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Improving Systems, Practices, and Outcomes

KSB Newsletter April 8, 2024

News from The Kindergarten Sturdy Bridge (KSB) Learning Community

Logo: Kindergarten Sturdy Bridge (an arcing bridge with three stars above it)

Resource Spotlight

The Center for Disease Control's Vaccination Toolkits, just in time for the 2024–2025 school year!

Routine vaccinations are a great tool to keep kindergarteners healthy, in school, and ready to learn. Center for Disease Control (CDC) data show that kindergartener vaccination coverage has steadily declined for all vaccines over the past two school years from 95% to 93% nationally and by as much as 10% in some jurisdictions. According to the CDC, this is the lowest percentage of kindergarten routine vaccination coverage nationally in the last decade. An estimated 750,000 young learners that entered kindergarten during the pandemic are potentially susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases. A recent uptick in global and domestic measles cases and outbreaks underscore that under and unvaccinated children are at risk for serious illness. Education providers can support getting school-aged children back on track with their routine immunizations.

Resources found on the CDC's Let's RISE Initiative webpage include facts about routine vaccines, vaccine safety, information about where families can get free vaccines, and catch-up vaccine schedules. In addition, the CDC has created new Online Partner Vaccination Toolkits with actionable, downloadable, editable resources to support immunization catch up: Vaccination resources for early care and education providers, and the Let's RISE School Toolkit. "Back to School" printable and digital content is available.

Resources from the Field

Attendance

  • A Dear Colleague Letter on Addressing Chronic Absenteeism was released on March 22, 2024. The letter links to a new Fact Sheet and a new resource page, summarizing US Department of Education resources available to support efforts to boost regular student attendance.

English Learners

  • A P–3 Framework Centering English Learners: This framework for states and local programs provides a vision and guidance for creating an aligned, appropriate P–3 system that centers English learners/dual language learners (EL/DLLs). It focuses on building aligned practices for EL/DLL success across the crucial developmental phase, ages 3–8, for language, literacy, learning, and identity, with a focus on supporting deep, joyful learning and development. It articulates a set of pedagogical and system design principles that derive from the knowledge base on effective practices for EL/DLLs, culturally and linguistically sustaining approaches, research on dual language development, and experiences building systems that appropriately serve immigrant and dual language communities and enable effective practices to be implemented.

Family Engagement

  • Family Engagement to Support Kindergarten Readiness and Early School Success: This brief is a part of the 2023 series on family engagement produced a component of the Raise the Bar Initiative by the U.S. Department of Education in partnership with Carnegie Corporation of New York and Overdeck Family Foundation. In this webinar, panelists provided a review of evidence from the field, and highlighted significant disparities in race, income, and early childhood learning experiences that impact children in kindergarten and beyond. Building strong partnerships with parents and families is an essential strategy to align what happens in the classroom with what happens at home, making family engagement a critical driver in ensuring that all children enter kindergarten "ready to learn" and experience early school success.

IDEA

  • Assistive Technology Devices and Services for Children With Disabilities Under the IDEA: The Office of Educational Technology and the Office of Special Education Programs provide guidance in support of children with disabilities who need assistive technology (AT) devices and services for meaningful access and engagement in education. Resources include a Dear Colleague Letter on the provision of assistive technology devices and services for children with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and a document entitled Myths and Facts Surrounding Assistive Technology Devices and Services.

Kindergarten Policies and Programming

  • 50-State Comparison: State K–3 Policies: This information, compiled by the Commission on the States, includes information on key policy components of a quality experience in K–3 (school readiness and transitions, kindergarten requirements, educator quality, and prevention, intervention, and assessments). This comprehensive resource allows the user to view how all states approach each policy component, or view a specific state's approach.
  • The Impact of Strong District Leadership in Early Childhood: Lessons from California: This brief from New America examines the way in which school leaders impact the provision of high-quality early childhood programming. The lessons learned from three communities in California (Fresno, Oakland, and East San Jose) are discussed.

Literacy

  • Supporting Practice Guide Implementation: Preparing Young Children for School, Language and Literacy Recommendations: This webinar recording is the second session in the Research to Practice Spotlight Series offered by the National Center for Systemic Improvement. It focuses on building the foundational literacy skills of early learners, including those who may benefit from additional support. In this webinar, evidence-based language and literacy recommendations (5–7) in the What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Preparing Young Children for School are reviewed, relevant examples of early childhood program curricula and activities are shown, and there are discussions on ways SEAs and LEAs can support educators to implement recommendations with diverse learners in varied contexts. Additional resources are provided.

P–3 Alignment

  • Framework for Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating P–3 Approaches: The Framework, developed by the National P–3 Center, addresses key questions facing those who are developing and implementing comprehensive P–3 approaches in their school, district, or community. The Framework provides strategies that have been identified as essential to high-quality P–3 approaches.

Transition into Kindergarten