Early Learning Updates from the States

Since the release of Already Ahead, our analysis of states in the running for the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge, several states have sent us updates, and we have read about recent changes in other states that might give them an edge.

We are glad to receive these updates since our analysis was based on the latest published data and could not reflect recent changes not yet been captured by our sources. Here’s what we’ve learned:

• New Jersey is piloting a Quality Rating & Improvement System. Pilots in Camden and Trenton are complete and a pilot in Newark is currently underway.
• Illinois is in the process of developing a statewide kindergarten readiness assessment.
• During the 2011 legislative session, Louisiana legislators passed a law to establish a statewide kindergarten readiness assessment to be administered to all children upon entry into kindergarten.
• In June, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed an Executive Order to establish the “Office of Great Start,” a reorganization of the Departments of Education and Human Services with the goal to better coordinate early learning programs.
• Florida is facing ineligibility for a RTT-ELC grant because the state’s legislature had rejected federal home visiting dollars. But, earlier this month, Governor Rick Scott made it clear that he wants to pursue the early learning funding. Yesterday, the Florida legislature’s joint House and Senate budget committee voted to approve the $3.4 million federal grant to establish a home visiting program.

Any state with a solid plan to improve coordination and quality of and access to early learning programs has a shot at winning a grant. We hope our analysis and the RTT-ELC itself generates lively discussion about where states are when it comes to building coordinated and high-quality systems of early learning for children under the age of 5.

We’re interested to know what’s happening in your state. Do you have a QRIS pilot we didn’t mention? Has your state enabled more types of early learning programs to participate in QRIS? Are you developing assessments, beefing up your professional development systems or improving your data collection capabilities? Let us know.

For more coverage on the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge visit our special page.