Tag Archives: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity

Office of Head Start Upcoming Events

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Explore and register for upcoming T/TA events, sorted by topic. Scroll down for General Interest; Education & Child Development; Family & Community Engagement; Financial & Program Management; Health & Social and Emotional Well-being; Partnerships in Education & Child Care; and Non-ACF Events in the Early Childhood Field.

To see events sorted by date, visit the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC).

 

General Interest

Monday, March 12
4–4:45 p.m. ET
Online

MyPeers Orientation

Join this webinar for a 45-minute introduction to MyPeers, a community of practice forum for Head Start programs, staff, and partners. MyPeers is a virtual space for brainstorming, exchanging ideas, and sharing resources. Local program staff across the country can connect with and lend support to fellow early childhood colleagues.

Webinar Repeats (all ET): March 19 at 1 p.m.; April 12 at 2 p.m.; April 23 at 3 p.m.; May 8 at noon.; May 16 at 2 p.m.

Education & Child Development

Wednesday, March 7
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Spotlights on Innovative Practices: Relationship-Based Competencies for Professionals Who Work with Young Children

This is a live repeat of the December webinar which introduced the updated resource Relationship-Based Competencies for Professionals Who Work with Young Children in Group Settings.

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Tuesday, March 13
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

BabyTalks Series: Supporting Children’s Early Brain Development

For very young children, almost every experience is an opportunity for learning. Explore how children’s brains develop in the first few years of life.

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Friday, March 16
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Preschool Cognition: Supporting Early Math

Join this Teacher Time webisode to hear from experts about early math development. Learn how to integrate early geometry concepts and skills, like shapes and puzzles, into everyday teaching practices.

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Tuesday, March 20
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

New and Revised: Making It Work – Implementing Cultural Learning Experiences in AIAN Early Learning Settings

Discover the importance of infusing language and culture in early learning programs. Hear about the newly updated Making It Work, a guide for implementing cultural learning experiences in American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) programs.

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Family & Community Engagement

Thursday, March 29
3–4:15 p.m. ET
Online

Helping Families Prepare for Income Changes Throughout the Year

Nearly two-thirds of low-income families go through significant changes in household income during the year. Head Start and Early Head Start programs can play a key role in helping families develop a plan to handle sudden income changes. This webinar is part of the Building Foundations for Economic Mobility (BFEM) webinar series.

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Financial & Program Management

Thursday, March 8
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Program Planning and Data & Evaluation

This session will give an overview of the Program Planning and Data and Evaluation sections of the Head Start Management Systems Wheel. Topics will include coordinated approaches and how data supports continuous improvement.

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Wednesday, March 28
3–4:30 p.m. ET
Online

Successful, Supportive Relationships with State Early Childhood Systems

Explore both grantee and state perspectives on building relationships that support access to the Child Care and Development Fund subsidy. Hear from state representatives and two Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grantees, one rural and one urban, about the benefits of these relationships and what steps they took in building them. This webinar is part of the “Making Strides” series.

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Thursday, April 12
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Facilities and Learning Environments

This session continues the exploration of the Head Start Management Systems Wheel. Review key considerations in facilities management. This includes an overview of the facility development and renovation cycle, as well as the health and wellness implications in facility management.

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Thursday, May 10
3–4 p.m. ET
Online

Transportation and Technology

This Head Start Management Systems Wheel session will address the fundamental concepts that support the systems of Transportation and Technology and Information Systems. This will include transportation planning, ensuring child safety, and the role of internal staff and external consultants in supporting your computers and software.

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Health & Social and Emotional Well-being

Monday, March 5
2–3 p.m. ET
Online

Tummy Time: A Simple Concept with Enormous Benefits

Tummy time gives babies a chance to stretch and strengthen their muscles, which helps them push up, roll over, crawl, and walk. Join this webinar to explore a new suite of materials for home visitors and other professionals working with families with infants. Learn to encourage and incorporate tummy time into families’ routines. Help caregivers use tummy time as a special chance to bond and interact with babies.

