Resources

PDG B-5 TA Contractor’s Webpage (HHS)

National Technical Assistance Center for Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five (PDG B-5 TA) | Early Childhood Training and Technical Assistance System (hhs.gov)

Early Learning Newsletter

https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/earlylearning/newsletter.html

Early Childhood Policy Matters Podcast | Child Care Technical Assistance Network (hhs.gov)

This podcast is geared towards early childhood professionals and strategic partners, hoping to use research to inform policy and better serve children, families, and their communities. This series features state leaders and national experts who discuss early childhood policy and efforts supporting the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five initiatives happening across the country.

Each episode focuses on topics including the development of strategic partnerships, establishing financing models for mixed delivery and coordinating eligibility and enrollment processes across agencies and across states. Tune in for an informative and engaging look at early childhood policy initiatives and learn from the nation’s top early childhood professionals and leaders.

Early Care and Education(ECE) Workforce, resources to address the ECE workforce shortage

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act includes funding for states, Head Start programs, and other ECE programs to invest in recruiting, supporting and retaining staff. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) published guidance for Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administrators and Head Start programs that strongly encourages these entities to use ARP funds to increase payments and compensation and benefits for the ECE workforce.

Strategy Resources to Address the Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Shortage | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)

Updated COVID-19 guidance for reopening and continued operation of schools:

  1. Quarantine and Isolation Guidance: COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation | CDC
  2. K-12 Guidance: Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools | CDC
  3. Overview of COVID-19 Quarantine for K-12 Schools: Overview of COVID-19 Quarantine for K-12 Schools | CDC
  4. ECE Guidance: COVID-19 Guidance for Operating Early Care and Education/Child Care Programs (cdc.gov)
  5. What do Direct Service Providers for people with disabilities need to know about COVID-19?: COVID-19 Guidance for Direct Service Providers (cdc.gov)

The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance (NCECQA) released a new brief, Increasing Access to Inclusive Environments. This brief provides research to support the need for and benefits of inclusive environments, descriptors of each of the four strategies for increasing access, state examples for review, and resources.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) has published Understanding Cross-Systems Transitions from Head Start to Kindergarten: A Review of the Knowledge Base and a Theory of Change. To promote ongoing learning and build upon early successes fostered by Head Start, both early care and education providers and K-12 local education agencies must consider each other’s roles and coordinate their efforts through alignment of transition goals, approaches, and practices. The new report summarizes a review of the literature, highlights key informant perspectives, and presents a theory of change for transition strategies and coordinated transition practices intended to support teachers, families, and children moving between systems.

A new report, Head Start to Kindergarten Transitions: Research Summary was developed by researchers from NORC at the University of Chicago, the National P-3 Center, Child Trends, and Dr. Kyle DeMeo Cook. The report summarizes research on the transition from Head Start to kindergarten and offers a theory of change to show how systems can work together to improve the experiences children and families have when moving between the Head Start and K-12 systems.

New ASPE Brief – Child and Adolescent Mental Health During COVID-19

This brief highlights the need for schools and ECE providers to use available resources, including funding from ARP, to meet the mental health needs of children who have returned to in-person school. The analysis finds high likelihood of mental health conditions which suggests underlying population occurrence, potentially exacerbated by social isolation, quarantine, and overall stress and adversity related to the pandemic rather than the COVID-19 diagnosis itself. The brief reviews the rates of individual mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, trauma and stressor related disorders, ADHD, behavior/conduct disorders) by age and the practical application for school mental health and early childhood providers in identifying and referring children appropriately for services.

Transition to Kindergarten-A Brief: Why It Matters and How to Promote Success

The National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning has released Transition to Kindergarten-A Brief: Why It Matters and How to Promote Success. This brief provides an overview of the “what, why, and how” of successful kindergarten transitions, including the key practices that foster collaboration, engagement, and successful outcomes.

