Registration is now open for the 2017 Mississippi Early Childhood Conference. This conference is brought to you through a partnership between the Mississippi Department of Education, the Mississippi Head Start Association, the Head Start Collaboration Office, and the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The conference is designed to provide pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teachers, assistant teachers, and program administrators with valuable information to support teaching and learning. Attendance at this conference will provide administrators, teachers, and assistants with the required contact hours for the 2017-2018 school year. Please register early to receive discounted registration rates. Please note that early bird registration ends April 24.
The conference includes a pre-conference day for pre-k and kindergarten teachers and assistants on July 24, as well as a full conference on July 25-27, 2017, both of which are described below. The event is being held at the Imperial Palace in Biloxi, MS.
Pre-Conference Day
The pre-conference day offers:
A full-day session offering 6 contact hours and 0.6 CEUs.
A model classroom learning environment.
Six different learning areas set up to provide teachers with experience in teaching and learning in each.
A make-and-take station at each of the six learning areas so teachers can create materials to support teaching and learning.
An in-depth study of integrated learning centers and classroom design.
Guidance from experienced teachers and presenters.
Support for differentiated instruction.
Bonus for kindergarten teachers/assistants: This day connects with the Kindergarten track throughout the conference. Kindergarten teachers and assistants attending this session and the breakouts throughout the conference will leave with a complete teacher-designed thematic unit for the start of the next school year that is supported by the teaching materials created at this session.
Space in the pre-conference day is limited, so register early. For more details about the pre-conference day, please visit the Office of Early Childhood webpage.
Full Conference
The full conference offers:
Up to 17 contact hours, 1.7 CEUs, and SEMIs.
Updates from MDE on topics including the Comprehensive Early Learning Assessment (CELA) and CLASS for administrators and teachers.
Tracks for Pre-K and Kindergarten to support the diverse needs of classrooms.
Both early learning experts and peer-to-peer sessions.
A variety of sessions providing information designed to support schools in meeting learning standards.
NAEYC Criteria as a Strategy for Improving Child Care
As you know, child care providers asked to review the Draft Standard Application on March 15, 2017, were presented self-assessment mirroring NAEYC criteria (which is closely aligned with ECERS) including a “required personnel registry”.
While it is the duty of DHS to carry out the implementation of the CCDF State Plan, the policy-makers and individuals responsible for sweeping change for disadvantaged child care small businesses are the members of the Governor’s SECAC. (Click here to review limited contact info and identification of State Early Childhood Advisory Council members. SECAC Committee members making the recommendations determining whether or not you will have the privilege to continue to serve low-income children for less than market rate – on a year by year basis based on assessment scores – are not listed.) Please do not contact me for telephone numbers. I have no such information I am willing to share. Thanks!
At the SECAC meeting held on March 23, 2017, I incorrectly reported only 2 NAEYC accredited child care centers in Mississippi – there are actually, currently 30 and most represent more stable sources of funding than the CCDF. Check it out! Hover your mouse over each blue balloon. (Click here.)
That is also a gain of 1 since 2007. See the 2007 NAEYC graphic below.
Ten percent, (10%) of child care programs across the nation hold NAEYC accreditation.
HHS has decided the government-child-care-market it created through the Child Care Development Fund over a period of two decades is no longer solely a work support system. It must be redesigned to demonstrate, and qualify (with degrees), and operate (equal) to Head Start and Title I Preschool programs without parity and without sufficient CCDF funding.
SECAC announced Mississippi’s CCDF State Plan was being carried out with NO REQUEST for additional CCDF funding.
Reprinted from Accreditation Update, Fall 2007, a publication of the National Association for the Education of Young Children
The Alignment of NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) with ECERS (The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale)
As you have now learned, in order to be allowed to continue to serve children receiving Certificates of Payment after June 30th, you must, at the very least, teach a curriculum and submit to (yet) unidentified assessments of your classrooms and/or facilities – not assessments of student outcomes (Standard).