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Tuesday, March 6
1–2 p.m. ET
Online

Implementing Evidence-Based Hearing Screening Practices for Children 3 to 5 Years of Age in Head Start Programs

Learn about evidence-based hearing screening for children 3–5 years of age. Explore newly released instructional resources designed to assist those using Pure Tone screening.

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Thursday, March 15
2–3 p.m. ET
Online

Nutrition Education in the Classroom

Nutrition is key for children’s healthy development, but it can be challenging to make it a part of your daily routine. Explore tips and strategies to create healthier eating environments for children in the classroom and at home.

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April 10–12
All Day
Dallas, TX

I Am Moving, I Am Learning Team Trainings

I Am Moving, I Am Learning (IMIL) is a Head Start program enhancement created to address childhood obesity. It was not designed as a curriculum or an add-on. Join the team training to find out how IMIL fits seamlessly into what programs are already doing to meet the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. Apply online by March 9, 2018.

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Partnerships in Education & Child Care

Tuesday, March 6
2–3:30 p.m. ET
Online

Strategies for Building and Financing the Supply of High Quality Early Learning Webinar Series: State and Local Finance Strategies

The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, in collaboration with the BUILD initiative, will facilitate a discussion about state and local revenue-generation strategies that fund quality services for children.

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Tuesday, May 1
2–3:30 p.m. ET
Online

Strategies for Building and Financing the Supply of High Quality Early Learning: Utilizing Grants and Contracts, Payment Rates, and Financial Incentives to Increase Supply and Improve Quality

Hear from states that have used different strategies related to provider payments, grants and contracts, and financial incentives.

May 30 – June 1
All Day
Washington, DC

Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS)

Explore the latest findings from evaluations or programs, policies, and services that support low-income and vulnerable families on the path to economic self-sufficiency. RECS is presented by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Non-ACF Events in the Early Childhood Field

March 2–6
All Day
Costa Mesa, CA

April 4–6
All Day
Online

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April 17–20
All Day
Washington, DC

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April 23–27
All Day
Anaheim, CA

CLASP: Policy Solutions That Work for Low-Income People

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October 26, 2016

According to new research from the Yale Child Study Center, many early childhood programs demonstrate implicit bias in assessing children’s behavioral challenges and making decisions about suspension and expulsion.

The study asked early childhood teachers and administrators to watch two videos—one featuring a Black boy and girl, the other a White boy and girl—and identify challenging behavior. It found that teachers spent a disproportionate amount of time watching the Black boy. When explicitly asked which student required the most attention, 42 percent of participants said the Black boy, 34 percent the White boy, 13 percent the White girl, and 10 percent the Black girl.

The study tracks closely with recent data from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Office for Civil Rights. According to ED’s 2013-2014 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), Black children comprise just 19 percent of those enrolled in public school pre-kindergarten but 47 percent of preschool children who receive one or more suspensions. Black boys are also more likely to be expelled than their peers. In addition to implicit bias, these children experience higher stress levels and less access to high-quality early education.

The body of evidence showing racial disparities in accessing and succeeding in early childhood programs demonstrates a strong need to review and modify federal, state, and local policies. We need to create a level playing field where all kids can access quality programs and receive equal treatment—supporting their success now and in the future. If we fail to address racial disparities, we’ll be undermining healthy development for millions of our youngest children.

Source: CLASP: Policy Solutions That Work for Low-Income People

Available at: http://www.clasp.org/issues/child-care-and-early-education/in-focus/racial-bias-in-preschool-teachers

Education Agenda 2017: Top Priorities for State Leaders, the Next Administration, and Congress

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1/4/2017

Today’s students are the next generation of American doers and thinkers. The most diverse population ever, they have the honor and the burden of keeping the United States on the forefront of innovation and social progress.

To ensure students can succeed, our country’s publicly-funded education system—from early learning to public schools, and through higher education and workforce training—must be strengthened. So far, this system has failed too many of our country’s young people—turning them off of learning before they exit elementary school, leading them to repeat grades or drop out, requiring them to engage in costly remediation, and more. Widespread disparities are festering between students from high-income and low-income families; racial justice is still wanting; and linguistic diversity is still seen as a challenge instead of an opportunity.