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Overview Research, Best Practices and Examples Brief -Published August 26, 2021

This brief gives an overview of infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) for policymakers and program leaders, summarizing its state of research and implementation efforts. IECMHC is a prevention-oriented, multilevel intervention in which mental health professionals with training in early child development are paired with the caregivers of young children to build adult’s capacities to support children’s social-emotional development and address challenging behavior.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/resource/infant-and-early-childhood-mental-health-consultation-overview-research-best-practices-0

Delivering on the Promise Through Equitable Policies -Research to Practice Brief-Published August 26, 2021

This brief focuses on current research trends and implications for racial and ethnic disparities related to early childhood. It highlights policy choices to reduce disparities and set children and families on more favorable trajectories, contributing to their school success and ability to live happy, fulfilled lives.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5ta_equitablepractices_rtp_acc.pdf

Rural Communities-Access to Services Webinar – Published July 8, 2021

This webinar focuses on state capacity to quantify access to early childhood programs in rural communities. It highlights states’ compilation of data, analyses of early childhood services in rural communities and their utilization, and assessment of strengths and gaps.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5ta_20210518_ruralcommunitiesaccess_webinar_ppt_acc1.pdf

Strategies for Approaching the Use of New Federal Funds to Sustain a Mixed Delivery System -Published July 8, 2021

This webinar focuses on strategies to use new federal funds to sustain a mixed delivery system. Elizabeth Gaines, executive director of the Children’s Funding Project gives an overview of federal funding. This webinar provides recommendations on processes and strategies to take regarding federal funds and features a panel of state leaders who discuss their strategies and experiences.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5_20210510_qrw_federalfunds_ppt_acc.pdf

Early Childhood Policy Matters Podcast – Published June 28,2021

This podcast is geared towards early childhood professionals and strategic partners, hoping to use research to inform policy and better serve children, families, and their communities. This series features state leaders and national experts who discuss early childhood policy and efforts supporting the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five initiatives happening across the country.

Each episode focuses on topics including the development of strategic partnerships, establishing financing models for mixed delivery and coordinating eligibility and enrollment processes across agencies and across states. Tune in for an informative and engaging look at early childhood policy initiatives and learn from the nation’s top early childhood professionals and leaders.

The first series of podcast episodes focuses on mental health and social emotional learning. Each of the five episodes focuses on an essential aspect related to this topic.

Episode 1: Early Childhood Policy Matters – An Introduction

In this introductory episode, Dr. Neal Horen, Director of the Early Childhood Division at the Center for Child and Human Development, discusses the nuts and bolts of early childhood mental health and provides an overview of the subsequent episodes in this series.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5ta_ecpolicymatterspodcast01_introduction_transcript_acc.pdf

Episode 2: Getting Started with early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

In episode two, Dr. Horen speaks with leaders in California and New York to learn about the different approaches to establishing early childhood mental health consultation in their state.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5ta_ecpolicymatterspodcast02_mhconsultation_transcript_acc.pdf

Episode 3: Implementing Mental Health Services and Supports: Common Approaches

In the third episode, Dr. Neal Horen speaks with Dr. Nikki Edge about the implementation of Arkansas’ early childhood mental health consultation system. Later, Dr. Todd Grindal, Senior Researcher at SRI International, speaks with Dr. Mary Louise Hemmeter about the Pyramid Model. In each interview, these experts discuss the strengths, challenges, and lessons learned with their models as well as key partnerships for successful implementation.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5ta_ecpolicymatterspodcast03_mhcommonapproaches_transcript_acc.pdf

Episode 4: Addressing Common Challenges at the Practitioner Level

In episode four, Dr. Horen speaks with two early childhood mental health practitioners to learn about the common challenges and strategies of providers in this field.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5ta_ecpolicymatterspodcast04_commonchallenges_transcript_acc.pdf

Episode 5: Components of a Successful Statewide Early Childhood System

In this episode, Dr. Horen speaks with state-level early childhood mental health specialists to learn how their states incorporated early childhood mental health into their mixed delivery systems and the benefits they bring to children and families.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5ta_ecpolicymatterspodcast05_successfulswecsystem_transcript_acc.pdf

