California Educators Together
The Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) and P-3 Group was created to share resources and guidance for Local Education Agencies to use in preparation for the implementation of UPK. Documents in this group have been compiled by the CDE and its partners. This group is open to state and local implementers, leaders, and practitioners of UPK, including Transitional Kindergarten and early elementary school settings.
https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/groups/e0cfjrjf/upk-p-3
Equity Leaders Action Network (ELAN)
In 2014-2015, BUILD staff members Drs. Sherri Killins Stewart and Aisha Ray designed the Equity Leaders Action Network (ELAN) fellowship to support state- and county-level early childhood leaders committed to advancing toward racial equity. They created the ELAN in response to four challenges reflected in early childhood programs, entities, and organizations: racism, fragmented early childhood systems, lack of community and beneficiary voices, and a dearth of policy leadership intentionally committed to racial equity. The ELAN supported the Fellows in identifying and addressing inequities, disproportionality, discrimination, and bias based on race, ethnicity, and social class present in early childhood systems, programs, services, and institutions.
New Study Can Guide Policies To Maximize Pre-K’s Benefits to Students
Subject: Resources – Supporting Inclusion from Preschool through Third Grade – One System, All Children: Better Together Webinar
Dear P-3 Webinar Registrants,
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us this afternoon for our latest installment of the Opportunities for All Branch (OFAB) P-3 Alignment Webinar Series: Supporting Inclusion from Preschool through Third Grade. As promised, we are following up to provide resources that were referenced during today’s presentation and that may be useful to you in your work to support inclusive practices.
Resources
From Zero to Three, an article on children with “different” abilities and the nexus with critical race theory. View the article, which addresses implicit bias in early education, at https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/3094-dis-ability-critical-race-studies-discrit-for-inclusion-in-early-childhood-education-ethical-considerations-of-implicit-and-explicit-bias#chapter-1990.
The Supporting Inclusive Practices (SIP) Virtual Learning Community website provides a wealth of recorded trainings, podcasts, webinars, and other resources including content on Universal Design for Learning, equity in special education, designing inclusive preschools, a paraeducator series, and more. View the SIP Virtual Learning Community at https://www.sipinclusion.org/what-we-do/sip-virtual-learning-community/.
The CDE awarded the SIP project the Preschool Local Assistance Grant to support local educational agencies (LEAs) in their inclusion efforts with their youngest learners, specifically students of color. This innovative project includes working alongside sample site LEAs throughout California to collect classroom walkthrough data as evidence of best practices centered on culturally responsive pedagogy and universal design for learning. For resources and best practices for preschool placement in the least restrictive environment, social-emotional learning, and equitable disciplinary practices, please visit the SIP’s Universal Prekindergarten Inclusion Resources web page at https://www.sipinclusion.org/preschool-resources/. Presented here are vetted resources to support each and every LEA in their own efforts to innovate, include, and impact. Join our free conference on May 4 – 5, 2022 and register at https://sip.vfairs.com/.
The CDE recently released its Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) Countywide Planning and Capacity Template to support COEs in the development of their UPK plans. To help introduce LEA leaders to early education concepts, agencies, and structures, the CDE has also developed a UPK Planning and Implementation Guidance document. This guidance is meant to support LEAs in the development of their UPK Plan. This plan and additional UPK guidance can be accessed on the CDE’s web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/.
The Effective Early Childhood Transitions: A Guide for Transition at Age Three—Early Start to Preschool guide is intended for the Early Start community—regional center and LEA service coordinators, service providers, family resource centers (FRCs), and receiving LEA providers—and identifies both required elements for transition and recommended practices to support families and their children as they successfully navigate transition from Early Start to other services at age three. View the guide at https://www.dds.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EarlyStart_EffectiveTransitions_20190205.pdf.
To learn more about family engagement and inclusion—and to find your region’s family empowerment center, visit the Seeds of Partnership website at https://www.seedsofpartnership.org/. LAUSD also welcomes you to explore their website at https://achieve.lausd.net/spedinclusion for more resources to support your work to implement inclusive practices.
Thank you for your continued partnership is support of better early learning experiences for all children.