As you requested, at the SECAC (State Early Childhood Advisory Council) meeting, I entered objection to perceived unfunded mandates (absent any drafted policy or announcement of the increase in the below market rates) and asked that the following information be placed into the minutes with regard to the CCDF plan adopted by SECAC and the Standard Center Draft Application still under development:
A 1997 assessment of NAEYC by the National Center for the Early Childhood Work Force (NCECW) found, “Nearly 40 percent of the centers in this study which became accredited were rated as mediocre in quality on the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS), a widely-used and respected measure that is linked to child outcomes and is closely related to the NAEYC accreditation criteria. Since it is not fully clear from this study where in the process the causes of this shortfall in quality lie, we encourage NAEYC to undertake a reexamination of its accreditation criteria and of its validation and Commission approval systems.”
The 1997 study demonstrates the failed, outdated/extreme ECERS (QRIS) scoring scale – the Block scale – still utilized in Mississippi that was the basis of the overall conclusion that the licensed child care industry does not have the capacity to provide school readiness and is the tool of exclusion (for licensed child care programs) from Pre-K participation.
(We know now, the widely-used and respected measure does not improve school readiness or social development in young children.)
It further demonstrates how closely related NAEYC criteria is to the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) and explains why some who did receive the DHS Draft Standard Application believed QRIS was now going to be required for all who serve low-income children.
The study also found centers that achieve NAEYC accreditation demonstrate higher overall classroom quality at the time of embarking on the self-study process, and show greater improvement in overall quality ratings, staff-child ratios and teacher sensitivity scores. (Click here.)
Centers that participate in NAEYC self-study but do not advance to the validation phase demonstrate no improvement in classroom quality, staff-child ratios or staff-child interactions.
The Ongoing Expectation to Meet the “NAEYC Gold Standard” Without the Gold
Providers allowed to participate in reviewing the Draft Standard Application presented by NSparc and DHS found themselves to actually be reviewing the upcoming NAEYC self-assessment.
The SECAC plan requires centers to engage in continuous quality improvement based on the scale that assesses the extent to which a center should engage in additional technical assistance for maintaining and improving quality.
Scale scores will be used to determine appropriate quality-improvement activities and the measurable improvement in services needed to maintain eligibility to redeem vouchers.
Each year centers will go through an initial eligibility process and subsequent annual redetermination processes following the general recommendations by the SECAC committees. (Click here to review page 8 and more of the SECAC plan.)
Therefore, I also entered the additional, following information into the minutes:
NAEYC Accredited , University of Southern Mississippi, Center for Child Development, Tuition and Classes –
$650/month Infants and Toddlers under 32 months
$550/month Preschoolers between 32 months and 4 years
Non-Accredited, Suzie M. Brooks Child Care, 700 Martin Luther King Drive, Building 14, Greenwood, Mississippi –
$347/month Certificate of Payment (Child Care Assistance) below market rate for Toddler under 32 months
The SECAC plan is scheduled to be in full effect July 1, 2017 – OPTING OUT
Due to the short turn around or period of transition, many providers have determined to begin the process to properly OPT OUT and refer low-income children (who may lose funding due to ever shrinking State resources) to In-home providers who have been grandfathered. (Unlicensed care will be much less expensive than micro-managed center care.)
Others have determined to find other uses for their facilities or to cut rates and serve only private pay families.
I have asked Jane Boykin to provide guidance on how to properly close your business. I will post the information soon.
In the meantime, it has been a difficult but sincere pleasure to represent you! You will be missed! We are sorry to be losing you and licensed care.
The State Early Childhood Advisory Council will meet on Thursday to further report its plans to implement these changes in approximately three months. There will be an opportunity for you to ask questions regarding the plan or to enter comments into the minutes just before adjournment.
If you have questions or concerns about the impact this plan will have on your small business, you should attend.
Standard Centers – Curriculum and Assessment To Be Required
The committee recently established by DHS to give input into the application developed by NSPARC and DECCD that providers will need to complete in order to be certified as a Standard Center serving low-income children met at the MDHS State Office in Jackson today.
