each specific project.

Clear processes, communication, and reporting. Processes were established to support coordinated decision making and grant administration. The Executive Team and Leadership Team meet monthly to discuss key issues related to the grant, with additional meetings scheduled as necessary. The meetings were the primary vehicle for communicating about the grant. Decisions about the grant were informed by the dialogue that took place at these meetings. Measuring Progress through a Unified Early Childhood Data System The second foundational component of the RTT–ELC grant was the implementation of an Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) to measure the progress of programs and initiatives in supporting New Mexico’s youngest learners and their families. The fragmented historical administration of the state’s early childhood programs across three state agencies has resulted in New Mexico agencies

4 New Mexico Departments of Public Education; Children, Youth and Families; and Health (2016). New Mexico Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Governance Manual.

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historically collecting data using separate, agency-specific data systems that are not integrated. For example, New Mexico’s Student Teacher Accountability Reporting System (STARS) includes Early Childhood Special Education and Title I student data. The DOH’s Family Infant Toddler - Key Information Data System (FIT-KIDS) collects data regarding early intervention services for children birth to age 3 (IDEA, Part C). Further, EPICS, a data system that is used by the CYFD, brings together data across the agency including child care assistance information and the characteristics of child care and prekindergarten providers. Prior to RTT–ELC grant, these decentralized data systems did not allow state administrators to track children across programs, integrate early childhood program and workforce data, or monitor child outcomes over time. This lack of integration made it difficult for state agencies to make informed, data-driven policy decisions and investments in the state’s early learning system. Accordingly, ECIDS—the central data warehouse and reporting mechanism for the integrated data—was a key aspect of the RTT–ELC grant. Through this integrated data system, each child has a unique identifier which allows data from PED, CYFD, and DOH to be aligned at the child level and allows for the longitudinal tracking of child outcomes over time. Data will only be reported at the aggregate level, i.e. no child specific confidential information will be reported. Data dashboards help to visualize key data points across agencies to inform policy decisions. The aligned information measured over time will allow the state to track the number of children accessing different programs; the school readiness of children entering Kindergarten as a result of their early childhood experiences; the qualifications and training of the early childhood workforce; the quality of early learning programs and their improvement over time; and child outcomes longitudinally. In addition, the system will provide clear information to parents about the quality of early learning providers in their community, which will allow them to make informed decisions about selecting a provider for their child and family.

Community-Level Initiatives In addition to the foundational components of Early Learning New Mexico at the state level, the RTT–ELC grant also funded initiatives impacting early childhood programs, providers and schools in New Mexico’s communities. These initiatives were designed to help improve program quality, support early childhood professionals, measure and support child development in kindergarten classrooms, and build community systems of early care and education. Improving Program Quality RTT–ELC funding allowed New Mexico to implement a third-generation Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS) called FOCUS on Young Children’s Learning (FOCUS). In general, a state TQRIS defines a progression of program quality, measures program quality based on the criteria, provides resources and incentives to help programs improve quality, and conveys information about quality to parents. Prior to the RTT–ELC grant, the precursor to FOCUS, AIM HIGH, used standards for child care programs only, that defined quality largely in terms of accreditation and scores on the Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) rather than more specific activities within a classroom that improve a child’s learning. In that system, accreditation and high ERS scores became the end for providers rather

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than the means to better support learning.5 As the name implies, FOCUS was designed to shift the focus of educators and programs away from the more overarching quality criteria to the intentional use of experiences, interactions, and curriculum to promote child development and learning as defined by the New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines. FOCUS then became a process to promote quality for all of New Mexico’s Early Learning programs. FOCUS Criteria. Given the desire to define program quality with a stronger focus on child development and early learning, New Mexico developed new criteria for FOCUS under the RTT–ELC grant. One unique aspect of FOCUS is that the quality criteria are customized for the unique needs of different types of early learning programs in a community. Customized FOCUS criteria were created for state-funded preschool programs, Family Infant Toddler (FIT) early intervention programs, child care and Home Visiting programs. The customized standards reflect the different goals and requirements of each program setting. For example, the FIT FOCUS criteria include guidance specifically designed for early intervention practitioners, such as evidence based practices for a quality Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) that are measured through the IFSP Quality Rating Scale. Similarly, the FOCUS criteria for New Mexico PreK programs include guidance for creating a transition plan to support children transitioning to kindergarten. While FOCUS criteria is customized for the different early childhood programs they all have the primary goal of improving children’s growth, development, and learning as defined by the New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines. The essential elements of quality are informed by the FOCUS Criteria and aligned to the state’s professional development process. Continuous Quality Improvement. New Mexico used RTT–ELC funding to implement several quality improvement initiatives for early childhood programs and providers participating in FOCUS to help them meet the new quality criteria. Participating providers were assigned a consultant that provided training and coaching to meet the new standards. Consultants were trained on New Mexico’s Early Learning Guidelines as the basis for FOCUS. In addition, FOCUS consultants were trained to work with providers to establish a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process that included a quality self-assessment, development of an implementation plan, ongoing evaluation to determine progress on the implementation plan, and revision of the plan as necessary. RTT–ELC funding was used to implement an Authentic Observation-Documentation-Curriculum Planning (AODCP) process based on the New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines for classroom-based early learning programs. Through the process, teachers gather information on children through observation and authentic assessment, to develop lesson planning and address individual needs of children. Consultants assigned to the program used the implementation information to provide training, technical assistance, and coaching. Each program (FOCUS, PreK) received ongoing visit from the early childhood coaches and consultants. Validation. The RTT–ELC grant also provided funding to assess the extent to which program quality and gains in child development and learning were associated with the FOCUS criteria. The FOCUS criteria were developed specifically to place a stronger emphasis on the elements of quality most clearly related to child development and learning. As such, the different STAR ratings of FOCUS should capture 5 New Mexico Public Education Department. (2012). Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge Application for Initial Funding (p. 80).

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meaningful differences in quality, and programs with higher STAR ratings should have a stronger impact on gains in child development than programs with lower star ratings. The FOCUS validation study addresses these issues.6

Supporting Early Childhood Professionals New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant also funded initiatives impacting the early childhood professionals working in early childhood programs in New Mexico communities. Pyramid Framework Partnership. In recognition of the critical importance of social–emotional development during a child’s early years, New Mexico incorporated a social–emotional framework for children birth to age 5 into its RTT–ELC work. Based on the evidence-based practices created by the Center on the Social Emotional Foundations of Early Learning (CSEFEL), the Pyramid Framework is being used in New Mexico to promote the social emotional well-being of all infants and young children while promoting strategies to address challenging behavior; increase the number of high-quality trainers and coaches; and achieve community- and state-level commitment in supporting the well-being of all young children and families. New Mexico provided training seminars around the state focused on the Pyramid Framework for Social-Emotional Support, training a total of 648 individuals.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarships. To help early childhood professionals meet the practitioner credentialing criteria of FOCUS and to improve their practice, RTT–ELC grant funds were spent to provide scholarships to child care teachers, PreK teachers, early intervention practitioners, and trainers through the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship program. T.E.A.C.H. heavily subsidizes the tuition and cost of books and includes paid release time to the early childhood program so teachers can pursue a credential or degree.

Integrated Learning Approach. New Mexico has trainers and consultants that work with different programs within New Mexico’s early learning system, including child care, home visiting, state-funded PreK programs and FOCUS-TQRIS. In an effort to provide a common foundation for consultants working with the different sectors, RTT–ELC funds were used to develop an Integrated Learning Approach (ILA) for trainers, consultants, and coaches across the state. The 4-day training (30-hour course), piloted in June 2016, was designed for professionals in various early childhood programs to support alignment. The goal of the ILA is to help trainers transform professional development opportunities into dialogue-rich learning experiences that utilize adult learning models.

