National Governors Association Policy Academy

 Building a Foundation for Student Success:

State Strategies to Improve Learning Outcomes from Early Childhood

through 3rd Grade

Joint Meeting of the Board of Early Education and Care and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

January 27, 2014

Purpose and Goals

Build awareness and commitment across key stakeholders to support a continuum of high-quality early learning opportunities from birth through 3rd grade

Develop and begin to implement a state-specific action plan to implement aligned birth to 3rd grade learning standards by:

1) strengthening the effectiveness of early childhood and early elementary educators; or

2) developing and appropriately using assessments across the birth to grade 3 continuum

2Executive Office of Education

Primary Strategies for Massachusetts

Massachusetts is focusing on the development and implementation of a robust birth to grade 3 standards and assessment system

Creation of a birth to grade 3 definition of college and career readiness to define the developmental and other milestones that should be achieved to ensure that all children are on the path to college and career success

Enhancement of our early learning standards to increase their alignment with our pre-K through grade 12 Curriculum Frameworks and ensure that they include social and emotional learning domains from birth through kindergarten

Exploration of birth to kindergarten assessment strategies as well as strategies for the early elementary grades, with the goal of building a coherent policy framework for the development of a birth to grade 3 assessment system

3Executive Office of Education

Governor’s Symposium

Statewide convening in May 2014 for early educators, K-3 teachers and principals, BEEC and BESE members, municipal officials, legislators, and community partners

Primary Goals:

Build on statewide momentum to increase access to high-quality early education opportunities for children from birth to age 5

Build awareness and support for the establishment of a birth to grade 3 standards and assessment system

Solicit feedback about the creation of a birth to grade 3 definition of college and career readiness as well as the enhancement of our early learning standards

4Executive Office of Education

System-wide Implications and Issues for Further Consideration

Developing assessment strategies for the early elementary grades

Integrating social and emotional domains from birth to grade 12

Aligning all educator preparation, evaluation, and licensure strategies to a comprehensive birth to grade 3 framework

Delivering new support and intervention services to children from birth to grade 3

5Executive Office of Education

Contact Information

Saeyun Lee, State Team Leadersaeyun.lee@state.ma.us

617.979.8351

6Executive Office of Education