Stars for Early Success Enters Phase II

Delaware Stars for Early Success, the quality rating and improvement system for early childhood providers, has completed its first year with 15 early care and education programs participating from across the state.

A public/private partnership that assesses, improves, and communicates the level of quality in early care and education programs, Delaware Stars provides a variety of supports to bring those with less effective programs to a higher level. At least eight early care programs participating in Phase I have increased their ratings by one or more “star levels.”

Stars’ goals include bringing a majority of early care and education programs to Star Level 3 or higher by 2015, adopting a tiered system of state reimbursements tied to program quality, and enabling parents to determine the quality of the programs available to their children.

During 2008, Stars will add 60 new programs in three groups of approximately 20 programs each. Applications are currently being accepted online.

"In order for our schools to effectively teach children, the children must be prepared socially, emotionally, and academically so they enter school ready to succeed."

--Ann D. Wick, Early Childhood Council Chair

Teacher Conference Resources Available on the Web

Presentations, speakers’ remarks, program-related reports, and news coverage from last November’s conference, Teachers: Career Paths, Compensation and Collective Bargaining in the 21st Century, are now available online. The conference was co-sponsored by Vision 2015, the Delaware State Education Association, and the Delaware Public Policy Institute.

Exploring issues of teacher compensation, career ladders, and collective bargaining and their implications in Delaware, the conference attracted an audience of more than 140 to Dover. Most of the participants were Delaware educators representing a broad range of grade levels and subject areas. Representatives from key government offices, including the Office of Management and Budget, the Controller General’s Office, and the Department of Education, also joined the conversation. Please contact us at info@vision2015delaware.org with questions or for more information about the conference.

Eighty-five percent of Delaware voters think “expanding pre-kindergarten and school readiness programs to reduce the achievement gap” is important.
Source: Delaware Children’s Campaign Statewide Survey of Delaware Voters on Issues Relating to Children, 2007.
Read more.

Program Gives Students a Head Start

Project V.I.L.L.A.G.E. (Verbally Intensive Literacy and Learning Activities for Growth in Education) provides an intensive early childhood education program based on school readiness and language skills development to economically-challenged four-year-olds in the Indian River School District. With more than 150 students enrolled each year, this program is designed to help children get the start they need to be successful in school. Read more.

Investing in early childhood education has far-reaching and long-lasting benefits for states, students, and teachers. Research has shown the following:

--Every $1 invested in quality early childhood education and intervention programs returns $2-$17 in savings. Savings include reduced need for remedial and special education, welfare, and criminal justice services, according to a number of studies.
Robert G. Lynch (Economic Policy Institute), “Exceptional Returns,” 2004; MIT/Legal Momentum Conference, “Early Childhood Education for All,” 2005; Rand Corporation, “The Economics of Investing in Universal Preschool Education in California” and “Proven Benefits of Early Childhood Interventions”; The High/Scope Perry Preschool Project.

--Participating in pre-k improves students' efficiency and productivity in school. Children who attended pre-k at Head Start centers had more advanced skills in areas such as following directions, problem-solving, and joining in activities, all of which allow teachers to spend more time working directly with children and less on classroom management.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey."

Delaware can and should do more to make high-quality early childhood education available to all children:

--A University of Delaware study rated 70% of licensed childcare programs in Delaware as “mediocre” or “poor.”
University of Delaware Center for Disabilities Studies, “Delaware Early Care and Education Baseline Quality Study,” 2003.

Join Us!

Vision 2015 will be at the Chase Center on the Riverfront on Monday, January 21 for a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration. The free event will feature interactive children's activities, musical and dance performances, and a teen forum. Roland S. Martin, Author, Political Commentator, Talk Show Host, will be the keynote speaker. Learn more.

Contact

To get the latest information on how to become involved with Vision 2015, please visit our web site: www.vision2015delaware.org or e-mail us at info@vision2015delaware.org.