To reform this system, New America’s Education Policy program recommends that leaders in the new administration, members of Congress, and state and local policymakers turn their attention to 10 important actions:

  1. Expand access to quality early learning.
  2. Smooth transition points from pre-K through higher education and into the workforce.
  3. Transform the preparation and ongoing development of educators.
  4. Align research and development to educational practice.
  5. Build an infrastructure for supporting dual language learners (DLLs).
  6. Improve access to and linkages between education and workforce data while protecting student privacy.
  7. Hold “bad actors” in the higher education system accountable.
  8. Simplify and target financial aid to the students who need it most.
  9. Repair the federal-state partnership in higher education.
  10. Connect education and the labor market by moving beyond the “skills gap.”

Source: New America Foundation

Available at: http://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/policy-papers/education-agenda-2017/

CLASP Brief Examines Latino Families’ Access to Child Care Subsidies

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12/13/2016

CLASP has released a new brief titled A Closer Look at Latino Access to Child Care Subsidies. A companion piece to our original report Disparate Access: Head Start and CCDBG Data by Race and Ethnicity, this brief elaborates on the low level of access Latino children and their parents have to child care assistance through the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). CCDBG helps parents afford the high costs of child care and supports quality improvements in child care.

CLASP’s analysis found that access to child care subsidies is sharply limited for all eligible children, but even more so eligible Latino children. While 13 percent of all eligible children receive child care assistance through CCDBG, only 8 percent of eligible Latino children nationally get help. Access is even lower in 29 states. This brief takes a closer look at the data on Latino children’s access across the states and offers policy solutions to improve access to child care assistance. 

Read A Closer Look At Latino Access To Child Care Subsidies >>

Register for CLASP and diversitydatakids.org’s joint webinar, Place and Race Matter: Head Start and CCDBG Access by Race, Ethnicity, and Location >> 

Source: CLASP

Webinar: Place and Race Matter: Head Start and CCDBG Access by Race, Ethnicity, and Location

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12/14/2016

Time: 1 – 2pm EST

Join the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and diversitydatakids.org for a webinar discussing racial, ethnic, and native disparities in Head Start and child care access at the state and neighborhood levels. Featuring original analyses from CLASP and diversitydatakids.org, the webinar will highlight key data and provide a range of policy recommendations to ensure equitable access to federal early childhood programs. High-quality child care and early education can build a strong foundation for young children’s healthy development; however, many low-income children, cannot access to early childhood opportunities. While these gaps in access to child care and early education are widely recognized, less is understood the role of race and ethnicity. This webinar will present CLASP’s analysis of Head Start, Early Head Start (EHS), and the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) administrative data, as well as a diversitydatakids.org neighborhood-level analysis of Head Start, showing how access differs based on race, ethnicity, and nativity. Presenters will include: -Stephanie Schmit, Senior Policy Analyst, CLASP -Dr. Dolores Acevedo-Garcia, Project Director, and Erin Hardy, Research Director, diversitydatakids.org -Additional speakers to be announced.

Source: CLASP and diversitydatakids.org

Register at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/534786341756134657 

The Impact of Discrimination on the Early Schooling Experiences of Children from Immigrant Families

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9/2015

How the young children of immigrants experience their early school years may in large part determine their academic future and negatively affect their emotional, social, and mental development. Children benefit from a positive, supportive learning environment where their contributions are valued; many from immigrant families, however, experience discrimination in school during their early, impressionable years.

The experiences that children have in their first classrooms are foundational to how they think about themselves as learners, students, and members of the larger communities around them. Any experiences of discrimination at this vulnerable age can negatively affect personal development and academic trajectories, and limit the emotional benefits of early childhood education.

