6.4 Early Learning and Developmental Guidelines

Lead Agencies must develop, maintain, or implement early learning and developmental guidelines appropriate for children from birth to kindergarten entry. Early learning and developmental guidelines should describe what children should know and be able to do at different ages and cover the essential domains of early childhood development, which at a minimum includes cognition, including language arts and mathematics; social, emotional, and physical development; and approaches toward learning. 6.4.1 Early learning and developmental guidelines a. Check the boxes below to certify the Lead Agency’s early learning and developmental guidelines are: i. [x] Research-based. ii. [x] Developmentally appropriate. iii. [x] Culturally and linguistically appropriate. iv. [x] Aligned with kindergarten entry. v. [x] Appropriate for all children from birth to kindergarten entry. vi. [x] Implemented in consultation with the educational agency and the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care or similar coordinating body. vii. If any components above are not checked, describe: b. Check the boxes below to certify that the required domains are included in the Lead Agency’s early learning and developmental guidelines. i. [x] Cognition, including language arts and mathematics. ii. [x] Social development. iii. [x] Emotional development. iv. [x] Physical development. v. [x] Approaches toward learning. vi. [x] Other optional domains. Describe any optional domains: The Pre-K guidelines also include the following: Fine Arts domain: Art skills, Music skills, Dramatic Expression skills; and Technology Applications domain: Technology and Devices skills. vii. If any components above are not checked, describe: c. When were the Lead Agency’s early learning and developmental guidelines most recently updated and for what reason? Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old Early Learning Guidelines (Little Texans, Big Futures) were published in 2013 CLI reviews the infant and toddler guidelines on an ongoing basis through research and projects that support quality infant and toddler care. Additionally, the state interagency team for early education and child care can make recommendations to TWC and CLI regarding revisions. The Pre-K guidelines were first released in 2008, and a major revision was published in 2022. TEA monitors the relevance of these guidelines and works with stakeholders to make revisions as appropriate. d. Provide the Web link to the Lead Agency's early learning and developmental guidelines. Infant, Toddler, and Three-Year-Old Early Learning Guidelines (Little Texans, Big Futures): http://www.littletexans.org/ Texas Pre-K Guidelines: https://tea.texas.gov/academics/early-childhood- education/texas-prekindergarten-guidelines 6.4.2 Use of early learning and developmental guidelines a. Describe how the Lead Agency uses its early learning and developmental guidelines. The Core Competencies for early childhood practitioners were designed in alignment with the state’s early learning guidelines (Little Texans, Big Futures and Texas Pre-kindergarten Guidelines) to ensure a strong connection between goals for practitioners and what children need to know, understand, and be able to do. CLI hosts online trainings that support developing and implementing curriculum and learning activities based on the early learning guidelines and the related core competencies for practitioners. Providers are made aware of the free, online training through outreach activities conducted by CLI, TWC, and Boards, including conferences such as the Texas Rising Star Early Educator Conference and the Texas School Ready Summer Institute. Boards also promote the online training through TA and mentoring services to providers, including providers working to become Texas Rising Star certified. Texas Rising Star curriculum and teacher-child interaction measures are linked to the early learning guidelines and at minimum, the child care director must complete training on the early learning guidelines applicable to the ages the child care program serves prior to being Texas Rising Star certified. Texas Rising Star mentors provide technical assistance and guidance to providers on Texas Rising Star measures related to the early learning guidelines. b. Check the boxes below to certify that CCDF funds are not used to develop or implement an assessment for children that: i. [x] Will be the primary or sole basis to determine a child care provider ineligible to participate in the CCDF. ii. [x] Will be used as the primary or sole basis to provide a reward or sanction for an individual provider. iii. [x] Will be used as the primary or sole method for assessing program effectiveness. iv. [x] Will be used to deny children eligibility to participate in CCDF. v. If any components above are not checked, describe: 7 Quality Improvement Activities The quality of child care directly affects children’s safety and healthy development while in care settings, and high-quality child care can be foundational across the lifespan. Lead Agencies may use CCDF for quality improvement activities for all children in care, not just those receiving child care subsidies. OCC will collect the most detailed Lead Agency information about quality improvement activities in annual reports instead of this Plan. Lead Agencies must report on CCDF child care quality improvement investments in three ways: 1. In this Plan, Lead Agencies will describe the types of activities supported by quality investments over the 3-year period. 2. An annual expenditure report (the ACF-696). Lead Agencies will provide data on how much CCDF funding is spent on quality activities. This report will be used to determine compliance with the required quality and infant and toddler spending requirements. 3. An annual Quality Progress Report (the ACF-218). Lead Agencies will provide a description of activities funded by quality expenditures, the measures used to evaluate its progress in improving the quality of child care programs and services within the State/Territory, and progress or barriers encountered on those measures. In this section of the Plan, Lead Agencies will describe their quality activities needs assessment and identify the types of quality improvement activities where CCDF investments are being made using quality set-aside funds.