eNotes
August 8, 2015In this Issue:
- Reducing Suspension and Expulsion Practices in Early Childhood Settings Source: U.S. Department of Education, Administration for Children and Families - Retrieved August 6, 2015
- Is Early Retention an Effective, Research-Based Strategy for Improving Student Outcomes? Source: Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) - August 7, 2015
- New E-Chapter Addresses State Early Childhood Data Systems Source: BUILD Initiative - August 5, 2015
- New Issue of Early Childhood Research & Practice Available Online Source: Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative - Retrieved August 7, 2015
- A Good Start: Advances in Early Childhood Development Source: Bernard van Leer Foundation - Retrieved August 5, 2015
1. Reducing Suspension and Expulsion Practices in Early Childhood Settings
Recent data indicate that expulsions and suspensions regularly occur in preschool settings. This is a problematic issue given the well-established research indicating that these practices can influence a number of adverse outcomes across development, health, and education. In addition, stark racial and gender disparities exist in these practices, with young boys of color being suspended and expelled at much higher rates than other children in early learning programs. The Administration for Children and Families provides links to a number of free, publicly available resources to aid states in their efforts to prevent, limit and ultimately eliminate expulsion and suspension practices in early learning settings at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/child-health-development/reducing-suspension-and-expulsion-practices
2. Is Early Retention an Effective, Research-Based Strategy for Improving Student Outcomes?
Questions have been raised about the research to support state and local policies that require retention for young students. Educators, policymakers, and researchers find it difficult to reach consensus on this issue, particularly when young children are concerned. A new CEELO FastFast, Retention in the Early Years: Is Early Retention an Effective, Research-Based Strategy for Improving Student Outcomes? (August 2015), provides a review of the literature on the effects of early retention and discusses why retention is a nuanced rather than definitive research-based approach to enhancing outcomes.
3. New E-Chapter Addresses State Early Childhood Data Systems
The BUILD Initiative has released chapter seven of the new E-Book, Rising to the Challenge: Building Effective Systems for Young Children and Families. This new chapter, Stacking the Blocks: A Look at Integrated Data Strategies (August 2015) by Elizabeth Jordan and Carlise King, outlines the work seven states that received Early Learning Challenge grants are doing to build or enhance their state early learning data systems and the main challenges they are facing. It provides examples of the progress these states have made and recommendations for how to continue to support this work.
- Chapter 7: Executive Summary
- Related Blog Post (8/5/2015) by Joan Lombardi.
4. New Issue of Early Childhood Research & Practice Available Online
The Spring 2015 issue of Early Childhood Research & Practice (ECRP) is now available online. ECRP is an open-access, peer-reviewed, multilingual online-only journal published biannually by the Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. All past issues can also be accessed online.
5. A Good Start: Advances in Early Childhood Development
A special issue of Early Childhood Matters, A Good Start: Advances in Early Childhood Development, marks the 50th anniversary of the Bernard van Leer Foundation's first grant in early childhood. It is guest-edited by Joan Lombardi and includes contributions from experts on a range of subjects including brain science, nutrition, home visiting, parent support, pre-primary, fatherhood, emergency contexts, and children with disabilities, measurement and leadership. Examples of early childhood programmes from around the world are included.