Early Childhood Systems

by Kagan, Sharon Lynn; Kauerz, Kristie

• ISBN13: 9780807752968
• ISBN10: 0807752967
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-02-24
• Publisher: Teachers College Pr

Summary

In this seminal volume, leading authorities strategize about how to create early childhood systems that transcend politics and economics to serve the needs of all young children. The authors offer different interpretations of the nature of early childhood systems, discuss the elements necessary to support their development, and examine how effectiveness can be assessed. With a combination of cutting-edge scholarship and practical examples of systems-building efforts taking place in the field, this book provides the foundation educators and policymakers need to take important steps toward developing more conceptually integrated approaches to early childhood care, education, and comprehensive services.

Author Biography

Sharon Lynn Kagan is the Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Early Childhood and Family Policy and Co-Director of the National Center for Children and Families at Teachers College, Columbia University. Kristie Kauerz is the program director for PreK-3rd Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xi
Context For Early Childhood Systems
Early Childhood Systems: Looking Deep, Wide, and Far	p. 3
Perspectives on and Visions of Early Childhood Systems	p. 18
Vision vs. Reality: The Real Challenge of Large Systems Development	p. 18
Early Childhood Systems: An Important Means to an Essential End	p. 25
When English Is Not Spoken Here: Creating a System That Supports Linguistic and Cultural Diversity for Young Children	p. 30
A Systems Approach to Young Children's Healthy Development and Readiness for School	p. 35
A State Vision for an Early Childhood System: Meaningful Governance	p. 41
Bringing Early Childhood into the Education System: Pre-K-3rd	p. 47
Essential Subsystems
Early Learning and Development Standards: An Elixir for Early Childhood Systems Reform	p. 55
Quality Rating and Improvement Systems: Frameworks for Early Care and Education Systems Change	p. 71
Governance and Early Childhood Systems: Different Forms, Similar Goals	p. 87
Professional Development in Early Childhood Systems	p. 104
Early Childhood Data Systems: A Platform for Better Outcomes for Children and Programs	p. 119
Transcendent System-Building Processes
Planning an Early Childhood System: Policies and Principles Matter	p. 137
Local-Level System Building	p. 155
How Do We Get There from Here? Financing the Transformation from a Collection of Programs to an Early Childhood System	p. 171
Estimating the Costs of Early Childhood Systems	p. 183
Evaluating System-Building Efforts	p. 199
Snapshots of System Building in Action
Establishing a Common Vision for Colorado's Early Childhood System	p. 219
Washington State's Early Learning and Development Benchmarks: A Foundation for an Aligned System	p. 226
The Missouri Quality Rating System	p. 232
Changing Governance and Governing Change: The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care	p. 239
Governance in Early Childhood Systems: The View from Pennsylvania	p. 245
Building a High-Performing Early Childhood Professional Development System: North Carolina	p. 252
Building an Early Childhood Budget to Support a Comprehensive Early Childhood System in Louisiana	p. 259
Looking Toward The Future: Finding Common Ground on System Building
Beyond Systemic Structures: Penetrating to the Core of an Early Care and Education System	p. 267
Looking Forward: Four Steps for Early Childhood System Building	p. 283
About the Editors and the Contributors	p. 303
Index	p. 311
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