Early Childhood Governance: A toolkit of curated resources to assist state leaders – Published June 10, 2021

This toolkit of curated resources contains introductory information for those who are initially considering a focus on governance by providing definitions, a short overview, and materials about key facets of governance including varying approaches and models. For those who are already considering governance reforms, we provide more in-depth materials that include a guide for those looking at governance structures and deeper dives examining different aspects of governance in states. The concluding section provides information on systems frameworks, as a reinforcement that governance is one of several critical elements for achieving an equitable early childhood system at the state level.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdg-b5_governancetoolkit_acc.pdf

Across the Rainbow: Strategies for Engaging Families – Published May 7, 2021

This webinar is an introduction to a range of strategies to promote and encourage family and caregiver participation in the mixed delivery system. The PDG B-5 TA Center facilitates a discussion with state panelists that showcases four different approaches /strategies to family engagement. Learn about the structures created, successes experienced, lessons learned, challenges faced, and reflections on future direction from each state panelist on how they are implementing their programs in a mixed delivery system.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5ta_20210414_few_ppt_acc.pdf

How State Leaders Can Promote Meaningful Family Engagement at the State and Program Level – Brief-Published April 8,2021

This brief provides an overview of research-based practices and policies that state leaders can use to support meaningful family engagement in children’s early learning, which ultimately improves child and family outcomes. State leaders’ actions can influence family engagement at both the state and program level.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/state_role_in_family_engagement_acc.pdfs

Serving the Most Vulnerable: Policies and Partnerships to Support Families and Children Experiencing Homelessness –Brief- Published April 30, 2021

This brief presents an overview of family homelessness and information about the policies, agencies, and programs that support families of young children experiencing homelessness. The brief focuses on how PDG B-5 Grantees can form strategic partnerships at the state and program levels to better serve these vulnerable families.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdg-b5_homelessnessbrief_acc.pdf

Increasing State Leaders’ Collaboration to Support Families Experiencing Homelessness – Tip Sheet-Published February 26,2021

There have been many resources developed to provide information and approaches on how to support families and children experiencing homelessness. This tip sheet considers those resources and highlights strategies to increase collaboration among state-wide early childhood programs and services to support families experiencing homelessness.

https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/pdgb5_tipsheet-homelessness_acc.pdf

Note: The following resources are from a previous iteration of the PDG program. We hope that you may find them useful, but this program is no longer current.

Preschool Development Grants (PDG) Annual Progress Update Reports

The annual progress reports provide a summary of the 18 Preschool Development Grants (PDG), to include annual performance report, PDG program impact, demographics, and annual improvements.  To learn more, click here:

Starting Strong: Increasing Preschool Quality and Access, The Preschool Development Grants (PDG) Program Summary Report 

This summary report highlights the successes, accomplishments, promising practices and lessons learned that emerged from the 18 State Preschool Development Grantees and their work toward creating quality preschool opportunities for four-year-old children.

Collaboration with Head Start, The Preschool Development Grants (PDG) Program, Product Suite #1

To help States and districts build consistent and aligned delivery systems, strengthen early childhood systems locally and statewide, and to expand families’ access to high-quality preschool, the Preschool Development Grant Technical Assistance Network, created a suite of products designed to explore the benefits and components of successful partnerships between Head Start and State preschool programs. These partnerships.  There are three resources that explore promising practices and lessons learned from the PDG State Grantees.   To learn more click here:

Promising Birth-3rd Grade State Level Strategies, The Preschool Development Grants (PDG) Program, Product Suite #2

To help States meet the challenges of an aligned and integrated birth to 3rd grade system and identify strategies for easing transitions for children and their families. To learn more click here:

Promising Practices in Program Evaluation, The Preschool Development Grants (PDG) Program, Product Suite #3

To help preschool development program leaders and staff design, implement and oversee early learning evaluation activities.  This product suite offers promising practices for program evaluation, and  continuous improvement and decision making.  To learn more click here: