Maryland State Department of Education Division of Early Childhood Development

1. Maryland State Department of EducationDivision of Early Childhood Development The Accreditation Project Early Learning Branch State Assistant Superintendent Rolf Grafwallner, PhD Early Learning Branch Chief Valerie Kaufmann Orientation May 2010

2. Agenda • Objective: At the end of the Orientation, participants will understand the MSDE Accreditation Project process. • Sign-In • Introductions • Presentation  • Next Steps for Program Leadership • Questions and Answers • Feedback Form

3. What is MSDE Accreditation? • Managed by the MSDE Division of Early Childhood Development • A process of demonstrating and verifying states of program evaluation and continuous improvement • Requires program participation • Requires staff and parent participation • Requires MSDE-Certified Validator participation • Provides Maryland programs with a way to demonstrate a commitment to high-quality early childhood programs

4. The Accreditation Project Vision & Mission Vision: to provide the highest quality learning environment and practices in their early childhood setting. Mission: to prepare and support early care and education programs through the self study and accreditation/validation process. MSDE accredited programs will provide services so that children have the opportunity to reach their potential during their early developmental years.

5. What Does the Accreditation Project Team do? • Validate birth to kindergarten programs / centers • Certify Project Validators • Provide regional orientations • Develop resource materials • Coach/mentor programs/centers as needed • Schedule visits • Convene Decision Committees

6. Who is Accredited?

7. What is Readiness? • A time in which all program participants are knowledgeable about the process and are prepared to undertake it • Programs have different definitions of readiness • Readiness indicates that you have the commitment of your staff and the resources to begin the process • Programs should use the Readiness Checklist as a guide in decision-making

8. Readiness Checklist • Stable staff (especially leadership) • Internal and external resources (parents on board) • Approved curriculum • Process for implementing change in a program (evaluations, meetings, communication) • Consistency between classrooms

9. Accreditation Timeline

10. Steps to the Accreditation Process • Step 1: Indicate Readiness to Begin • Step 2: Self-Study and Program Improvement Plan (Internal) • Step 3: Program Improvement Visit (Internal and External) • Step 4: Accreditation/Validation Visit (External) • Step 5: Decision Committee (External)

11. Step 1: The Self-Study

12. What is in the Instrument? • Standards • They define what a quality program has and does at a broad level (Program Administration, Program Operations, Home and Community Partnerships) • Indicators • They define what a quality program has and does at specific levels • Best Practices/Rationale • Examples and explanations behind quality practices

13. Instrument Sample Page

14. Using the Instrument

15. Completing the Rating • Members of the self-study team complete their own ratings • Members of the Self-Study team come together to come to consensus • One “Master Copy” will be used based on all of the individual ratings

16. Documented & Observed Some evidence must be observed in the classroom. Some evidence must be supported with documentation. Programs should organize this documentation as required and explained in the Guide.

17. Compiling the Binders • Programs should have three binders • Program Operations • Program Administration • Home and Community Partnerships • Evidence in binders should be arranged in the order stated in the Appendix of the Guide • Divider Tabs can be downloaded from the MSDE website

18. Creating a Program Improvement Plan • One Program Improvement Plan is created for the entire program • The Program Improvement Plan includes: • Indicators that were rated “N” or “P” • Improvement strategies • Resources • Person(s) responsible • Timeline and completion date

19. Maryland State Department of Education Early Childhood Accreditation Project Standards for Implementing Quality Early Childhood Programs Appendix E Program Improvement Plan Program Improvement Plan Date: ______________________ Program ________________________________________________________________________ ’s Program Improvement Plan  This form is to be used to develop a program improvement plan for indicators rated Partially Met (P) and Not Met (N) Section I, page 24

20. Reassessing the PIP Self-appraisal team reassesses the program according to the timeline established in the Program Improvement Plan. The team re-rates each indicator previously rated “N” or “P,” recording the date and new rating.

21. The Program Improvement Visit

22. Program Improvement Visit New! • Mandatory • Takes the place of the pre-validation visit • Serves as a check-in for the program • Offers professional development and technical assistance opportunities • Recommended approximately 6 months after beginning the Self-Study Process

23. The Validation/Accreditation Visit

24. Requesting a Validation Visit • After Self-Study and Re-evaluation is complete • Request a Validation Visit through MSDE • Submit documents with request: • Completed Master Copy of the Program’s Self-Study • Completed Program Improvement Plan • Copy of most recent OCC Licensing Inspection Report

25. The Validation Visit • Purpose: To verify that the information in the Self-Study and Documentation is correct

26. During the Visit Introduce themselves Observe (in pairs) a random sampling of classrooms Look at binders of documented evidence Ask questions if needed Complete both individual and Agreement Copies of the Validation Ratings Complete required forms Conduct a brief exit meeting and explain next steps

27. Exit Meeting • Acknowledgements • Forms and Signatures • Validation Visit Verification form • Discrepancy of Ratings form • Explanation of Next Steps • The process is not designed to discuss the program visit or any difference(s) in ratings. (Appendix O) • This is a signatory and professional exit event.

28. Receiving the Decision • Final decisions on accreditation/validation are made by the MSDE accreditation Decision Committee. • Once the decision is made, the program is notified and will receive a copy of the report.

29. Additional information & reminders Accreditation Project Orientation

30. Reminders • Re: Curriculum • Programs must provide evidence of curriculum selected (2007, 2010). • Must be aligned with state approved curricula (2004, 2010). • Effective June 30, 2009, approved curriculum implemented. • Effective April 2010, MSDE curriculum is no longer “voluntary”.

31. Reminders • Re: Education • Degrees • Lead Teacher must have: • Bachelor’s degree in Early Childcare; or a • Associates degree with minimum of 15 semester hours in Early Childcare; • Level 4+ Maryland credential program (Level 6 is preferred) • MD credentialing program • Lead Teachers must be at Level 4+ • Assistant Teachers must be at Level 2

32. Reminders cont. • Re: Licensing (regulatory) • A copy of the program’s current OCC license must be submitted to DECD with the application. • When requesting a validation/accreditation visit, the program must have a copy of the most recent inspection report.

33. Questions & Answers

34. Contact Information Joyce Pinkney, Ed.D jpinkney@msde.state.md.us MSDE Accreditation Specialist 200 W. Baltimore Street, 10th Floor Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 767-4441 o. (410) 333-6226 f. Valerie Kaufmann Early Learning Branch Chief Valeriek@msde.state.md.us Bonita Winchester-Bey Early Learning Branch Support Bwinchester@msde.state.md.us

35. Congratulations on your commitment to providing quality child care and education! Thanks for the journey to…