Measuring and Supporting Child Development and Learning in Kindergarten New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant also funded the development of the KOT (Kindergarten Observation Tool), which is now being used in every public kindergarten classroom in the state to measure the developmental level of children when they enter kindergarten. The KOT is a comprehensive assessment of child development and learning and is appropriate for assessing the diverse population of New Mexico kindergarteners. Findings from the tool help inform curriculum and instructional planning and

6 The results of the validation study are not yet available.

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provide valuable information to the state on the school readiness of children as they walk through the kindergarten door. The initiative was a key part of the RTT–ELC grant as it connects the early childhood and K–12 systems and provides important information about the development and learning of the children transitioning from the state’s early care and education programs. Building Community Systems of Early Care and Education A unique community-level initiative funded under New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant was the creation of early childhood Investment Zones. Using community-level data, the state identified 11 counties and 35 priority school districts, which engaged in intensive systems building work that included the creation of a cross-sector local coalition, implementation of a community-wide self-assessment and action plan, leadership coaching, and the implementation of a Results-Based Accountability (RBA) process. The work done as part of the Investment Zones provided a foundation for the successful, coordinated implementation of other RTT–ELC initiatives in the most at-risk counties and communities in the state. Child and Family-Level Initiatives The ultimate beneficiaries of the state’s RTT–ELC work are the state’s young children and families. Most directly, RTT–ELC projects support an increased awareness of the importance of early childhood program quality among parents. Using a data system that is part of ECIDS, parents can search for programs and use the FOCUS star rating system to better understand the quality of the program, allowing them to make a more informed choice about the care for their child. Equally important, the new FOCUS criteria emphasize the importance of family engagement, including promoting a program philosophy that emphasizes cultural heritage and family involvement in the program’s continuous quality improvement process. The KOT also benefits families and children. The results of the assessment are shared with parents through a family– teacher report and provide families and teachers with information to talk with one another about promoting the child’s development. RTT–ELC Initiatives from a System Perspective While discussed as separate projects above, New Mexico’s RTT–ELC initiatives represent a set of interconnected initiatives that move the state toward the overall goal of more at-risk children in higher quality early learning settings. While customized for different early childhood settings, the FOCUS criteria set common standards of quality across all types of early childhood settings in the state. The quality improvement and professional development initiatives funded under RTT–ELC align with the FOCUS criteria and are meant to support programs in moving up the quality continuum defined by FOCUS. KOT measures the ultimate outcome of the initiatives—the school readiness of children as they enter kindergarten. ECIDS brings the information from the different initiatives—FOCUS star ratings, workforce credentials, KOT scores and other data—together in one system to allow policymakers to make data-driven decisions based on a full view of the system. The coordinated governance provides the decision-making structure at the state level that will allow the information provided by ECIDS to be used in a coordinated response across the fragmented funding streams.

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Early Learning New Mexico Impact

Figure 2 highlights the impact of Early Learning New Mexico. The initiatives discussed above were designed to affect different parts of the state’s early care and education system so that more high-needs children could have access to higher quality early learning programs. Each project played a role in that overall goal, by improving program quality; increasing access to high-quality programs; supporting workforce development; or providing important information to help with a parent’s choice of a child care provider, a teachers’ curriculum planning, or a state-level policy decision. The outcomes are wide-ranging and can be observed at the state, community, and child and family level. Figure 2. Impact of New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant

State-Level Impact

A significant portion of RTT–ELC funding was used to develop supports that improve the state- level early childhood system. The impact of these activities includes:

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• Implementation of a coordinated early learning governance structure; • Creation of essential elements of quality for all FOCUS programs; • Development of an Early Learning NM Communication campaign • Development of a Kindergarten Observation Tool (KOT); and • Creation of an Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS).

Community-Level Impact Early learning programs and classrooms in New Mexico communities were also recipients of RTT–ELC supports. These supports resulted in the following outcomes:

• 413 programs participating in FOCUS7 • 51 programs moving up at least one Star level in past year8 • 244 New Mexico PreK, 190 Special Education, and 33Title I classrooms in 89 school districts

received professional development to implement 5 Star criteria9 • 12 communities with early childhood coalitions and action plans10 • 395 T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships awarded11 • 180 professionals trained in the Integrated Learning Approach12 • 648 professionals trained on the Pyramid Framework.13

Child and Family-Level Impact The ultimate goal of the RTT–ELC grant is to improve the well-being of New Mexico’s children and families. The impact at the child level includes the following:

• 41,848 high needs children in FOCUS 4 and 5 Star sites;14 and • 1,447 teachers assessing 22,073 children with the KOT.15

Stakeholder Survey Results

A key step in developing sustainability recommendations for New Mexico involved gathering input from the state’s early childhood stakeholders. To obtain stakeholder input, a survey was disseminated to the New Mexico early childhood community in April and May of 2017. The survey requested information about respondents’ perceptions of the impact of each RTT–ELC project.

7 Data obtained from New Mexico CYFD, October 2017. 8 RTT-ELC APR for 2016. “Promoting Participation in the TQRIS (Section B(2) of Application).” p.18. 9 RTT-ELC APR for 2016. “Raising the Quality of Early Learning Programs, Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS).” p. 6. 10 Data obtained through stakeholder interviews, March 2017. 11 Data obtained through stakeholder interviews, October 2017. 12 RTT-ELC APR for 2016. “Supporting Early Childhood Educators in improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities. (Section D(2) of Application), Integrated Learning Approach.” p. 46. 13 Data obtained through stakeholder interviews, October 2017. 14 RTT-ELC APR for 2016. “Actuals: Number and percent of Children in High Needs in programs in top tiers of the TQRIS.” p. 32. (Calculated total number of children in top tiers for Year 4, column 2.) 15 RTT-ELC APR for 2016. “6. Supporting Schools in Meeting Each Child’s Needs, Kindergarten Observation Tool.” p. 11.

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There are several points to keep in mind before examining the survey results. First, the survey consists of a self-selected sample of 234 respondents.16 A link to the survey was disseminated widely across the state and each stakeholder decided whether to respond.17 As such, it is likely that the pool of survey respondents consisted of individuals who feel strongly about the RTT–ELC grant (positively or negatively) or who had a specific interest in one or more of the projects. Second, at the time of the survey, the state was still in the process of implementing the grant, so some of the projects that rolled out later (e.g., ECIDS, KOT) were only beginning to affect (or had not yet affected) stakeholders. Therefore, in some cases a finding of low impact could be a product of when the project was implemented and not the actual impact of the initiative. Third, some of the initiatives targeted small but important groups (e.g., Investment Zones), and those stakeholders who were not part of the targeted group may have been less likely to rate the project as having a large impact. Survey Participants Survey participants represented a wide array of organizations and roles within New Mexico’s early childhood community. As can be seen in Figure 3, respondents to the survey ranged from individuals working in New Mexico PreK programs to members of the philanthropic community. The top three organization types represented in the survey were New Mexico PreK, child care, and elementary schools.

16 A respondent is defined as an individual who answered at least one question about the RTT–ELC projects on the survey. Sixty people started the survey but did not make it past the demographic questions (identifying their program type and role) and were therefore excluded from analyses. Response rates varied per question and are reported within the charts. 17 The survey was disseminated to over 1,300 individuals on the New Mexico Early Learning contact list and the survey was active for two weeks.

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Figure 3. Programs, organizations, and business types represented by survey respondents

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1

2

2

7

7

8

9

10

14

17

22

26

27

41

49

50

55

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Other

Funder

Early Childhood Mental Health

Health Care

Advisory Group

Title I Preschool

Family Child Care

Advocacy Organization

State Agency

NM Home Visiting Program

Institute of Higher Ed

Head Start

Preschool Special Education

PD/TA Provider

FIT Program

Elementary School

Child Care

NM Pre-K

*Sum is greater than total # of participants as respondents could endorse more than one category

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Figure 4. Presents the roles of survey respondents. The information gathered by the survey ranged from individuals who worked as early childhood program administrators to family members of a young child in the system. The top three roles represented were early childhood program administrators (directors, principals, etc.); early childhood teachers and assistant teachers; and kindergarten teachers. Figure 4. Roles of survey respondents

The survey results below analyze the data overall and by survey respondent type. Because of the small sample size for some role categories, categories were collapsed into the following groups for the

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2

3

3

3

4

4

5

5

8

17

25

24

36

77

0 20 40 60 80 100

Other

Family member of young child

Elementary school staff

Program support staff

Vendor

FCC or other home provider

Advisory group member

Home visitor

Professor or other IHE staff

Early childhood advocate

FIT or ECSE staff

Early childhood PD provider

Kindergarten teacher

Early childhood teacher or asst. teacher

EC program administrator, director, principal, etc.

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analysis: system-level participants,18 professional development providers,19 program/school administrators,20 teachers,21 and other direct service providers.22, 23 Findings Respondents were asked to rate the overall impact of each RTT–ELC project and their various subcomponents on a 10-point scale (1 = no impact, 10 = strong impact) and indicate whether they believed the impact was positive or negative. Survey participants were given the opportunity to provide open-ended responses to describe the impact of each project, offer suggestions for enhancements, and offer general comments or opinions that were reviewed by the RTT-ELC team. In addition, respondents were asked to rank the five projects (FOCUS, Professional Supports, Investment Zones, the Kindergarten Observation Tool, and the Early Childhood Integrated Data System) from most to least important. Figure 5. Ratings of overall impact of FOCUS and project components

18 Advisory group members (e.g., early learning advisory council members), early childhood advocates, vendors 19 This group included early childhood coaches, consultants, professors, higher education staff, or other professional development providers. 20 This group included early childhood program administrators, directors, owners, school principals/assistant principals. 21 This group included early childhood teachers and assistant teachers, family child care or home-based providers, kindergarten teachers. 22 This group included Family Infant and Toddler Program staff, Early Childhood Special Education Staff, home visitors. 23 Some participants did not answer the questions that were compared by role and thus were not included in one of these categories (e.g., family member of young child).

