Design thinking techniques, including empathetic interviews, provide a promising new methodology for enhancing the quality of childcare services. This human-centred approach seeks to address complex problems with a deliberate, thoughtful solution-seeking process [Brown, T. (2008, June). "Design thinking. Harvard Business Review."…

In this case study I explored the dilemmas of three early childhood care and education (ECCE) teachers in a poor community in the Cape Flats of Cape Town, South Africa during COVID-19, and how they used these dilemmas to transform their teaching. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants and data was collected through a…

This report summarizes themes that emerged from six listening sessions held in April 2022 with Black and Latine Pre-K teachers, directors, and technical assistance providers. The purpose of the listening sessions was to understand participants' perceptions of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-3) and to gauge the extent to which…

There are concerns about the quantity and quality of personnel in early childhood intervention (ECI) as the numbers of infants and young children with delays and disabilities grow in number, needs, and diversity. The Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) was funded to provide technical assistance (TA) to state systems of ECI and institutions of…

Research Findings: The present study provides an initial descriptive comparison of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Third Edition (ECERS-3) in a relatively large sample in 1 state that uses the Environment Rating Scales within its Quality Rating and Improvement System…

Head Start is a national program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services to enrolled children and families. The Head Start program provides comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged…

When schools, families, and communities collaborate and share responsibility for students' education, more students succeed in school. Based on 30 years of research and fieldwork, the fourth edition of the bestseller "School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action," presents tools and guidelines to help develop more…

This report includes key information on the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2014-2018 (FACES 2014) study design and a set of data tables presents descriptive statistics for the characteristics of classrooms, teachers, centers, and programs serving Head Start children and families in spring 2015. Data are drawn from the spring 2015…

This study examined the effects of staff development and support on Head Start teachers' use of instructional and managerial strategies. Specific research questions were (a) What variables were selected by teachers? and (b) What changes were indicated by the method of support? Observations were conducted for teachers randomly assigned to…

Early childhood programs are growing increasingly concerned about the number of preschoolers exhibiting challenging behavior. This case study describes how educators at the Visiting Nurses Association Child Care and Family Resource Center program addressed this concern by implementing the systems, data, and practices of Program-Wide Positive…

More than ever before, Californians recognize that preschool provides young children with a strong start in school and life. Research confirms that effective preschool not only prepares children for kindergarten, but benefits them in the long-term. Despite the benefits, only 48% of 3- and 4-year-old children attend preschool in California. While…

Technical assistance (TA) has long been a standard, overarching strategy for assisting, states, agencies, family members, and practitioners with building capacity for service and system change initiatives. But, what is meant by the term "technical assistance"? What is known about the technical assistance strategies that are likely to…

Research indicates that state pre-k programs with higher teacher qualification requirements improve children's school readiness so states get the most out of their investment in early education. This 2010 report, authored by Marisa Bueno, Linda Darling-Hammond and Danielle Gonzales, reviewed research on training for pre-k teachers and concluded…

Today, policymakers with an interest in school success no longer debate why states should provide pre-kindergarten; that case has been made successfully to voters, educators, and researchers. Instead, policymakers now wrestle with how to get the job done. Increasingly, they turn to what those in the pre-k field call "diverse" or…

The purpose of this report is to provide the Center for Excellence (CfE) in Early Childhood Development with a set of recommendations regarding how to measure school readiness in Ventura County. This report defines school readiness according to the National Education Goals Panel (NEGP) which identified the following three important components of…