DEC Early Childhood Standards CECs Early InterventionEarly Childhood

DEC Early Childhood Standards CEC’s Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Personnel Standards: Development, Validation, and Teacher Ed. Division of the Council for Alignment Exceptional Children November 2012 Grand Rapids, MI Peggy Gallagher, Deborah Cochran, Kim Christensen, Lynette Chandler, Laurie Dinnebeil, Karin Lifter, and Vicki Stayton 1

DEC Early Childhood Standards Overview: The CEC Validation Process The Knowledge and Skills (K&S) Subcommittee of CEC’s Professional Standards & Practice Committee (PSPC) Reviews, updates, and re-validates standards of all the divisions; sets schedule (> 7 years) Each division sends a representative to the K&S Subcommittee (K. Lifter from DEC Personnel Prep, Jan. 2005) EC initial (2006) and Advanced (2007) 2

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Each area has two categories: Knowledge Skills Cannot duplicate the CEC Common Core Eliminate statements that are redundant with a statement in the Initial or Advanced Common Core. Once initial items are developed they are reviewed by the CEC Knowledge and Skills Committee. Standard statements then go through a smoothing process to clean up the language and terminology. Then sent out for survey 3

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Categories for Initial Standards: #1: Foundations #2: Development and Characteristics of Learners #3: Individual Learning Differences #4: Instructional Strategies #5: Learning Environments and Social Interactions #6: Language #7: Instructional Planning #8: Assessment #9: Professional and Ethical Practice #10: Collaboration 4

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Integrated existing DEC standards with CEC EC standards Revised standards as needed Added standards where research or practice indicated there were gaps Deleted standards that duplicated statements in the initial common core 5

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Development of evidence basis for each standard Evidence Categories (Research, Literature / Theory or Practice-Based References): Supports research/evidence based practice Serves as a resource for DEC members & Personnel Preparation Programs in EI/ECSE 6

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Research-based reference Based on peer-reviewed studies that use appropriate research methodologies to address questions of cause and effect, and that researchers have independently replicated and found to be effective Literature/Theory-based reference Based on theories or philosophical reasoning. Include knowledge and skills derived from sources such as position papers, policy analyses, and descriptive reviews of the literature. 7

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Practice-based references are derived from a number of sources: Results from small number of studies or nomination procedures Derived primarily from model and lighthouse programs. Include professional wisdom. Include “emerging practice”, practices that arise from teachers’ classroom experiences validated through some degree of action research 8

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Stakeholder Survey for Standards Validation CEC Knowledge and Skills subcommittee requirements Sample Purposeful Sample - people with expertise in the field -- as opposed to a random sample of the membership. Electronic Survey administered November-December, 2006 Obtained 59% response re. completed/invited 9

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Desired Response Rates Proportion of the total number who agreed to complete the Survey. Response rate of 50 - 80% to infer organizational representation Return rates in the 20 -30% range will invalidate the survey results. 10

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Standards were revised based on survey results Standards that were rated as Essential by 80% or more of the respondents are retained Essential by 30% or less of the respondents are removed Essential by 30 – 80% of the respondents are subject to expert review Based on this review, the standards were either retained or removed. 11

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Categories for Initial Standards: #1: Foundations [4 -> 3] #2: Development and Characteristics of Learners [10 -> 8] #3: Individual Learning Differences [4 -> 4] #4: Instructional Strategies [10 -> 9] #5: Learning Environments and Social Interactions [11 > 8] #6: Language [4 -> 4] #7: Instructional Planning [11 -> 11] #8: Assessment [17 -> 15] #9: Professional and Ethical Practice [9 -> 9] #10: Collaboration [13 -> 11] 12

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC EI/Early Childhood Standards Validation Process Categories for Advanced Standards: #1: Leadership and Policy [7] #2: Program Development and Organization [9] #3: Research and Inquiry [4] #4: Evaluation [5] #5: Professional Development and Ethical Practice 5 -> 4 combining 2] #6: Collaboration [4] 97% retained! 13

DEC Early Childhood Standards Lifter et al. , (2011). DEC personnel preparation standards: Revision 2005 2008 Journal of Early Intervention, 33, 151 167. Cochran, et. al. (2012) DEC Field validation of the division for early childhood (DEC) early childhood special education and early intervention personnel preparation standards. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 32 (1). pp. 38 51. 14