Degree of Impact (1 = no impact, 10 = strong impact)

% Positive Rating vs. % Negative Rating

N = 138

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FOCUS TQRIS The FOCUS RTT–ELC project consisted of a number of different components including the development of new quality criteria; expanding the use of the new criteria to Home Visiting and Early Intervention, and public school programs, including NM PreK, special education and Title 1 preschool; programs; and the implementation of AODCP (Authentic Observation Documentation Curriculum Planning) process, a continuous improvement process, and coaching and consultation to support quality improvement. A high percentage of respondents (between 76 and 82 percent) reported a positive impact for FOCUS overall and its separate components (See Figure 5). Those that reported a positive impact for FOCUS and its elements thought the impact was highly positive (impact between 7.3 and 7.9 out of 10) while those who reported a negative impact found the negative impact to be relatively modest by comparison (4.2 to 4.9 out of 10). A key finding from the survey is that the professional development supporting FOCUS had one of the highest average positive ratings and the lowest average negative rating among survey respondents. This suggests that stakeholders perceived relatively greater benefit and little negative impact from the professional development supports. This finding is consistent with comments highlighting the importance of the FOCUS professional development. For example:

“FOCUS has increased attention to the importance of high-quality care for young children. The emphasis on teacher training and ongoing onsite support of teachers has made an impact on the level of quality of care available for children and families.”

Across the projects, there was some variation in the perceived impact of FOCUS across different types of respondents. System-level participants (i.e. state agency representatives, advisory group members [e.g., early learning advisory council members], early childhood advocates, and vendors) were the most likely to report a positive impact (92 percent), while program/school administrators (i.e., early childhood program directors, owners, or school principals/assistant principals) were the most likely to report a negative impact of FOCUS (27 percent of this group). This negative perception in the latter group may reflect the fact that the onus of FOCUS implementation (i.e., paperwork and quality improvement efforts) falls most heavily on these individuals. See Appendix E for differences among the respondents. A significant number of respondents requested additional supports for FOCUS such as more coaching, consultants, and trainings. At the same time, there were a number of comments expressing that there was too much paperwork and documentation required for FOCUS participation, displacing time and resources that might otherwise be spent directly on children. For example, one program administrator noted:

“FOCUS TQRIS has dramatically increased staff's workload. It has created new requirements for training as well. While the intent and outcomes of TQRIS are positive for families (and in some ways for providers) the impact on our ability to maintain staff has been very negative due to the extra workloads/requirements. Quality services are imperative and we support this 100%; however, this is yet another case when there are more requirements placed on already overworked professionals in this field.”

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Recommendations based on the survey results. There are a number of things for PED, CYFD, and DOH to consider given these survey results. First, given the positive impact of training and professional development that was a part of FOCUS, and the fact that a significant number of respondents requested more coaching, consultants, and trainings, additional supports for FOCUS programs should be considered. Many survey participants perceived FOCUS as an unfunded mandate and requested additional financial resources to support them in meeting the quality requirements (e.g., grants to support staff time in professional development, cost of family engagement meetings, etc.). In addition, there appears to be some confusion regarding whether FOCUS is a mandatory or voluntary program, so this aspect of the program should be clarified by the state. Finally, FOCUS is designed to make parents more aware of the importance of quality early care and education and to help them distinguish between low and higher-quality programs through the star rating. Some participants noted that many parents were unfamiliar with the program minimizing its impact as a mechanism of market-driven quality improvement. Accordingly, a broader public awareness campaign informing families and communities about FOCUS would be beneficial. Figure 6. Ratings of overall impact of professional supports and project components

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS To support the professional growth of early childhood professionals in New Mexico and improve their practice, the RTT–ELC grant funded free training and institutes on a range of important child development topics, as well as scholarships (i.e., T.E.A.C.H.) for early educators to earn an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree in early childhood education. Most respondents (between 80


N = 115


18

and 89 percent) reported a positive impact for the professional supports overall, and each support individually (Figure 6). As can be seen in Appendix E, professional development providers were the most likely to report a positive impact (92 percent), whereas other direct service providers were least likely (73 percent). When participants were asked to rank the RTT–ELC projects from most to least important, professional supports was ranked the most important. Seventy-four survey respondents ranked it as most important and only 3 participants ranked it as least important (Appendix F). Stakeholders’ positive attitudes toward professional development were also strongly represented in the comments, particularly the teacher training and on-site support opportunities (e.g., coaching, consultation). Stakeholders appreciated the targeted nature of these supports and reported that as a result, teacher knowledge increased, which in turn led to improvements in teacher–child interactions. For example:

“Having consultants and coaches work one on one with individuals working in early childhood settings is such an asset to our state. I wish I had had such a thing when I was working in the classroom.”

Many respondents also spoke positively of the T.E.A.C.H. program, which had the highest positive impact rating of all RTT–ELC projects (8.3 out of 10). However, stakeholders also noted that the program could not meet the demand in the field (i.e., many individuals were put on wait lists for T.E.A.C.H. scholarships). It is likely that this contributed to any negative ratings among respondents of the program rather than the actual content or delivery of the program. A recurring theme among stakeholders is the need for increased individualization and scaffolding of professional supports with more advanced training opportunities. Survey participants commented that just as children have differing needs and developmental levels, teachers and programs also need different types and degrees of support. Some participants described the current approach to training as “one-size-fits-all” and advocated for trainings offered at different levels to accommodate varying levels of experience and knowledge. Specifically, there was a call for more trainings at advanced levels and for more doctoral-level educational opportunities in early childhood.

“Overall, the support has been positive but it does seem very remedial. More advanced classes and concepts would be appreciated.”

Additionally, stakeholders called for more trainings outside of Santa Fe and Albuquerque to increase access for more remote communities. Recommendations based on the survey results. Given these comments, the state should consider individualized, scaffolded training with opportunities for early childhood professionals at every level. New Mexico should consider a tiered system of professional supports that would accommodate the different levels of experience and knowledge of the workforce. In addition, the state should consider increasing the number of training and professional development opportunities overall, with a focus on one-on-one, on-site support such as coaches, mentors, and consultants. The T.E.A.C.H. program should be expanded to meet demand and the geographic reach of training opportunities should be expanded to make sure they are accessible to rural communities around the state.

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INVESTMENT ZONES Investment Zones work to create community-based early childhood systems in the most at-risk areas of New Mexico. RTT–ELC funds supported coalition building among early learning stakeholders and strategic planning to improve the quality of early care and education in the Investment Zones. As presented in Figure 7, most respondents (between 76 and 89 percent) reported a positive impact for the Investment Zones project overall and each sub-component individually. Professional development providers were the most likely to report a positive impact (100 percent), whereas system-level participants were least likely to report a positive effect (71 percent). Figure 7. Ratings of overall impact of Investment Zones and project components

The stakeholder data and comments highlighted increased collaboration and early childhood program alignment within Investment Zone communities. Respondents reported that the Investment Zones have strengthened relationships among community partners and brought much needed services and supports to children and families with the highest needs. Stakeholders also observed that the Investment Zones have started the process of breaking down some of the siloes within the early

(N = 52)

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childhood landscape. It was noted that this is a process that will take some time, but that the RTT–ELC efforts were a good start. One survey respondent noted:

“Many people from the community are now working together and sharing information and contacts. Parents are more involved and resources are being shared. Concerns are talked about openly, communication is stronger and more real.”

Recommendations based on the survey results. Early childhood programs and providers work within communities and it is at the community level where coordination, collaboration, and alignment of early childhood services occur. As such, the work of the Investments Zones is extremely important to supporting at-risk children and families. The state should build on and expand the work to other communities to better leverage the funding available and to provide a community infrastructure to support state-level initiatives. In this expansion, the state should reexamine the methodology used to determine the areas that receive priority. The most recent data should be used to make sure the designation reflects the most high-need areas. Figure 8. Ratings of overall impact of the Kindergarten Observation Tool and project components

KINDERGARTEN OBSERVATION TOOL (KOT) As presented in Figure 8, most respondents (between 75 and 82 percent) reported a positive impact for the KOT overall, and each sub-component individually. System-level participants were the most likely to report a positive impact (100 percent), whereas other direct service providers, which included kindergarten teachers, were least likely to report a positive effect (55 percent).

(N = 55)



21

Two major themes that emerged from the stakeholder responses about the KOT: (1) improvements in teacher knowledge about children’s development; and (2) the burden on teachers. Many stakeholders reported that the KOT helped teachers better understand children’s strengths and needs, thereby improving the effectiveness of instruction. For example:

“The Kindergarten Observation Tool allows teachers to know where children are in their development therefore helping them individualize to meet the needs of every child.”

At the same time, a significant number of participants felt that the KOT is redundant with other assessment efforts and too burdensome on teachers, displacing time that might otherwise be spent teaching and interacting with children. One respondent noted:

“KOT is a tremendous burden on kindergarten teachers. This information gathering process takes away from community building that is crucial at the beginning of the year. The children are already tested on ‘Istation’ and, most likely, a math assessment. We need to put an end to over assessing the children and over burdening teachers with tasks that take away from true teaching and learning.”

