Accountability for Early Childhood Programs

To help guide this process at the state level the National Early Childhood Accountability Task Force has published Taking Stock: Assessing and Improving Early Childhood Learning. The paper recommends that state governments create a more integrated accountability and program improvement structure across the various early childhood education services. It gives clear recommendations on how states can accomplish this by creating strong information systems, coordinating data efforts across categorical programs, and encouraging a common understanding of assessment tools, data, and analysis.

The recommended system has three primary building blocks:

• A 'systems infrastructure,' or providing the supports that will ensure high-quality assessment, timely accurate reporting and appropriate understanding and use of assessment data.

• 'Assessment/program improvement approaches,' recognizing the need for flexibility when assessing and improving programs because of the diversity of needs.

• And 'steps toward coherent pre K-grade 3 accountability efforts,' or aligning and integrating standards and curricula so there is more continuity in instruction and assessment.

While the paper recommends these guidelines, its creators understand that all states may not have the financial resources to implement the entire plan, and informs politicians and leaders in the field on how to prioritize spending.

Task force members included leaders from 17 universities and child development organizations throughout the nation. Supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts Foundation, the Foundation for Child Development, and the Joyce Foundation, the task force was formed to review current federal and state early childhood initiatives and to provide guidance on how they should embark on an accountability program. First 5 LA was happy to learn that many of the Task Force's recommendations fell in line with our accountability plan and also mirror challenging issues we face as we move forward with the planning of our next strategic plan.

Click here to access the report.

To learn more about what First 5 LA is doing in the areas of assessment and accountability click here. To learn more about what First 5 LA is doing in the area of early childhood education evaluation and assessment, click here.

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