eNotes
June 30, 2017In this Issue:
- Technical Changes to IDEA - Final Regulations Released Source: U.S. Department of Education
- Child Welfare Outcomes Report Data Source: Children's Bureau
- The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) 2016 Source: Children's Bureau
- Directory of State Early Learning Contacts - June 2017 Source: Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO)
- Equity in Education: Key Questions to Consider Source: Education Commission of the States
- Continuous Quality Improvement in Early Childhood and School Age Programs Source: BUILD Initiative
- NSECE Summary Briefs Source: National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE)
- The Head Start Advantage: A Research Compendium - June 2017 Source: National Head Start Association (NHSA)
1. Technical Changes to IDEA - Final Regulations Released
Today, the U.S. Department of Education released Final Regulations (effective June 30, 2017) under Parts B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The final regulations make technical revisions required to implement statutory amendments made to the IDEA by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). When ESSA reauthorized ESEA on December 10, 2015, the new law changed sections 602 and 611-614 of the IDEA. As a result, the IDEA regulations were amended in Parts 300 and 303 to reflect the conforming changes. See the amendments summary here.
2. Child Welfare Outcomes Report Data
The Children's Bureau has released the Child Welfare Outcomes data site (June 2017) that provides data from the Child Welfare Outcomes 2010-2014: Report to Congress. The site includes state and national performance data on outcome measures for children served by the child welfare system. The outcome measures examine seven categories, including children's safety, permanency and well-being.
3. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) 2016
On May 30, 2017 the Children's Bureau published an update of the Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA) booklet as amended by P.L. 114-22, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, and P.L. 114-198, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016. The Adoption Opportunities program and Abandoned Infants Assistance Act are also included.
4. Directory of State Early Learning Contacts - June 2017
CEELO has published its updated directory of state contacts for birth through 3rd grade. Contacts for CEELO's management team and staff are also included. To remain current, this directory is updated twice a year.
5. Equity in Education: Key Questions to Consider
The Education Commission of the States has published this series of key questions (June 2017) for education leaders to consider as they evaluate their policy options that support goals of advancing educational equity in their state. The list of questions are focused on 4 areas: teaching and leading, learning and transitioning, measuring and improving, and financing. Additional resources are provided.
6. Continuous Quality Improvement in Early Childhood and School Age Programs
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is a process which ensures that organizations and their collaborating partners use systems and intentional methods designed to improve services, practices, and outcomes for children and families. This June 2017 report from BUILD explores findings from a series of meetings (held Nov. 2016-Apr. 2017) with professional educators regarding useful models and applications of CQI. Some questions discussed in the meetings are below:
- "Are there conditions that need to be present and how do we know if an organization is ready for, or already engaged in, CQI?"
- "What can be learned from school reform, the health care field, and others engaged in CQI...to gain collective impact and to speed up, spread, or sustain change?"
- "How can systems such as QRIS, pre-K and OST initiatives incorporate and best support CQI as part of their standards and resource allocation?"
7. NSECE Summary Briefs
The National Survey of Early Care and Education has published a series of briefs (June 2017) after surveying 12K families and nearly 20K home-based providers, classroom staff, and program directors. The briefs offer practical information and data for state and local education officials to use for program planning and implementation. See below:
- (Brief 1) How are center-based early childhood education programs funded?
- (Brief 2) Characteristics of home-based child care providers
- (Brief 3) How do parents make decisions about ECE arrangements?
- (Brief 4) Characteristics of the early care and education workforce
- (Brief 5) Early care and education centers that participate in Head Start and public pre-kindergarten
- (Brief 6) Center-based early care and education programs: program size and ages served
8. The Head Start Advantage: A Research Compendium - June 2017
This compendium summarizes several key studies published in recent years that represent the best evidence about Head Start's effectiveness. Included are economic analyses, longitudinal studies, and secondary analyses demonstrating the positive impact of Head Start programs for participating children. The report also mentions that the Head Start advantage is particularly influential to children with low developmental skills, Hispanic children, and African American children; and the positive outcomes offer significant cost benefits to society.