Mid-America Head Start Child Outcomes, Program Year 6 (Fall 2010 – Spring 2011) 1 Major Gains Gains by domain of development (in percentage) for children in their pre-kindergarten year, 2010–11: • Language Development (38%) • English Language Learners (30%) • Literacy (44%) • Mathematics (43%) • Science (41%) • Creative Arts (39%) • Social and Emotional Development (41%) • Approaches to Learning (42%) • Physical Development (35%)
2 Looking Ahead: Program Planning Winter • Currently, 38 classroom teachers and 15 family child care providers are receiving intensive weekly coaching on curriculum, CLASS Instructional Support, and assessment. Post-test data will be collected in May and June, and used to inform the Coaching with CLASS Project. • The grantee will continue to support the delegates in providing training on CLASS, the Assessment and Outcomes System, or specific domains of learning and development, as requested. • A revised framework for child outcomes, titled The Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework, has been introduced. The grantee is consulting the Missouri Early Learning Standards and conducting meetings with educators, families, and local school districts to gather input that will inform identification of school readiness goals. The Mid-America Head Start Assessment and Outcomes System will be revised accordingly during the summer of 2011.
Age Three: Literacy
86%
80 70 60 50 40 30
47%
20 10 0
80
Pre-K: Literacy
70
77%
60 50 40 30 20
33%
10 0
Spring • The grantee will continue to support the delegates in offering training to teaching staff. Training on the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and the Assessment and Outcomes System will be provided quarterly for new teachers during Program Year 7. The delegates are being provided DVD sets of the Office of Head Start Science and Math webcast series. • Coaches from the grantee and all four delegates have provided intensive coaching to teachers related to the Instructional Support Domain of CLASS, the project approach, and authentic assessment of children during Program Year 6. Post-test data is currently being collected and analyzed, and will be used to inform planning for the Coaching with CLASS Project during Program Year 7. • Updates to the Mid-America Head Start Assessment and Outcomes System are underway. The system will be revised to align with the new Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework, the Missouri Early Learning Standards, and the expectations of families and local school districts.
80
Pre-K: Mathematics
70
77%
60 50 40 30 20
34%
10 0
= Fall 2010
= Spring 2011
*Percentages indicate the number of children at age level in learning and development.
Mid-America Head Start Assessment and Outcomes System What is the MAHS Assessment and Outcomes System? Child outcomes data are gathered through the Mid-America Head Start (MAHS) Assessment and Outcomes System to determine how well children are learning and developing. The MAHS system is one of “authentic assessment,” which means that children are not removed from the classroom for standardized testing, but instead are observed as they engage in everyday learning experiences. The MAHS Assessment and Outcomes System allows educators to: • Observe children and assess their knowledge, skills, attitudes and interests; • Use the information collected to plan learning experiences; • Evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching and enhance professional development; • Partner with parents to improve children’s learning and development; and • Rate the children’s level of learning and development three times each year to create child outcomes, and share the data.
Why Assessment Matters Child outcomes data plays a critical role in the process of continually improving MAHS programs. This information guides the program by helping to answer the tough questions: As a result of investing resources, have we made a difference in the lives of the children and families we serve? What are the benefits they have gained? What knowledge? What skills? What attitudes? Examples of plans for program improvement based on child outcomes data include: • Enhanced staff training, coaching and mentoring; • Curriculum improvements; • Reallocation of program resources; • New techniques to support family involvement in children’s learning and development; • Planning to transition children from Head Start to elementary school; and • Involvement of volunteers and community partners.
For more information about the MAHS Assessment and Outcomes System, please contact Carol Bolz at 816-701-8350, or cbolz@marc.org.