Notably, nearly half (45 percent) of teachers reported a negative impact of the KOT, whereas all system-level participants had a positive rating (see Appendix E).24 Additionally, when stakeholders were asked to rank the five RTT–ELC projects from most to least important, KOT was ranked as most important by only 7 respondents and as least important by 47 respondents (see Appendix F). Recommendations based on the survey results. New Mexico has undertaken a rigorous developmental process to create a valid and reliable tool, so the next step for the state is implementation support to ensure the tool is being use with fidelity by kindergarten teachers. As such, more training on the KOT would be beneficial to help teachers understand its importance and to support fidelity. In addition, many survey respondents expressed a desire to use the KOT to create a greater connection between early childhood programs and kindergarten. This includes more communication between early childhood and kindergarten teachers, more data sharing, and more consistency in developmental expectations and pedagogical approaches. Participants also suggested greater alignment with district requirements (e.g., assessments used, progress reports) to reduce burden and redundancy. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires Local Education Agencies to form agreements with early childhood programs in their school districts to facilitate coordination and transitions. PED should consider providing guidance to LEAs on sharing KOT data with schools and using the data to better connect early childhood programs with the K–12 system. PED should examine Washington’s ‘WAKIDS’ initiative, which uses a developmentally appropriate, whole-child observation tool to measure school readiness at kindergarten entry which is embedded within a larger policy framework that includes a family engagement, early childhood/K–12 transitions, and community planning.

24 It should be noted that N = 22 for teachers, N = 5 for system-level participants.

http://www.k12.wa.us/wakids/

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EARY CHILDHOOD INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEM At the time of the survey, ECIDS was not yet active so participants were asked to rate how useful they thought the data system will be once operational. Respondents (N = 91) indicated that the data system would be very useful with an average rating of 7.7 on a 10-point scale (1 = not useful, 10 = very useful). In addition, participants were asked to rate the potential usefulness of each function of the ECIDS on the same 10-point scale. As can be seen in Figure 9, the data function with the highest perceived usefulness was showing student success over time. The function with the lowest perceived usefulness was school readiness data. Potential uses of data identified in the comments mostly reflected the categories listed in the figure including longitudinal data, providing families with information about programs, understanding availability and uptake of services across the state, and school readiness data. Other potential uses identified include providing teachers information for differentiating instruction and evaluating the impact of services across disability categories to identify gaps in services. Some participants requested that health data (including hearing and vision testing). Figure 9. Ratings of usefulness of Early Childhood Integrated Data System functions

1 It should be noted that N = 22 for teachers, N = 5 for system-level participants. Recommendations based on the survey results. While it is difficult to make recommendations for the ECIDS prior to its full implementation, the survey did asked respondents what other data sources or uses of the ECIDS would maximize its impact. Respondents comments were reviewed by the RTT-ELC leadership team. Although many respondents deferred from expressing an opinion until the ECIDS is implemented, those who did choose to comment spoke about ensuring access to the data and building

How Useful Data Will Be (1 = not useful, 10 = very useful)

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awareness that the data is available. Stakeholders noted that for ECIDS to have maximal impact, it will be important that broad access is granted to stakeholders (e.g., parents, teachers, researchers, program administrators). Additionally, the state should explore multiple outreach strategies to ensure that people—particularly parents—are aware of this resource. New Mexico’s RTT-ELC Project Details and Potential Enhancements New Mexico was selected in the second round of the federal RTT–ELC grant competition and received a total of $37.5 million in grant funding between January 2013 and December 2016. As discussed in the introductory section, the New Mexico RTT–ELC grant is comprised of a set of coordinated projects that work to close school readiness gaps by improving the quality of and access to the state’s early childhood programs. In this section, the next steps for the RTT–ELC projects are discussed. The tables below provide additional description of the projects along with information on the state’s achievements, the value the project provides to children and families in New Mexico, and potential enhancements for the project that can be considered for next steps. Opportunities for federal and other sources of non-state funding these for these enhancements are discussed in Recommendation 2 in the next section. The project tables below present information on four key questions:

1. How much did the state spend on the project? The first row of each table provides the overall amount spent on each project. RTT–ELC budget documents were consulted to determine this amount.

2. What did the state achieve through the project? The second row of each table contains information on what the state “bought” with the RTT–ELC funding for each project. The information comes from the document review, interviews with agency staff and implementing organizations, and the stakeholder survey.

3. What value does this program provide to children and families in New Mexico? Using information from agency staff, implementing organizations, and feedback from the stakeholder survey, the third row describes the impact or value of the project for children and families.

4. What enhancements to this program would improve the Early Learning New Mexico System? Using information from agency staff, the recommendations from the organizations implementing the RTT–ELC projects, and stakeholder input, a discussion for further enhancements is provided in the fourth row.

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State Level

Early

Chi

ldho

od In

tegr

ated

Dat

a Sy

stem

(ECI

DS)

The state spent… $10,132,643 was spent to build an integrated data system across public agencies serving young children and their families.

The state achieved… A unique identifier for children and the integration of data from several different systems across public agencies, including DOH, PED, and CYFD. The ECIDS warehouse provides the infrastructure needed to support the secure transfer, storage and reporting of ECIDS data. ECIDS data also informs policy and funding decisions impacting young children in New Mexico. The system can be used to draw down data to create interactive data dashboards within PED (for example, users can select a school district from a map to show specific data from that district in a pie chart). The Department of Health’s Epidemiology division also produces data visualization/maps with New Mexico’s Indicator Based Information System (IBIS) using geocoding.

What value does this program provide to children and families in NM?

ECIDS: • Expands and aligns data systems across

agencies; • Informs early childhood policy and outcomes; • Provides data to support an early childhood

workforce development plan; • Creates a data warehouse and reporting

mechanism to support policy decisions; • Tracks the efficacy of early learning programs

as evidenced by longitudinal tracking of child outcomes; and

• Can help determine where there are gaps in services for early learning, target investments accordingly, and assist with planning for the supply and demand of key services.

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Systems Development

FOCU

S –

Tier

ed Q

ualit

y Ra

ting

and

Impr

ovem

ent S

yste

m

Overall

The state spent… The state spent $22,368,305 for the FOCUS TQRIS, including Quality Standards, Continuous Quality Improvement/Training and Consultation, and the Authentic Observation Documentation-Curriculum Planning Process (AODCP).

Quality Standards

Quality standards and criteria for each type of early learning program as part of the expansion of its quality rating and improvement system, including:

o Home Visiting o Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program (Early Intervention - IDEA Part C) o Early Head Start / Head Start o Child Care o PreK o Preschool Special Education (IDEA 619) o Title 1 Early Childhood programs

The standards were piloted with 200 programs across New Mexico, with several program standards being rolled out in stages. The FOCUS Essential Elements of Quality for state-funded Public School Preschool Programs was developed using the New Mexico PreK Program Standards as the basis for the 5 Star Criteria. All PED PreK programs are being phased into FOCUS. PreK is funded in 54 of 89 districts and 6 charter schools. Additionally, 41 of the 89 districts are fully implementing FOCUS in their Special Education and Title I preschool programming. With the input of the state’s Family Child Care (FCC) providers, FOCUS FCC Criteria were created to better accommodate the unique learning environment children experience in family child care homes. Approximately 20 licensed providers from across the state participated in the initial launch. Funding was used to increase participation in FOCUS: FOCUS has 413 active programs with 5-15 new programs applying each month. FOCUS participants include:

o 2+ Star = 91 o Star = 66 o 4 Star = 26 o 5 Star = 230

Many of these programs have either re-verified at their current Star level or advanced a Star level indicating commitment to FOCUS and its sustainability. Fifty-one programs moved up a star from 2015 to 2016: 14 Star 2 to 3 13 Star 3 to 4

24 Star 4 to 5

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The new standards allow programs in FOCUS to adopt new, clear benchmarks for quality that recognize efforts to raise quality across early learning settings. For example, public school preschool programs that provide evidence of meeting at least 70 points (70%) of the “Exemplary Practices” in a specific area of the Foundations of Quality-Full Participation of Each Child in addition to meeting the 5 Star Criteria will also be recognized as an “Exemplary Program” in that area.

What enhancements to this program would improve the Early Learning NM system?

The state should examine the findings of the FOCUS validation study and make changes to the standards based on the results to ensure the most important elements of quality are being measured by the criteria. The state should also recognize the administrative burden the system may place on participants and work to both incentivize participation and reduce barriers to entry.

Continuous Quality Improvement/Training and Consultation

The state achieved… Consultation assigned to participating programs to help meet the new FOCUS quality standards through training and coaching and help them establish a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process. The CQI approach supports programs participating in FOCUS by conducting:

o a self-assessment of their quality; implementing planned changes / improvements

o measuring the effectiveness of the changes / improvements; and

o making the adjustments needed. A total of 413 Child Care Programs, 244 New Mexico PreK, 190 special education and 67 Title I preschool classrooms received at least monthly consultative support to implement FOCUS Criteria including support for the implementation of the CQI process. , while all FOCUS trainings were offered to preschool personnel and administrators in all 89 school districts and any state charter schools with preschool programs.