Under the Family-Based Unified and Integrated Early Childhood System adopted by SECAC (the State Early Childhood Advisory Council) last December, child care center “eligibility to redeem child care certificates” is scheduled to begin in April.
“The evaluation and monitoring framework for overall system assessment will be developed and ready for implementation by July 1, 2017. This activity will include entering into necessary agreements and data collection, analysis, synthesis and reporting.”
In response to my concern that current CCPP providers were likely not aware of such large Program changes to come and that CCPP providers had not been directly informed of any such Program changes by DHS, New DECCD Director Candice Pittman cavalierly retorted, “They should look online”.
(Internet access in the Delta is limited, so please share this with providers who may not have immediate/common/daily internet access and who have no R&R at this time.)
Corresponding policies, rationale, program costs and market rate increases were not/have not yet been provided, but DECCD did say it would provide the needed technical assistance with regard to curriculum. (In short, I simply do not have the information needed to answer your questions or address your concerns at this time.)
Carol Burnett, Executive Director of MLICCIand thus, the Mississippi Child Care Coalition representing more than 600 disadvantaged small business child care programs serving low-income children, was allowed to attend but because she did not volunteer to serve on the Standard Application Committee in a timely fashion, was not allowed to speak and was not provided any available material.
No additional committee meeting date was announced prior to adjournment.
I hope to have an update for you soon.
In the meantime, to borrow a phrase from the character portrayed by Tom Hanks in the movie The Terminal, “I wait!”.
UPDATE:
As you know, during the workshop held by DHS yesterday to lend input into the draft of the Standard Center Application, notice of the new and upcoming requirement to register as a Standard Center or a Comprehensive Center was, at last, Emailed to all current CCPP providers.
My concern was both legitimate and heard although we do not yet know exactly how our businesses will be fully impacted.
As for Dr. Candice Pittman, who, rather than reassure me that proper notice to providers had indeed been sent during our meeting, chose to dismiss my concern in front of my colleagues with a smart remark, your attitude for any input Carol Burnett and I might lend to the transitional process is duly noted.
Governor Phil Bryant, Dr. Laurie Smith Meet with Actress Jennifer Garner
Dr. Laurie Smith, actress Jennifer Garner, Governor Phil Bryant
While in Washington D.C. today, Governor Phil Bryant and Dr. Laurie Smith had a meeting with actress Jennifer Garner to talk about early childhood education in Mississippi.
They spoke about the Governor’s Family-Based Early Childhood System Plan produced by SECAC and also her work called “Early Steps to School Success” in Sunflower County, MS.
Child care providers worked with SECAC in the development of the early care and learning plan that was shared.
Mississippi Early Childhood Alliance (MECA) Conference
You are invited to attend the 7th Annual MECA Conference at JSU, which is a partnership between the Childcare Directors Network Alliance (CDNA) and the Mississippi Learning Institute (MLI) at JSU. We strive to provide sessions that will assist you in providing quality educational skills and strategies in early childhood classrooms. Please join us for an exciting educational experience at our conference.
Mississippi Early Childhood Alliance Conference
8:30 a.m.—3:30 p.m.. ♦ Saturday, February 11, 2017
Continuing Education Units (CEU) & Contact Hours – $20
Jackson State University Student Center – Ballrooms A & B – 3rd Floor
Credit Card Payment Only * No Cash or Personal Checks will be accepted
For conference registration, workshop and presenter submissions, and to learn more about being a corporate or community sponsorship please select the links below:
Clarion-Ledger: New plan for early childhood in Mississippi
Jimmie E. Gates , The Clarion-Ledger 10:15 a.m. CST December 14, 2016
The Mississippi Department of Human Services’ new plan for the early childhood program in the state has community colleges playing a central role in the management, training, coaching and technical assistance for centers in the program.
HECHINGER and Sam Hall of the Clarion Ledger Announce the End of QRIS
SECAC to Unveil New State Early Learning System Tomorrow
Sam Hall is worried that without Mississippi’s Quality Stars, children will get fatter and due to such, he personally assumes the worst of Mississippi’s Community College System– the first (and one of the finest) state systems of comprehensive two-year colleges in the nation – as “perhaps lacking the instructional consistency/capacity” of the Mississippi State University’s Early Years Network.
