Webinars are listed in chronological order.
What’s New at CEELO in 2018-2019? The webinar focuses on the Center’s goals for the next two years; how CEELO will be supporting state early childhood goals in upcoming month; highlights signature projects building leadership and organizational capacity, birth to third grade data and policy, and financing and sustaining high-quality early learning programs; and, hallmarks state leaders from AZ, IL, KY, and NE discussing with their work with CEELO. Recording | Slides (December 2017)
Behind the New Benchmarks Webinar – NIEER’s webinar provided an overview of changes to State of Preschool report quality standards benchmarks, reasons for the updates and policies that should be in place to meet the new benchmarks. Presenters included NIEER Founder and Senior Co-Director Steve Barnett and yearbook co-author Allison Friedman-Krauss Ph.D., along with representatives from Michigan, Alabama, and New Mexico discussing how they have integrated or plan to integrate new benchmark criteria into state policy/practice. (October 2017)
Preparing for the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program -The Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program (SRCLP) is federally funded competitive grant program intended to improve the literacy skills of children birth through 12th grade, with a priority on serving children living in poverty, English learners, and children with disabilities. The competition sets aside 15 percent of the sub-granted funds to serve children from birth through age five; and forty percent for children in kindergarten through grade 5. This webinar provided participants an opportunity to identify the opportunities of SRCLP program to increase language and literacy skills of young children and improve practice of educators; share evidence-based research to improve reading comprehension of children preschool to third grade; and discuss considerations for state leaders in designing policy and professional learning to increase effectiveness of early language and literacy instruction, particularly for dual language learners, and children with special needs. (June 2017)
Leading the Way: How States are Addressing Early Learning Under ESSA provides participants with resources, examples, and strategies for including early learning in their ESSA state plans. State leaders from Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, and Washington describe on their strategies for integrating the following key policy areas that research shows help reduce achievement gaps for young children: Increasing access to high-quality preschool; Aligning and coordinating early learning programs from birth to grade; Preparing and supporting highly effective teachers and leaders. This webinar was co-hosted by CEELO and the REL Southwest. (March 2017)
Effective Components of Successful Early Learning-to-Kindergarten Transitions features CEELO’s Shannon Riley-Ayers who presented on three components that support a child’s successful transition to school: leadership, effective instruction, and family and community engagement. She was joined by a principal and a superintendent from Oregon who shared successful family engagement and school readiness efforts and how to increase the readiness of entering kindergartners. (October 2016)
Preparing for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): Early Learning was held on Oct. 31 and hosted by CEELO and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE). The webinar includes information from the USED Office of Early Learning on the guidance (see below)and views from three states – North Carolina, Colorado and Arizona – on their efforts to strengthen early learning in their ESSA planning. (Recording | Slide handout) (October 2016)
Building State P-3 Systems focuses on the SEA role in supporting P-3 system building at the state and local levels, drawing on a recent study of three states that have devoted significant attention and resources to P-3 efforts: Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Each of these states has developed state-wide P-3 policy initiatives regarding standards, assessments, and instruction as well as targeted programs to support local P-3 community partnerships. After providing an overview of each state’s P-3 work, the webinar discusses nine recommendations that emerged from the case studies. (September 2016)
Why Understanding the Costs of Preschool Quality is Important: A Webinar for Preschool Development Grantee States presents and demonstrates the use of the Cost of Preschool Quality Tool (CPQ) by the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes, an Excel based model that can be used at the state or district level to estimate the cost of expanding high quality preschool for 3 and 4 year olds. (July 2016)
Early Childhood Teacher Education Policies: Research Review and State Trends reviews key findings from a recent policy report by the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes which reviews published research on early childhood (ECE) workforce education and credentials as well as on the current status of ECE wages, recruitment and retention challenges, and promising practices. (May 2016)
Connecting with Hard to Access Families was hosted by the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Family Engagement Community of Practiceon February 18, 2016. It was targeted for state and program administrative staff interested in reaching and connecting with hard-to-find families. Attendees heard from Deborah Watson (CT Office of Early Childhood) about her state’s strategies. CEELO’s Melissa Dahlin presented findings from research and practice. (February 2016)
Teaching and Learning Project (BUILD|CEELO) brings together selected state leaders and national experts to strengthen policy that promotes effective early childhood teaching and learning for each and every child from birth through third grade. During 2015, the project convened state leaders and experts to provide ideas, best practices, and resources to inform “what” policies most effectively advance teaching quality and “how” those policies and programs can be implemented to support great teaching and learning. Click on the tab “Learning Table Co-hort 1” and scroll down to access webinars.