This report, part of a research series supported by the Foundation for Child Development, maps the types of personal and structural discrimination that young children of immigrants may experience at school, and the consequences of discrimination for children, their families, and schools. It begins by describing how discrimination in the early years can affect a child’s development, academic performance, and later mobility. The report then outlines types of discrimination that young children of immigrants may experience at school. The report concludes with recommendations that focus on training teachers, building relationships between schools and immigrant communities, and encouraging more varied, culturally sensitive learning experiences.

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. How Discrimination in School Affects Young Children
A. The Effects of Discrimination on Children’s Development and Academic Performance
B. Discrimination and Parental Engagement in SchoolC. The Role of Local Contexts and Attitudes

III. Types of Discrimination Experienced
A. Personal Forms of Discrimination
B. Structural Forms of Discrimination

IV. Reasons for Discrimination in the Early School Years
A. Lack of Meaningful Connections with Immigrant Communities
B. Focus on Immigrant Families’ Deficits Rather than Assets
C. Inadequate Teacher Preparation and Recruitment
D. Testing Pressures in the Early Grades
E. Negative Labels and Concerns over School Readiness

V. Recommendations

Source: Migration Policy Institute

Available at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/impact-discrimination-early-schooling-experiences-children-immigrant-families

Diversity and Inclusion in Early Care and Education

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Sixty-two percent of the nation’s children are expected to be of a “minority” ethnicity by 2050. This white paper examines how our changing demographics call for a greater tolerance and understanding of varying cultural and ethnic background and looks at best practices currently in place across the country.

Source: Council of Professional Recognition

Available at: http://www.cdacouncil.org/storage/documents/Diversity-WhitePaper_final.pdf

Spanish Version: http://www.cdacouncil.org/storage/documents/Diversidad-Un-Informe_final.pdf

Screening Dual Language Learners

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The Head Start Program Performance Standards require that all Early Head Start and Head Start children be screened “to the greatest extent possible” using standardized developmental screening instruments that are sensitive to the child’s cultural background 45 CFR 1304.20b1, 45 CFR 1308.63b3. Currently, standardized screening instruments for children birth to age 5 are widely available in English and Spanish, but are virtually unavailable for children whose families speak other languages. This document features suggestions to programs working with all Dual Language Learners DLLs. Select this link to download the guide [PDF, 1.6MB].

This resource provides program leaders the tools to plan, implement, and evaluate their screening processes for DLLs from birth to age 5. It focuses on ways that leaders can make informed and intentional decisions about:

  • Selecting screening instruments for DLLs
  • Implementing high-quality screening practices for Dual Language Learners

Source: National Center for Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness and the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/ecd/screening-dual-language.html

Educational Services for Immigrant Children and Those Recently Arrived to the United States

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8/22/2014

Schools in the United States have always welcomed new immigrant children to their classrooms – according to the most recent data, there were more than 840,000 immigrant students in the United States, and more than 4.6 million English learners. We have begun to receive inquiries regarding educational services for a specific group of immigrant children who have been in the news – children from Central America who have recently crossed the U.S. – Mexico border. This fact sheet provides information to help education leaders better understand the responsibilities of States and local educational agencies LEAs in connection with such students, and the existing resources available to help educate all immigrant students – including children who recently arrived in the United States.

Source: U.S. Department of Education

Available at: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/rights/guid/unaccompanied-children.html

Code Switching: Why It Matters and How to Respond

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8/1/2014

One-third of the children in Head Start and Early Head Start are dual language learners DLLs who are learning English while also learning their home language. Virtually all of these children will code switch. In other words, they mix two or more languages in the same sentence while speaking. It is important that teachers, home visitors, and other staff understand what code switching is, the role it plays in language development, and how to respond to it.

This easy to use workbook defines and describes code switching. It identifies who code switches and explains why code switching matters. It also includes numerous examples of how adults can provide strong language models for children when they code switch. The workbook format allows this resource to be used as a professional development tool that can be completed by an individual or used as activities in group training.

For the complete workbook for Early Head Start and Head Start programs, see Code Switching: Why It Matters and How to Respond [PDF, 5MB].

Source: National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness and the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

Available at: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/code-switching.html