It has been suggested The Hechinger Report and the Clarion-Ledger have taken on the professional role of improving public relations ‘for the benefit only ofthose receiving government funding or private donations to work on child care quality issues on behalf of various disadvantaged individuals or groups, but who never seem to be able to show any significant improvement of the problems experienced by their target population’.
QRIS failure was first publicly demonstrated in the Mississippi First Pre-K Collaborative legislative brief, Leaving Last Behind, by Rachel Cantor in 2012. Six years into QRIS implementation and millions of dollars received from the CCDF, Mrs. Cantor reveals, “Regrettably, the ratings of participating centers have not been released publicly, although DHS reports that it is working to release scores of individual QCCSS participants on a new website. According to information in the state’s Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Fund proposal, most rated centers scored below a 3 witha plurality scoring a 1, the lowest score. These results indicate that the private childcare market does not have the capacity to serve as a pre-K substitute without significant quality improvements.”
Worse, Mrs. Cantor first publicly reveals Mississippi QRIS as a tool for “screening out”for Pre-K debarment saying QRIS is “an important step in identifying subpar centers…” even though it doea not measure child learning.
In 2015, the Frank Porter Graham Group of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was charged with the outside evaluation of Mississippi’s QRIS, found, unlike other states, after a decade of Mississippi QRIS implementation, only a privileged few – just 18% of 393 participating centers had actually received the quality score needed to participate in a Pre-K Collaborative or apply for a MDHS slot contract with guaranteed enrollment – as always, “most rated centers scored below a 3 witha plurality scoring a 1”.
The evaluation revealed, unlike other states implementing a hybrid or point QRIS scoring system to gauge improvements made, Mississippi’s sub-grantee still uses the older block form of scoring that requires “all or nothing” to achieve a suitable quality rating and does not give points for incremental improvement(“the I part of QRIS” FPG) when evaluating centers.
MSU ratings are weighted by provider fault (or life circumstance) …and not by strengths or gains.
And, although the Step-Up Mississippi QRIS research project sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation presented findings that some assigned QRIS scores appeared to be subjective in nature, the MSU Early Childhood Institute has never developed a hearing process where alleged victims of such conduct could appeal or even formally discuss their ratings.
Worse, according to the MLICCI Step-Up report, the average amount of “up-front” funding and out-of-pocket provider investment that it takes for a center to move from a 1-star to a 2-star rating is approximately $40,000 per center.
In all fairness, Sunday’s article by The Hechinger Report did list QRIS Program failures (such as QRIS does not even improve school readiness or social development in young children in the first place and QRIS earned “few stars” in the most recent national research) even though it mathematically rounded up numbers to advantage the appearance of successful, voluntary QRIS participation while it quoted very specific numbers of surveys gathered by MLICCI from just those representatives of the Mississippi Child Care Coalition attending one meeting and likely did so to minimize the effectually delivered provider Vote of No Confidence for Mississippi’s QRIS and the MSU Early Childhood Institute now taken in by the Early Years Network.
Finally, The Hechinger Report did make reference to (even if it questioned the validity of) the potential disparate impact racial discrimination in Mississippi’s QRIS recently noted by both the Mississippi Civil Rights Advisory Council and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rightsthat found: (a) quality incentives may be out of reach for the providers most in need of support, particularly those in low-income African American communities; (b) the quality rating system QRIS may not accurately predict improved developmental outcomes for children; (c) the QRIS may be subject to rater bias and result in systemically lower scores on the basis of race or color.
Sam Hall, on the other hand, hurled the same alleged brutal disparagement of and perceived verbal abuse upon unsuspecting child care providers that we have actually come to expect from many associated with the former MSU Early Childhood Institute.
Last week he disagreed that QRIS should be mysteriously yanked from MSU and moved to new management — possibly because requirements are “too stringent.”