Highlights of the 2014 NIEER State of Preschool Yearbook: P-3 Policy in Context discusses the major cross-state trends in the 2014 yearbook and highlight major policy changes related to publicly-funded preschool. (September 2015)
Approaches to State Prekindergarten Eligibility Policy: Considerations for Policymakers reviews key findings from a CEELO policy report that provides information on state-funded pre-K program eligibility policies and considerations for policymakers as they review or revise eligibility to balance accountability and increase access for high needs children. Susan Hogge, Legislative Fiscal Analyst for Public Education, Virginia House Appropriations Committee offers remarks regarding Virginia’s recently revised eligibility policy for the Virginia Preschool Initiative. (July 2015)
Planning for the New Early Learning Model: Harnessing Potential in the Next School Improvement Grant Cycle, hosted by CEELO and the Center on School Turnaround (CST), reviews the eight components of the new model and discusses key requirements, including school leadership and expanding high quality prekindergarten and full-day kindergarten. Charlie Geier, Director of Early Learning and Intervention in the Office of Early Learning and Intervention, Indiana Department of Education, shares what the new early learning model means for the state of Indiana and examples of how Indiana is working to support the key components of the SIG. (April 2015)
Supporting Principal Leadership for Pre-K – Third Grade Learning Communities addresses ways to enhance SEA and LEA leadership capacity for building P -3 communities, cultivate standards of effective practice for P-3 principals and related leaders, develop practical implementation strategies as described by an elementary school principal and state education leaders, and consider implications for state and local policymakers, technical assistance and professional developmental providers, and higher education. The webinar was co-sponsored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE). (March 2015)
Evaluating Early Childhood Educators: Prekindergarten Through Third Grade, a Supplement to the Practical Guide to Designing Comprehensive Educator Evaluation Systems highlights the development, recommended uses, and expected tools from the Evaluating Early Childhood Educators (Prekindergarten through Third Grade) supplement to the Center on Great Teachers and Leader’s resource, Practical Guide to Designing Comprehensive Teacher Evaluation Systems. This webinar was co-sponsored by CEELO and the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders. Presenters included Libby Doggett (U.S. Department of Education), Lori Connors-Tadros (CEELO), Lynn Holdheide (Center on Great Teachers and Leaders), Jana Martella (CEELO), and Reyna Hernandez (Illinois State Board of Education). (January 2015)
Using Assessments to Improve Transitions to Kindergarten features nationally known experts in discussion on how to integrate KEAs into a comprehensive assessment system and how to use the data to inform teaching practices. State departments of education presenters also highlight practical strategies they are using to assess a child’s school readiness and adjust instruction to help bridge any gaps. This webinar was co-sponsored by the Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Northwest. Presenters include CEELO’s Jana Martella and Tom Schultz, along with Jacqueline Jones (Foundation for Child Development), John Pruette (Office of Early Learning, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction), and Fiona Helsel (REL Northwest). (November 2014)
Young Immigrants and Dual Language Learners: Participation in Pre-K & Gaps at Kindergarten Entry presents data that looks at how children from various language and immigrant backgrounds participate in pre-K programs and at how these children perform relative to their White peers at Kindergarten entry. (November 2014)
Tools to Support Principals as Evaluators of Early Childhood Teachers features speakers and respondents from school districts, who share information and resources to support principals as effective evaluators of early childhood teachers (PK-Grade 3). CEELO, in collaboration with the Great Lakes and Midwest Comprehensive Centers, sponsored this webinar for state and local leaders in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. (November 2014)
Understanding and Using Data from the 2013 NIEER State of Preschool Yearbook examines how annual preschool information from the states can be used for planning, policy development and program improvement. (September 2013)
Supporting State Education Agencies Implementing a Birth Through Third Grade Approach focuses on recent developments in birth through third grad approaches with an emphasis on the state education agency’s role and technical assistance support. CEELO held this webinar for state early childhood education specialists and regional comprehensive center staff. The webinar features Dr. Kristie Kauerz, Director of the National P – 3 Center at the University of Washington and David Jacobsen, Professional Excellence Director/Cambridge Education, who showcases work underway in communities across Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Birth through Grade Three Learning Hub. (August 2014)
New Early Childhood Indistar® Indicators introduces the audience to new Early Childhood Indistar® Indicators developed by CEELO in collaboration with the Center on Innovations (CIL) in Learning. Indistar® is a web-based system for use with district and/or school improvement teams to inform, coach, sustain, track, and report improvement activities. The new early childhood indicators provide an opportunity for stakeholders to use indicators and the associated research to align early childhood education with school improvement efforts. (August 2014)
Child Care, Head Start and Pre-K Partnerships: Research Findings (Webinar Recording) shares research findings on child care, Head Start & pre-K partnerships. The webinar shares highlights from research conducted over the past 10 years that examine the nature of partnerships, the types of partnerships that yield desired benefits, and the outcomes of partnerships. Diane Schilder presented the webinar, which was sponsored by Ounce of Prevention Fund. (May 2014)
Focus on Formative Assessment, jointly sponsored by CEELO and the Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center, presents critical information for states as they engage in activities to improve the quality of teaching and learning through supporting formative assessment processes. (October 2013)
Understanding the Birth Through Third Grade Framework: Supporting Continuous and Sustained Learning for Every Child demonstrates what a birth through third grade framework is and its benefits, implications on SEA and LEA policies and practices, shared the experiences of forward-thinking state leaders, and discussed how birth through third technical assistance can support states in shifting to birth through twelfth grade systems action. Presenters included Lori Connors-Tadros (CEELO/NIEER), Jim Squires (CEELO/NIEER), Clayton Burch (Office of Early Learning, West Virginia Department of Education), and Linda Sullivan-Dudzic (Bremerton School District, WA). (September 2013)
Access to Quality Preschool in the US shares highlights from the national data, including trends over the past 10 years; takes a closer look at states with high minority populations, noting those that are making progress and states that are falling behind in efforts to increase access to high quality preschool for vulnerable children; and, discusses policy recommendations for State Education Agency and early childhood leaders to ensure that all children have access to high quality preschool. The webinar was sponsored by CEELO, with Dr. Steven Barnett (CEELO/NIEER), Dr. Milagros Nores (NIEER), and David Johns, (White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans). (August 2013)
Mining pre-K Data: Making the Most of the NIEER State of Preschool Yearbook guides viewers in how to use data in the Yearbook to provide technical assistance in a state. It also directs viewers to additional resources. (May 2013,)
State Early Learning Standards: Lessons from Applying Implementation Research provides an overview of New England and Islands Regional Education Laboratory (NEI-REL) and CEELO, highlights national trends and issues for consideration for implementation, shares best practices related to implementing statewide initiatives, and discusses implementing early learning and development standards in Connecticut. (April 2013)