DEC Early Childhood Standards Next Steps - Task 1: Aligning the CEC Common Core and DEC Early Childhood Personnel Preparation Standards with the NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards 15

DEC Early Childhood Standards 2011 CEC/DEC and NAEYC Standards Alignment - First Steps CEC standards: Ten content areas identify a common core of knowledge and skill (and disposition) elements that beginning special education teachers should attain and be able to do. Total 129 CEC Common Core elements. ECSE/EI Standards: Additional specialized knowledge and skills for professionals entering positions working with infants and young children (0 8) who are at risk or have developmental delays and disabilities and their families. Uses the CEC content areas. Total 80 DEC ECSE/EI elements. NAEYC Standards: Six content areas and 22 key elements that represent knowledge base and application of knowledge that ECE should possess within EC settings. 16

DEC Early Childhood Standards Knowledge & Skill Elements in CEC Common Core & DEC ECSE Standards (209 elements) • 10 areas • CEC – Common Core (129) • 61 Knowledge Elements • 68 Skill Elements • DEC – ECSE (80) • 23 Knowledge Elements • 57 Skill Elements CEC Common Core Elements Content Standard Areas DEC ECSE Elements Knowledge Skills 10 7 1 0 5 1 0 6 10 17 2 1 0 1 1 2 8 7 Language 4 2 Instructional Planning 5 5 15 9 2 3 3 3 8 11 4 4 61 13 11 68 2 1 23 7 9 57 Foundations Development & Characteristics of Learners Individual Learning Differences Instructional Strategies Learning Environments & Social Interactions Assessment Professional & Ethical Practice Collaboration Total

DEC Early Childhood Standards Example of the Alignment Grid 2 c: Involving families and communities in their children’s development and learning 2 b: Supporting and engaging families and commu nities through respectful, reciprocal relationships Foundations 2. Building Family and Community Relationships. 2 a: Knowing about and understanding diverse family and community characteristics 1. 1 c: Using developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments Initial CEC Common Core (ICC) and DEC Early Childhood Special Education/Early Intervention (ECSE) Content Standards and Knowledge and Skill Elements↓ 1 b: Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on development and learning NAEYC Key Elements ---→ 1. Promoting Child Development and Learning. 1 a. Knowing and understanding young children’s characteristics and needs NAEYC Standards ---→ Knowledge: ICC 1 K 1 Models, theories, and philosophies that form the basis for special education practice. ICC 1 K 2 Laws, policies, and ethical principles regarding behavior management planning and implementation. ICC 1 K 3 Relationship of special education to the organization and function of educational agencies. ICC 1 K 4 Rights and responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, and other professionals, and schools related to exceptional learning needs. Skill: X Remove? ? X X Add? ICC 1 S 1 Articulate personal philosophy of special education. ECSE 1 S 1 Implement family services consistent with due process safeguards. X X Remove ? ? X

DEC Early Childhood Standards The matrix can be found at: www. dec sped. org About DEC: Personnel Preparation Standards for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education

DEC Early Childhood Standards Initial 2008 CEC/DEC and NAEYC Standards Alignment The group developed initial rules for alignment One reviewer conducted alignment of CEC/DEC with NAEYC standards: Refined and revised rules Added new rules Developed critical features of NAEYC standards from NAEYC position statement Discussed rules with group, revised rules 5 Reviewers conducted alignment NAEYC revised their standards so the alignment was updated in 2011 20

DEC Early Childhood Standards Decision Guidelines /Rules for Validating Alignment of the CEC/DEC and NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards When evaluating a CEC / DEC personnel preparation standard for alignment that seems to apply to school based or center based settings (especially with the CEC Common Core standards) consider that infants and young children in Early Intervention or Itinerant services could be served in the home and/or family environment and that NAEYC Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships would be coded for those standards. 21

DEC Early Childhood Standards Decision Guidelines / Rules for Validating Alignment of the CEC / DEC and NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards When evaluating a CEC / DEC personnel preparation standard for alignment that seems to apply to school based or center based settings (especially with the CEC Common Core standards) consider that infants and young children in Early Intervention or Itinerant services could be served in the home and/or family environment and that NAEYC Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships would be coded for those standards. 22

DEC Early Childhood Standards Decision Guidelines / Rules for Validating Alignment of the CEC / DEC and NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards NAEYC Standard 1 focuses on BOTH the understanding of child development and interacting influences AND the creation of environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for all children. If a CEC or CEC / DEC standard covers one but not both of the areas (i. e. understanding child development and creating environments), the CEC or CEC/DEC standard would be aligned with the NAEYC standard. 23