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The CQI and training create an ongoing process to help programs evaluate their goals and progress toward those goals on a regular basis. FOCUS coaches support administrators and teachers as they improve teaching practices that support positive child learning outcomes.


The restructuring of New Mexico’s Professional Development system (see next section) provides an opportunity to reimagine and integrate the work of other RTT–ELC projects into a data driven professional development process. The availability of KOT data and other relevant quality and workforce data from ECIDS gives New Mexico trainers and consultants a wealth of information that can be used to tailor support for specific programs. The fact that under the new professional development structure one consultant will be coordinating the professional development for a program can facilitate this data driven process.

Authentic Observation-Documentation-Curriculum Planning Process (AODCP)

The state achieved… Training for all Child Care and PreK programs on a continuous cycle of program planning; implementation; observation and documentation of child development; and reflection. New Mexico's observational assessment involves the creation of a portfolio, assessment on indicators from the early learning standards, and summary reports that are shared twice a year with families. The information collected is linked to a weekly lesson plan template and used for curriculum planning.


Using an observational, outcomes-based assessment process reinforces the potential for learning and growth and the value of providing quality early childhood programs for children's long-term success. It also establishes a common framework for accountability and expectations for Child Care and Pre-K children while creating channels for communication with families about their children's capabilities.


The state should examine the findings of the AODCP validation study conducted by Child Trends and use them to inform AODCP professional development.

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Community and Family Level

Inve

stm

ent Z

ones

The state spent… $400,000 in RTT–ELC funding combined with funding from the Maternal

Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program over 2.5 years to administer a placed-based initiative in 13 communities focused on grassroots engagement for strengthening a system of integrated services that meets community-identified early childhood needs.

The state achieved… Using a risk-factor analysis and community-level data, the state identified Investment Zones covering 11 counties and 35 priority school districts in a community systems-building process that included:

• Development of a cross-sector coalition of programs and organizations;

• Implementation of a community-wide self-assessment and action plan using a Self-Assessment and Planning Tool developed for the Investment Zones;

• Participation in an Early Childhood Leadership Institute and access to coaching;

• Using data driven decision making, strategic planning, and Results-Based Accountability (RBA) process as drivers for action; and

• Access to a Mind in the Making learning series to build a common language around quality early learning and child development using resources from First Books, Prescriptions for Learning, and the VROOM app.


• The Investment Zones project developed a foundation for the successful, coordinated implementation of child development, health and early learning programs in New Mexico’s most at-risk counties and communities by supporting collaboration, leadership, visioning and taking action within a community.

• The Investment Zone initiatives received the highest scores on the New Mexico stakeholder survey for positive impact on New Mexico stakeholders exposed to the project.

• Since funding to support children and families flows from the federal government to New Mexico communities through multiple, fragmented funding streams, community-level coalition-building and common visioning is essential for successful implementation and an early learning system that promotes positive child development outcomes.


• While touching every region of New Mexico, Investment Zones were not implemented in every community in New Mexico. Given that this project was highly regarded by stakeholders, the state should consider expanding the number of Investment Zones and revising the methodology for selection, using the most recently available data, to ensure that the areas of the state with the highest need are chosen for participation.

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Professional Development Pr

ofes

sion

al D

evel

opm

ent

The state spent… $1,740,000 to provide professional development through a network of consultants to support the implementation of the FOCUS TQRIS in public PreK classrooms.

The state achieved… Content specific training provided to Title I and special education teachers who, prior to RTT–ELC, did not have access to professional development delivered through the New Mexico PreK program. Specifically, funding was used to provide FOCUS training to public school preschool teachers, administrators, and educational assistants using 4 Full Time Consultants and 4 Part Time Consultants. Fifty-one districts were served that received training in 218 Classrooms for 207 Teachers and 297 Educational Assistants. These trainings impacted 5,124 children. Additional FOCUS Trainings included:

• ECERS-3 Offered Online; 1060 trained • Intentional Teaching - 23 offered; 596 trained • ECOT – 18 offered; 986 trained • LETRS-EC - 29 offered; 1111 trained • NM Pyramid Framework -19 offered; 648 trained • Full Participation - pilot 4 offered; 164 trained • Full Participation Institute - 500 trained

These trainings impacted over 5,000 early childhood professionals. There are also examples of increased coordination and collaboration between teachers from Title I, Special education, and Pre-K resulting from the professional development, as well as stronger connections with Kindergarten teachers. Equally important, training and support focused on serving children with special educational needs has created more inclusive classroom settings in the 41 school districts working with special education PD consultants. Ninety percent of IDEA 619 Funded Preschool Classrooms receive this training.


RTT–ELC funds for PreK Professional Development are able to support professional development for special education and Title 1 preschool teachers and fosters a more inclusive educational environment for children. The PreK program works closely with another RTT–ELC projects project, the Kindergarten Observation Tool (KOT). Kindergarten teachers are able to get a better sense of their children’s developmental trajectory as a result of the connections between the KOT and Pre-K PD.


• To adequately support all programs participating in the FOCUS TQRIS, New Mexico’s professional development capacity should be increased.

• A Train-the-Trainer module is currently being piloted with consultants and could be expanded to more districts.

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Sch

olar

ship

s The state spent… $1,831,748 million to support higher education scholarships for New

Mexico’s early childhood workforce. This provided scholarships for 715 educators.

The state achieved… Enhanced involvement of early childhood educators of children ages birth to 5 in seeking degrees in early childhood education. There were 395 scholarships for different types of scholars, including: Funders/Categories Scholars Percentage PED Scholars 39 10% Home Visitors 26 7% DOH Early Intervention 26 7% PhD cohort at NMSU 13 3% PhD cohort at Walden 1 0.25% CYFD Childcare 266 67% Professional Development Specialist 24 6% Total 395 100% Over the course of the grant, 74 scholars earned the following degrees/certificates in New Mexico:

- Child Development Certificate (29) - Infant Family Studies Certificate (7) - Administrator Certificate (1) - Associate’s degree (14) - Bachelor’s degree (12) - Alternative Licensure (2) - Master’s degree (9)


The average child care worker in New Mexico makes near poverty-level wages and can often qualify for public assistance benefits. Accordingly, financial assistance is one of the most important supports for helping early childhood educators access higher education. New Mexico’s RTT–ELC funds allowed more early childhood education professionals to benefit from T.E.A.C.H. RTT–ELC funds enabled an expansion of the scholarship program to include additional cohorts of master’s and PhD level students through the Erickson Institute and New Mexico State University in La Cruces, respectively. An additional 9 people graduated from Erickson due to this expansion.


Look at diverse models for distribution of scholarship funds. By assessing the needs and capacity, more teachers will be able to continue their education, and the children of New Mexico will continue to benefit from ongoing professional development and improved quality in the classroom.

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Inte

grat

ed L

earn

ing

Appr

oach

The state spent… $675,000 per year.

The state achieved…

An approach to training and consultation called the Integrated Learning Approach (ILA). The course was designed for professionals in various early childhood programs to support alignment across the state. The approach was piloted in June 2016 and begins with a 4-day course (30 hour) event designed to introduce trainers, consultants, and coaches across the state to the NM Integrated Learning Approach. An advisory group of six experienced New Mexico Early Childhood Services trainers and consultants worked with and advised Global Learning Partners throughout the length of the project. The group:

• Identified trainers and consultants to participate in the pilot of customized courses.

• Established high level training for trainers and for consultants based upon the agreed upon competencies in the early childhood field.

• Customized courses to draw upon a developed, flexible and widely tested approach to adult learning called Dialogue Education.

• The New Mexico ILA seeks to transform professional development opportunities into dialog rich, learning-centered events that respect and value the prior experiences of the adult learner. Participants build on their current practices, discovering new ways to create training and consulting events, ensuring that each event is relevant, engaging and immediately applicable. By the end of July 2017, approximately 180 individuals will have completed the course and be using the ILA in their work as a facilitator of adult learning.


• The RTT-ELC grant helped New Mexico to align professional development supports through a cross-sector training approach (home visiting, early intervention, public education, 619, pre-k, and child care) while focusing on those professionals who support educators.

• For the first time, these professionals are speaking the same language and programs, administrators, teachers, and families are hearing the same thing.

• Targeted research-based professional development support on how to facilitate learning is having an impact on teachers and their facilitation in the classroom.


• The registry for those who deliver training and want to receive credit hours is being migrated to the learning management system (platform for online training funded by RTTT).

• In order to increase access to learning opportunities across the state, trainings can be offered online and translated into Spanish.

• A help desk function associated with the online training would offer additional support to participants.