His use of offsetting the words “too stringent” implies perhaps he doesn’t give merit to the findings of fact in the numerous reports of QRIS presented herein and/or allegedly suggests those who support the elimination of QRIS, in doing so, place children at risk of allowing harm such as childhood obesity to gain a new foothold (when just getting the necessary resources to rural areas would resolve all QRIS concerns).
It fails public acknowledgement of the MDHS redress of findings by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights that regardless of geographic location, only 17% of QRIS participating child care facilities owned or operated by providers of color held a quality rating score of three or better, compared with 28% of facilities with a white owner/operator; especially in light of the significant increase projected in quality improvement spending with the reauthorization of the CCDBG Act of 2014, concerns regarding disparate impact on the basis of race may be particularly troubling; and relational damage and residual mistrust continues to the present.
It mirrors a national conclusion drawn following the recent election of Donald Trump. That is to say, mainstream media and newspapers are simply out of touch with America…and in this case, with the consumers necessary to all quality initiatives in Mississippi – child care providers who volunteer to participate.
Fortunately, as other states such as North Carolina (the gold standard in QRIS) are also working to evaluate QRIS and develop more effective early learning models due to the reauthorization of the CCDBG Act of 2014, we are positioned to learn how Mississippi is poised to be the first in the nation to lead a specific model of early learning success just as Governor Phil Bryant is to assume the role of Chairman of the Education Commission of the States (beginning July 1, 2017).
He is expected to be present at the State Early Childhood Advisory Council tomorrow, along with DHS and the chairs of Mississippi’s Work Force Development and Community College Board as the New CCDF Model for quality early learning is revealed.
The meeting, scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM, Wednesday, December 7, 2016, will be held at the Woolfolk Building, Room 145, 501 N. West Street, Jackson, MS 39201.
Sam, if you are reading this, I hope you will attend.
July fourth has always been one of my favorite holidays.
Maybe it is due to the music and fireworks.
Maybe it is due to the grand displays of the Stars and Stripes.
Lately, it is also due to the memory of one favorite class of children beginning a collection of Presidential coins.
While I do believe the Presidents on our currency intrigued my students, it was the “demonstration” of one word on their reading lists that really got them – tax!
From that exercise, they learned about the Magna Carta, King George, III and tea. (They even learned to make tea and loved to drink it often – decaf that is – and tossed their collection of used tea bags into the Yazoo River afterwards.)
In fact, they even learned how to start a little revolution of their own!
We only practice two afternoons at the church for our kindergarten graduation programs, so you can imagine my alarm when, after singing the first song once through at our very last practice, George Washington just sat down and refused to sing anything further.
Soon after, he was joined on the front line by his troops, Benjamin Franklin and evenBetsy Ross!
The General was the spokesperson for the group. He represented all cast members who DID NOT HAVE A GUN from wardrobe.
It seemed that the props these children had selected initially – swords and flags – could NOT measure up to “the shot heard around the world”, and somehow, I understood that.
Immediately, I was on the telephone with the Bass Pro Shop in Memphis!
I announced they would have guns waiting on stage for them the next day during the actual performance.
They rose to their feet and we carried on with practice.
The next day, all additional muskets were placed by staff on stage as promised, but the General’s was placed on the wrong side of where he would be standing.
He didn’t know it was there, so he just devoted his energy to the outstanding and proper care of our flag. (What honest to goodness leadership he demonstrated! He wore that uniform well!)
Watch the video to see what happened once I figured out where his musket was.
I was proud of them all when their caps didn’t fire – they just kept it together knowing they would get to reenact and revolt again when next returning to school.
The video is best on full screen and with closed caption turnedon so that you can understand what the children are singing.
Happy Fourth of July, everybody.
The Patriots: Heroes of the War of Independence (Musical) Roll Back the Years Minuteman Minute Song She Made Our Nation´s Flag! Drummer Rode His Drum The Green Mountain Boys The Do You Know What Ben Franklin Said? Roll Back the Years (reprise) Music by Mary Lynn Lightfoot ; script & lyrics by Lee Brandon. Heritage Music Press Juvenile audiences (Grades 3 -9) 1993
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