DEC Early Childhood Standards Decision Guidelines /Rules for Validating Alignment of the CEC/DEC and NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards NAEYC Standard 4 focuses on integration of the candidates understanding of and relationships with children and families; their understanding of developmentally effective approaches to teaching and learning and their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all children. If a CEC or CEC / DEC standard addresses NAEYC Standard #1 (i. e. understanding child development and creating environments) and NAEYC Standard 4 Standard (integration of knowledge and experience to design, implement and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all children) the CEC or CEC/DEC standard would be aligned 24 with BOTH NAEYC standards #1 & #4.

DEC Early Childhood Standards Decision Guidelines /Rules for Validating Alignment of the CEC/DEC and NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards For any CEC or CEC/DEC standard that relates to both Professional Practice (NAEYC #5) and another NAEYC standard area (NAEYC # 1 -4), the item would be aligned with both NAEYC Standard #5 and the other relevant practice standard (#1 -4). When any CEC or CEC/DEC standard explicitly refers to assessment, evaluation, documentation or partnerships with families and other professionals, the standard would be aligned with NAEYC standard #3. Do not align the standards if there is a presumption or implication that assessment, evaluation, documentation or partnerships were part of the standard. 25

DEC Early Childhood Standards Decision Guidelines /Rules for Validating Alignment of the CEC/DEC and NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards Cultural Issues related to knowledge of child development and working with families are coded in NAEYC Standards 1: Understanding child development and creating environments and Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships, but not in NAEYC Standard 5: Professional Practice. Family assessment activities would be coded under NAEYC Standard 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families not NAEYC Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships. 26

DEC Early Childhood Standards Decision Guidelines /Rules for Validating Alignment of the CEC/DEC and NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards Any standard involving transition would involve the family and would be coded under NAEYC Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships Any standard involving collaboration and teaming would be coded under NAEYC Standard 5: Professional Practice 27

DEC Early Childhood Standards 2008 Alignment Consensus Criteria • Five reviewers independently conducted • the alignment. • Compared alignments. Elements were considered aligned when: • • 4/5 reviewers (80%) agreement on alignment of two elements. Elements were considered not aligned when: • • Only 1/5 and 2/5 reviewers did not agree on alignment of two elements Further analysis was conducted if 3/5 agreed on alignment of two elements • • • the items in question were reviewed by 3 additional individuals who also had conducted an independent alignment. Only if all 3 reviewers agreed that two elements were aligned, the alignment was accepted (6/8 or 75% agreements across all reviewers)

DEC Early Childhood Standards 2011 CEC/DEC and NAEYC Standards Alignment Consensus Combined alignments from five reviewers: If 4/5 agreed on an item, alignment accepted (80%) If 1 or 2 agreed on an item, alignment not accepted If 3/5 agreed on an item, it was reviewed by 3 additional reviewers: If 2 of 3 additional reviewers agreed that an item should be aligned, alignment was accepted (75%) If only 1 of 3 agreed, alignment was not accepted 29

DEC Early Childhood Standards Alignment of Standards and Elements: CEC/ECSE/EI with NAEYC Total = 160/209 (76. 6%) CEC/ECSE/ EI Content Standards, Key Elements Total Alignment 1. Foundations 8/14 (57. 1%) 2. Development, characteristics of learners 12/15 (80. 0%) 3. Individual learning differences 9/9 (100. 0%) 4. Instructional strategies 15/15 (100. 0%) 5. Learning environments, social interaction 27/34 (79. 4%) 6. Language 6/11 (54. 6%) 7. Instructional planning 19/31 (61. 3%) 8. Assessment 28/28 (100. 0%) 9. Professional and ethical practices 19/26 (73. 1%) 10. Collaboration 17/25 (68. 0%) TOTAL 160/209 (76. 6%)

DEC Early Childhood Standards DEC/ECSE and NAEYC Alignment Summary DEC ECSE Areas with 100% Alignment Foundations Individual Learning Differences Instructional Strategies Assessment DEC ECSE Areas with less than 70% Alignment • Language • Instructional Planning • Collaboration DEC ECSE Areas with 70 - 99% Alignment Development & Characteristics of Learners Learning Environments & Social Interaction Professional & Ethical Practices