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Sustainability Recommendations

New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant provided $37.5 million to support a systems-building effort designed to improve access to high-quality early care and learning programs. The end of the RTT–ELC grant does not represent an end to these efforts. There are a number of ways in which the state can sustain the work accomplished by the grant and build upon the new system components it has created. Below are a number of sustainability recommendations derived from the interviews, stakeholder input, and national best practices in early care and education, to move the early learning work in New Mexico forward that center around:

1. Governance

2. Quality

3. Accountability

4. Access

Recommendation 1: GOVERNANCE - Develop a governance structure through a formal agreement

The coordinated governance structure created under the RTT–ELC grant facilitated decision making and communication among PED, CYFD, and DOH

— the administrative agencies responsible for a majority of the state’s federally and state-funded early childhood programs. This coordinated early

childhood governance structure should be sustained and formalized. The end of the grant gives the three New Mexico agencies an opportunity to evaluate roles

and responsibilities and formalize a governance structure through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or other interagency agreement.

New Mexico should first evaluate the current roles of the governance structure against best practice (See “Core Elements of Governance” below). Next, a formal agreement or MOU should be created that will help institutionalize the coordination and collaboration across state agencies and sustain those efforts even if there are changes in state leadership. The following elements should be included in the MOU/agreement:

• The participating agencies, goals, and organization of the governance structure; • The joint responsibilities of the participating agencies; • The duration of the MOU/agreement, which should account for changes in state

leadership (a recommendation is to stagger to term of the agreement so that it does not expire at the same time as the administration);

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• A process for making decisions and settling disagreements among the agencies; • Enforcement action to ensure that the responsibilities of each agency are being met; • The formal relationship with the Early Learning Advisory Council; • Management and planning of ongoing communications; and • A process for amending the MOU/agreement as necessary.

An MOU from Georgia’s RTT–ELC grant is provided in Appendix H as a model for the state.

To help sustain the governance structure, the MOU should also specify clear deliverables that could be produced on an annual or biannual basis. These deliverables would utilize the data and infrastructure that was created under the RTT–ELC grant. For example, the governance body could produce:

• A “state of early learning in New Mexico” report, including data from ECIDS with recommendations on systems enhancements.

• A three-year strategic plan.

Core Elements of Governance

Researchers have identified five core elements, or values, that all early childhood governance models should embody to be successful. These include the following:

• Coordination: The governance model should connect the different parts and programs of the early childhood system, reflecting its comprehensive nature.

• Alignment: The model should provide coherence across system-wide tasks like data collection, quality standards, and outcome measurement, and should break down silos associated with the administration of funding and oversight of programs.

• Sustainability: The governance model should be able to navigate political and administrative changes and be designed to best account for the breadth of the early childhood system’s reach (in terms of programs and services).

• Efficiency: The model should allocate resources wisely, reduce duplication of effort, and provide a significant return on investment.

• Accountability: The governance model should be accountable to the early childhood system and its stakeholders in terms of quality, equality, and outcomes and also should be able to hold services and programs accountable for their performance.

Source: Early Childhood System Governance: Lessons from State Experiences, BUILD, Nov. 2010. Goffin, Martella, and Coffman, Vision to Practice: Setting a New Course for Early Childhood Governance (Jan. 2011). Kagan and Kauerz, Governing American Early Care and Education

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Recommendation 2: QUALITY – Continue to develop and promote the FOCUS Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System and expand and align professional development opportunities Over the next year or so, the FOCUS On Young Children’s Learning – Tiered

Quality Rating and Improvement System will continue to be expanded to all early learning providers, including registered Child Care Programs, Family

Infant Toddler (FIT) Program providers, and home visiting providers. Data will be collected across each early learning program that will demonstrate

the number of providers at each star quality level and the number of provider that have been successfully supported to move to higher levels of quality.

It is recommended that the Early Learning New Mexico System promote the FOCUS quality rating system to parents of young children, including informing them about the importance of high quality early learning experiences for their child. A number of states have launched campaigns aimed at parents that also has a secondary goal of raising the awareness of the wider community of the importance of quality early learning experiences for young children A report by Child Trends (2015) ‘Elevating Quality Rating and Improvement System Communications - How to Improve Outreach to and Engagement with Provides, parents, Policymakers and the Public’ provides some helpful examples. New Mexico can also build on the professional development achievements made under RTT–ELC. For example, the successful Pyramid Framework partnership that utilizes the evidence-based practices created by the Center on the Social Emotional Foundations of Early Learning (CSEFEL) now has a cadre of trainers that are poised to train across the state. New Mexico could implement a model to support local community implementation teams that can help promote social emotional development across early learning programs in communities.

Another sustainability approach is to continue to align and coordinate the delivery of professional development and technical assistance activities across early learning programs. Recently, the CYFD has aligned its Professional Development System by consolidated most of the, training, consultation and technical assistance under one contract, streamlining the delivery of support to local providers. By consolidating and aligning efforts, CYFD is moving forward with the overall goal to implement an Integrated and Responsive Professional Development System. Training workshops and events can be designed and planned to meet the needs of early childhood professionals from a variety of programs who have similar professional development needs i.e. a training on developmental screening offered to both home based and Infant and Toddler classroom based staff.

https://www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2015-30QRISComm.pdf



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Recommendation 3: ACCESS – Access to quality early learning for young children and families across New Mexico

New Mexico should consider updating information to assess outcomes related to the work in the Investment Zone project and to consider new factors that may

determine new Investment Zones in the state, and expand the work to additional underserved communities, identifying resources in the community

and / or recruiting resources to the community, in order to meet the needs of young children and families in the community.

In collaboration with the Early Learning Advisory Council and utilizing ECIDS data, the Early Learning New Mexico team should conduct a comprehensive community assessment that looks at the unmet early learning needs of all counties and communities and available services and resources, including the percentage of children served within and across early learning programs. The assessment should include analysis across by age and race and ethnicity.

It is recommended that Early Learning New Mexico www.earlylearningnm.org should expand its communications and marketing of early learning information for families, providers, and policy makers through regular newsletters, social media, and expanded website capacity, (including hosting the ECIDS data dashboards). Where possible materials should incorporate information regarding the array of early learning options for children and families that can meet the child’s developmental needs and the family’s need for care and support.

The resource and referral information for Head Start, Child Care, PreK and Home Visiting has been consolidated at www.newmexicokids.org where families can enter their zip code to search for providers. Through the data in ECIDS New Mexico will be able to develop this search capability for all New Mexico early learning programs – creating a one-stop shop for families.

Recommendation 4: ACCOUNTABILITY – Fully realizing the capacity of the Early Childhood Integrated Data System

Now that data from the source early childhood systems in the Department of Health, Children Youth & Families Department and Public Education

Department is being imported in the Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) the next step is for the data to be evaluated, which will

likely involve clean-up and de-duplication being conducted. The ECIDS will also be expanded over the next couple of years to include Head Start / Early Head Start and if possible early childhood data from New

Mexico 23 Indian tribes, which will enable a more complete data picture of the young children being served in New Mexico. Work ahead also includes the development of a data dashboard, as way to visually display data and key performance measures. The ECIDS data governance committee will need to meet regularly to oversee the implementation of ECIDS, including processing requests for de-identified data reports from various constituent groups in accordance with established data governance policies and procedures.

The Kindergarten Observation Tool (KOT) is now being implemented in Kindergarten classrooms across the state and is being used by teachers to better meet needs of each individual young

http://www.earlylearningnm.org/

http://www.newmexicokids.org/

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learner in their Kindergarten classroom. The data from the KOT will be incorporated in ECIDS and will be able to serve as a measure for school readiness. Through the analysis of statewide KOT data, we can explore the early learning experiences that young children have received from birth to age five that lead to children entering Kindergarten ready to thrive.

Conclusion: An incredible amount of work went into New Mexico’s RTT–ELC grant that resulted in outcomes at the state, community, and family levels. However, building a strong early learning system takes time, and although much has been accomplished through the RTT–ELC grant, the work will need to continue. The foundation set by the RTT–ELC projects, the recommendations outlined above, and New Mexico’s dedicated agency staff and local early childhood professionals provide all of the elements necessary for the next steps in building a New Mexico early learning system where each child has the opportunity to fulfill his or her potential and grow into an engaged citizen.

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Appendix A: RTT–ELC Documents

Betsy Cahill and Rachel Theilheimer. The Developmental Interaction Approach: Defining and Describing New Mexico’s Curriculum for Early Childhood Care & Education Programs. May 2015. Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge 2015 Annual Performance Report. Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge 2016 Annual Performance Report. New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department. New Mexico Comprehensive Training and Consultation Manual. The Foundation for New Mexico’s Integrated and Responsive Professional Development System. April 2017. New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department, UNM Continuing Education, and Global Learning Partners. Integrated Learning Approach in Professional Development. State of New Mexico. New Mexico’s Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Application for Initial Funding. October 2011. New Mexico Departments of Public Education; Children, Youth and Families; and Health. New Mexico Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Governance Manual. April 2016. New Mexico Public Education Department. New Mexico Rising: New Mexico’s State Plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act. August 2017. New Mexico Public Education Department, New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, and The University of New Mexico. FOCUS Essential Elements of Quality for State-Funded Preschool Programs. Revised February 2017. New Mexico Public Education Department. New Mexico Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (draft). 2016. New Mexico Public Education Department. Memorandum: Kindergarten Observation Tool (KOT) Full Implementation Follow-Up. November 2016. UNM College of Education Family Development Program. Partnering for School Success Begins at Birth: Early Childhood Leadership Toolkit.

UNM College of Education Family Development Program. Collaborative Leadership Capacity New Mexico Early Childhood Investment Zones. May 2017 Quarterly Report for Contract # 15-690-18097.

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Appendix B: Interview Respondents for the RTT–ELC Sustainability Report

Linda Askew FIT TQRIS Manager Department of Health Elizabeth Cahill, Ph.D. Director, Early Childhood Teacher Education Program New Mexico State University Kathi Carroll Sr. Program Manager, NewMexicoKids Training & Consultation Hub Division of Continuing Education and Community Services University of New Mexico Kate Cleary Project Manager for ECIDS Public Education Department Brenda Kofahl PreK Program Manager, Literacy and Early Childhood Bureau Public Education Department Jason Lavy Quality Assurance and Data Manager Department of Health Joe Manley KOT Coordinator Central Region Educational Cooperative Antoinette Ortiz Data Unit Supervisor Children, Youth and Families Department Catherine Quick PreK Special Education Coordinator Public Education Department

Baji Rankin Executive Director New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children Paula Steele Associate Director UNM Family Development Program: A Center for Excellence in Early Learning Terri Tapia Education & Development Manager UNM Center for Development and Disability Lois Vermilya Director UNM Family Development Program: A Center for Excellence in Early Learning Raymond Vigil Data Manager Children, Youth and Families Department Michael Weinberg Early Childhood Education Policy Officer Thornburg Foundation Chris Wenker GIS Epidemiologist Department of Health

Focus Groups:

New Mexico Early Childhood Funders Task Force

NM Early Learning Advisory Council

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Appendix C: Stakeholder Interview Questions 1. Tell me about your organization’s connection to the New Mexico RTT–ELC grant,

including the specific role it has in implementing RTT–ELC projects (e.g., staff doing the work, supervision of vendors, advising, etc.)

2. In your opinion, what have been the most important benefits of the RTT-ELC grant overall to programs, teachers, parents, and children? What have been the most important benefits of your project specifically?

3. Do you have or know where to find data that can provide evidence of the benefits described above? For example, the number of children that are now in higher quality early childhood programs as a result of the grant?

4. How much do you estimate it will cost each year to sustain the ongoing work of the RTT–ELC project you are working on?

5. Are there currently existing sources of funding that you believe could be used or repurposed for the sustainability of your project?

6. Do you have ideas for other sources of funding—federal, state, local, or philanthropic— that could be used to sustain this work?

7. Thinking about the RTT–ELC projects that you are working on, what will happen to the work that has been accomplished in the absence of the RTT–ELC funding if no other funding becomes available?

8. Other than the RTT–ELC project that you work on, what other RTT--ELC projects are important to the success of your work?

9. Aside from what you just discussed, what other RTT–ELC projects do you think should receive the highest priority for sustainability funding? Why?

10. Are there other aspects of the RTT–ELC grant that you want to discuss that I didn’t ask about?

Additional Interview Questions for Philanthropic Community:

1. Has the philanthropic community seen an impact from the RTT-ELC grant? If so, in what areas?

2. Where does the philanthropic community still see gaps in the ECE system? 3. Where would you like to see the system building efforts go next?

a. System coordination? b. Workforce development? c. Data systems and continuous quality improvement

4. Are there potential areas of common interest or future work where the state and philanthropic community can coordinate or collaborate?

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Appendix D: New Mexico Stakeholder Survey

INTRODUCTION Over the last four years, New Mexico has been implementing a federal grant called the Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge (RTT–ELC). Funding from the grant was used for several projects designed to improve the quality of child care, public school preschool, early intervention, early childhood special education, and other early learning programs that serve the state’s youngest children and their families. This survey seeks your perspective on the importance of these programs and your experience with the projects funded by the grant. With the grant coming to an end, the information you provide will help New Mexico determine next steps in how it will continue to support child development and early learning in the state. Please answer the following questions. There are no wrong answers, just your perspective and experience. If you don’t know an answer, or don’t have an opinion on a specific question, please indicate "don't know" or leave it blank. Your individual answers will only be viewed by the consultants administering the survey. All information that is gathered from the surveys will be combined and summarized and no information from any individual survey will be shared with the state agencies implementing the grant. Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions in this survey. When answering the questions, please make sure to use the "back" and "next" tabs at the bottom of your screen to navigate the survey and not the back button on your browser. Please submit your responses by close of business on May 12, 2017. STAKEHOLDER INFORMATION What type of program, organization, or business are you associated with? Please check the box next to each organization type that applies.

Head Start program

New Mexico Pre-K program

Preschool special education program

Family Infant and Toddler Program

Title I Preschool

Elementary school

Child care program

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Family child care program

Advocacy organization

Advisory group (e.g., early learning advisory council)

Professional development or technical assistance provider

Institution of higher education

Foundation or funder

State agency

New Mexico Home Visiting Program

State legislature

Health care organization

Early childhood mental health program

Other for-profit company or business (specify) Please enter an 'other' value for this

selection. * This question is required.

Other/no association (specify) Please enter an 'other' value for this selection.

What role do you play within New Mexico's early childhood community?

Early childhood program administrator, director, school principal/assistant principal, or owner

Early childhood teacher or assistant teacher

Family child care or home-based provider

Program support staff (e.g., education coordinator, family support specialist)

Early childhood coach, consultant, or other professional development provider

Kindergarten teacher

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Elementary school staff

Home visitor

Family member of a young child under age 8

Medical provider (e.g., pediatrician, physician’s assistant, or other medical provider)

Early childhood advocate

Advisory group member (e.g., early learning advisory council member)

Family Infant and Toddler Program or Early Childhood Special Education staff

Professor or other higher education staff

Member of the business community

Vendor

Other (specify)

IMPROVING PROGRAM QUALITY One project funded by the federal grant is called the FOCUS Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS). FOCUS is designed to improve the quality of New Mexico's child care and early learning programs by creating standards for program quality, measuring program quality based on those standards, and providing professional development to help programs achieve a higher level of quality. Please rate the impact (whether positive or negative) that the following components of FOCUS have had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "no impact" and 10 being "a strong impact."

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The first component we'd like you to think about is the implementation of the state's Authentic Observation-Documentation-Curriculum Planning Process based on the New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?

Another component of FOCUS is the creation of a set of clear quality standards that are aligned across all publicly funded early learning and development programs. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?

Has the impact been positive?

Another component is training and coaching for programs around a continuous quality improvement process (i.e., self-assessment, implementing planned changes, and measuring effectiveness). How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Another component is the use of the FOCUS TQRIS system in home visiting/early intervention programs. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


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A final component is professional development for program improvement that is aligned with the FOCUS standards (e.g., inclusion and family engagement training, on-site coaching, and consultation). How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Now, we would like you to rate the overall impact of the FOCUS TQRIS. On a scale of 1 to 10, please rate the overall impact (whether positive or negative) that the FOCUS TQRIS has had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "no impact" and 10 being "a strong impact."

Has the overall impact of FOCUS TQRIS been positive?

Please describe the impact.

What are some ways in which the FOCUS TQRIS can be enhanced to strengthen its impact on provider quality and child outcomes?

SUPPORTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS

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Another project funded by the RTT-ELC grant increases the knowledge and skills of the adults who care for and educate New Mexico's youngest children. This was done by providing free training and institutes on a range of important child development topics, as well as scholarships (i.e., T.E.A.C.H.) for early educators to earn an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree in early childhood education. Please rate the impact (whether positive or negative) that the following early childhood professional supports have had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "no impact" and 10 being "a strong impact." T.E.A.C.H. scholarships for early childhood professionals working in FOCUS programs. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Supporting the social emotional development of young children through the Pyramid Framework or Infant Mental Health training. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Training for higher education faculty and adjunct faculty through Faculty Institutes. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


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Masters-level courses in the Developmental Interaction Approach. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Now, we would like you to rate the overall impact of early childhood professional supports provided through the grant. On a scale of 1 to 10, please rate the overall impact (whether positive or negative) that the professional supports have had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "no impact" and 10 being "a strong impact."

Has the overall impact of professional supports been positive?


What are some ways in which professional supports can be enhanced to strengthen their impact on provider quality and child outcomes?

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INVESTMENT ZONES Another project funded by the federal grant focuses on areas of the state that have particularly high needs called Investment Zones. These zones exist in high-needs areas of New Mexico, and RTT-ELC funds support coalition building among early learning stakeholders and strategic planning to improve the quality of early care and education in the targeted areas. Please rate the impact (whether positive or negative) that the following components of the Investment Zones have had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "no impact" and 10 being "a strong impact." Development of sustainable local early childhood coalitions with cross-sector membership. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Early childhood community-based leadership development using the Early Childhood Leadership Toolkit as a framework for individual, team, and community collaborative leadership. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Meetings, trainings and consultation, and capacity development opportunities in communities within the Investment Zones. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


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Now, we would like you to rate the overall impact of the Investment Zones. On a scale of 1 to 10, please rate the overall impact (whether positive or negative) that the Investment Zones have had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "no impact" and 10 being "a strong impact."

Has the overall impact of the Investment Zones been positive?


1. What are some ways in which the Investment Zones can be enhanced to strengthen the impact?

KINDERGARTEN OBSERVATION TOOL Another project funded by the grant is a Kindergarten Observation Tool, which helps teachers and families understand a child’s developmental strengths and areas for growth so they can plan instruction to meet the needs of each child. Please rate the impact (whether positive or negative) that each of the following components of the Kindergarten Observation Tool have had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "no impact" and 10 being "a strong impact." Information for kindergarten teachers on children's learning that can be used to inform curriculum planning and differentiated instruction. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?

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A reporting platform that provides easily accessible information to administrators, teachers, and parents. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Training for teachers on the administration of the Kindergarten Observation Tool and the use of data to drive instruction. How big of an impact - whether it was positive or negative - has this component had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?


Now, we would like you to rate the overall impact of the Kindergarten Observation Tool. On a scale of 1 to 10, please rate the overall impact (whether positive or negative) that the Kindergarten Observation Tool has had on you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "no impact" and 10 being "a strong impact."

Has the overall impact of the Kindergarten Observation Tool been positive?

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2. What are some ways in which the Kindergarten Observation Tool can be enhanced to strengthen its impact?

EARLY CHILDHOOD INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEM Another project funded by the grant is an Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS). When operational, the system will access child, family, and program information from different early learning data systems. Using this information, policymakers, practitioners, and parents can make data-driven decisions at the state level, in the classroom, and at home to support quality improvement and positive outcomes. This system will be active starting in the summer of 2017. We are interested in knowing how you might use the system and what questions you would want answered with the information in the system. Please rate how useful you would find each function of ECIDS with 1 being "not useful" and 10 being "very useful." Information for families on the availability, characteristics, and quality of early care and education programs to make informed choices about which programs are best for their young children. How useful will this information be to you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?

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Data regarding families' access to quality programs in different communities and program areas in need of improvement. How useful will this information be to you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?

Data to determine the status of young children's school readiness as they enter kindergarten. How useful will this information be to you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?

Data showing New Mexico's students' success over time from their earliest enrollment in early childhood programs through entrance into kindergarten; elementary, middle and high school; higher education; and the workforce. How useful will this information be to you, your program, or young children in New Mexico?

Now, we would like you to rate how useful you think the Early Childhood Integrated Data System will be overall. On a scale of 1 to 10, please rate how useful you think ECIDS will be for you, your program, or young children in New Mexico, with 1 being "not useful" and 10 being "very useful."

3. What other data or uses of the Early Childhood Integrated Data System would maximize its impact on New Mexico's early learning system, provider quality, and child outcomes?

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STAKEHOLDER INPUT 4. If you had to rate the RTT-ELC projects from most important to least important, how would you rate them? Please stack the projects below in order of most important (top) to least important (bottom). Drag items from the left-hand list into the right-hand list to order them.

Comments

5. How important is it to you that New Mexico funds programs to support early care and education (including child care, home visiting, public preschool programs, early intervention, and preschool special education)? On a scale of 1 to 10, please rate the overall importance of funding to support early care and education, with 1 being "not important" and 10 being "very important."

6. Are there any other comments or opinions that you would like to express about New Mexico's RTT-ELC grant?

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Appendix E: Project Ratings by Role

= Positive Rating

= Negative Rating

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Appendix F: Rankings of Projects

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Appendix G: Sample MOU

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Between Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning and Various Divisions within Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and

Learning

This Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") is entered into by and between Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning ("Lead Agency") and Various Divisions within Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning ("Participating State Agency"). Bright from the Start:

• Implements the state-funded prekindergarten program; • Serves as the lead agency for the Georgia State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education

and Care; and • Is responsible for childcare licensing in the state.

The purpose of this agreement is to establish a framework of collaboration and to articulate specific roles and responsibilities in support of Georgia's implementation of an approved Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant project. I. ASSURANCES

The Participating State Agency hereby certifies and represents that it:

1) Agrees to be a Participating State Agency and will implement those portions of the State Plan indicated in Exhibit I, if the State application is funded;

2) Agrees to use, to the extent applicable and consistent with the State Plan and Exhibit I:

(a) A set of statewide Early Learning and Development Standards;

(b) A set of statewide Program Standards;

(c) A statewide Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System; and

(d) A statewide Workforce Knowledge and Competency Framework and progression of credentials.

3) Has all requisite power and authority to execute and fulfill the terms of this MOU;

4) Is familiar with the State's RTT-ELC grant application and is supportive of and committed to working on all applicable portions of the State Plan;

5) Will provide a Final Scope of Work if the State's application is funded and will do so in a timely fashion but no later than 90 days after a grant is awarded; and will describe the Participating State Agency's specific goals, activities, timelines, budgets, and key personnel ("Participating State Agency Plan") in a manner that is consistent with the Preliminary Scope of Work (Exhibit I), with the Budget included in section VIII of the State Plan (including existing funds, if any, that the Participating State Agency is using for activities and services that help achieve the outcomes of the State Plan; and

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6) Will comply with all of the terms of the RTT-ELC Grant, this agreement, and all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including laws and regulations applicable to the RTT-ELC program and the applicable provisions of EDGAR (34 CFR Parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99).

II. PROJECT ADMINISTRATION

A. PARTICIPATING STATE AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES

In assisting the Lead Agency in implementing the tasks and activities described in the State's RTT-ELC grant application, the Participating State Agency will:

1) Implement the Participating State Agency Scope of Work as identified in the Exhibit I of this agreement;

2) Abide by the governance structure outlined in the State Plan;

3) Abide by the Participating State Agency's Budget included in section VIII of the State Plan (including the existing funds from federal, state, private and local sources, if any, that the Participating State Agency is using to achieve the outcomes in the RTT-ELC State Plan);

4) Actively participate in all relevant meetings or other events that are organized or sponsored by the State, by the U.S. Department of Education ("ED"), or by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS");

5) Post to any website specified by the State, ED, or HHS, in a timely manner, all non- proprietary products and lessons learned developed using federal funds awarded under the RTT- ELC grant;

6) Participate, as requested, in any evaluations of this grant conducted by the State, ED, or HHS;

7) Be responsive to State, ED, or HHS requests for project information including on the status of the project, project implementation, outcomes, and any problems anticipated or encountered, consistent with applicable local, state and federal privacy laws.

B. LEAD AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES

In assisting the Participating State Agencies in implementing their tasks and activities described in the State's RTT-ELC application, the Lead Agency will:

1) Work collaboratively with, and support the Participating State Agency in carrying out the Participating State Agency Scope of Work, as identified in Exhibit I of this agreement;

2} Timely award the portion of RTT-ELC grant funds designated for the Participating State Agency in the State Plan during the course of the project period and in accordance with the Participating State Agency's Scope of Work, as identified in Exhibit I, and in accordance with the Participating State Agency's Budget, as identified in section VIII of the State's application;

3) Provide feedback on the Participating State Agency's status updates, any· interim reports, and project plans and products;

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4) Keep the Participating State Agency informed of the status of the State's RTT-ELC grant project and seek input from the Participating State Agency, where applicable, through the governance structure outlined in the State Plan;

5) Facilitate coordination across Participating State Agencies necessary to implement the State Plan; and

6) Identify sources of technical assistance for the project.

C. JOINT RESPONSIBILITIES

1) The Lead Agency and the Participating State Agency will each appoint a key contact person for the RTT-ELC grant.

2) These key contacts from the Lead Agency and the Participating State Agency will maintain frequent communication to facilitate cooperation under this MOU, consistent with the State Plan and governance structure.

3) Lead Agency and Participating State Agency personnel will work together to determine appropriate timelines for project updates and status reports throughout the grant period.

4) Lead Agency and Participating State Agency personnel will negotiate in good faith toward achieving the overall goals of the State's RTT-ELC grant, including when the State Plan requires modifications that affect the Participating State Agency, or when the Participating State Agency's Scope of Work requires modifications.

D. RECOURSE IF PARTICIPATING STATE AGENCY FAILS TO PERFORM

If the Lead Agency determines that the Participating State Agency is not meeting its goals, timelines, budget, or annual targets, or is in some other way not fulfilling applicable requirements, the Lead Agency will take appropriate enforcement action, which could include initiating a collaborative process to attempt to resolve the disagreements between the Lead Agency and the Participating State Agency, or initiating such enforcement measures as are available to the Lead Agency, under applicable state or federal law.

III. MODIFICATIONS

This Memorandum of Understanding may be attended only by written agreement signed by each of the parties involved, in consultation with ED.

IV. DURATION

This Memorandum of Understanding shall be effective, beginning with the date of the last signature hereon and, if a RTT-ELC grant is received by the State, ending upon the expiration of the RTT-ELC grant project period.

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New Mexico’s Race To the Top–Early Learning Challenge Grant Sustainability Report