DEC Early Childhood Standards Percent of CEC/ECSE Knowledge & Skills Elements Aligned to One or More NAEYC Standards Elements Percent of CEC/ECSE K&S Aligned to 1 or More NAEYC CEC Common Core and DEC ECSE Content Standard Areas CEC Common Core Elements (129) DEC ECSE Elements (80) Total (209) Knowledge Skills Foundations 50. 0% 100. 0% 57. 1% Development and Characteristics of Learners 85. 7% 100. 0% 70. 0% NA NA 100% 82. 4% 71. 4% 100. 0% 100% NA 100. 0% 85. 7% 80. 0% 100. 0% 79. 4% Assessment 75. 0% 60. 0% 100. 0% 50. 0% 46. 7% 100. 0% 50. 0% 100. 0% 33. 3% 75. 0% 100. 0% 54. 6% 61. 3% 100. 0% Professional and Ethical Practices 75. 0% 61. 5% 100. 0% 85. 7% 73. 1% Collaboration 75. 0% 81. 8% 0. 0% 55. 6% 68. 0% Individual Learning Differences Instructional Strategies Learning Environments and Social Interactions Language Instructional Planning

DEC Early Childhood Standards Alignment Validation Summary There were 428 CEC/ECSE/EI elements aligned with the NAEYC standard elements. 100% agreement with 70. 3% of the standards aligned in the initial review 80% agreement with 27. 1% of the standards aligned in the initial review 75% agreement for 2. 5% of the standards aligned in the initial review These standard alignments were reviewed by 3 additional reviewers 11 of the standard alignments were agreed upon by the 3 reviewers. 25 alignments were not agreed upon and were deleted from the alignment document

DEC Early Childhood Standards NAEYC and DEC ECSE Alignment Summary NAEYC Areas with Greatest Alignment to CEC & ECSE NAEYC Areas with the Least Alignment to CEC & ECSE Using Developmentally Effective Approaches to Connect with Children and Families (57 / 44) Building Family and Community Relationships (54 / 39) Observing, Documenting And Assessing to Support Young Children and Families (47 / 31) Promoting Child Development and Learning (35 / 24) Becoming a Professional (25 / 15) Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum (20 / 27)

DEC Early Childhood Standards Alignment of Standards and Elements: NAEYC with CEC/ECSE (Total = 428) NAEYC Content Standards, Key Elements Aligned w/ CEC/ECSE 1. Promoting child development and learning 59 2. Building family and community relationships 103 3. Observing, documenting, assessing to support children, families 78 4. Using developmentally effective approaches to connect with children and families 101 5. Using content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum 47 6. Becoming a professional 40 Total 428

DEC Early Childhood Standards How can we use the alignment? NCATE / State reports Develop blended programs Evaluate existing programs Guide for alignment of standards across teacher preparation courses 36

DEC Early Childhood Standards How can we use the alignment? To determine standards coverage in common special education courses across different licensure areas serving different age / grade levels i. e. in Ohio ECIS, MM, and MI licenses As a guide for program revision based on outcome data and teacher candidate feedback i. e. Praxis Data, Analysis of Teacher Work Samples / Teacher Performance Assessments Evaluate existing programs Guide for alignment of standards across teacher preparation courses 37

DEC Early Childhood Standards Ongoing Use of the Alignment Document Used by the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion to cross reference DEC ECSE and NAEYC standards to the CONNECT : The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge professional development case based training modules Used as a reference in the development of the Early Childhood Special Education / Early Intervention Paraprofessional Personnel Standards

DEC Early Childhood Standards Next. Steps Developing a crosswalk between the DEC Recommended Practices and the Aligned CEC/DEC and NAEYC Personnel Preparation Standards 39

DEC Early Childhood Standards Alignment with DEC Practice Areas DEC Recommended Practice Areas 39 practices across the 7 Practice Areas Practice 1: Assessment (A) Practice 2: Child-focused interventions (C) Practice 3: Family-based practices (F) Practice 4: Interdisciplinary models (I) Practice 5: Technology applications (T) Practice 6: Policies, procedures and systems change (PS) Practice 7: Personnel preparation (PP) Issues Development of Ongoing Process to Update 1 year timeline Contract with Nectac Alignment w/ Standards Criteria for Evidence Based Practice What Works? ? ? Other Alignment w/ PP Practices Course content 40

DEC Early Childhood Standards Next Steps Discussion Peggy Gallagher Georgia State University pgallagher@gsu. edu 41