Overview webinar script - Draft
Opening Slide:
Welcome. This presentation provides an overview of proposed revisions to Early Achievers. Here you
will learn about the broad elements of our revisions and where you can access more information and
share your feedback. I am Rachael Brown-Kendall, I represent the Department of Children, Youth, and
Families in the Early Achievers revisions partnership. I am Sandy Maldonado; I represent Child Care
Aware of Washington in the Early Achievers revisions partnership. And I am DeEtta Simmons, and I
represent Cultivate Learning in our Early Achievers revisions partnership.
Early Achievers has always been engaged in a process of continuous quality improvement. During this
past year, the pandemic has presented the opportunity for us think creatively about ways we can use
existing technology to address stakeholder feedback and streamline quality improvement efforts.
During this process we focused on some key goals:
• Keeping kids at the heart of Early Achievers
• Shifting to a provider led system that supports continuous quality improvement with a focus on
quality recognition
• Quality recognition experiences that are lower stakes for programs.
• Systems that are easy to navigate.
• Engaging processes that are culturally responsive for stakeholders and providers.
• Regular data and feedback that highlights program strengths and opportunities.
• Increased Transparency
• Efforts to move to an anti-racist quality recognition system
Slide 2: Timeline
DCYF has been working with partners since April to start thinking about how to improve Early Achievers.
We started by reviewing past participant feedback, reviewing literature on continuous quality
improvement and data collection and developed a plan for broad stakeholder engagement. This fall, we
launched a revisions process that includes stakeholders at several layers of our design and decision
making process. Ultimately, DCYF will make the decision regarding implementation using the feedback
we receive from our stakeholders and partners.
Between November 18 and December 9 DCYF will host revisions content and feedback links on the Early
Achievers Continuous Quality Improvement page on the DCYF website.
In December, we will analyze your feedback and refine our revisions proposal. In January, we will host
another webinar where we will share what we heard from you this fall, and how that has influenced our
Early Achievers implementation plan. At that time, we will also ask for your input on supports and
resources that will help participants comfortably engage in virtual data collection and virtual coaching.
In February, DCYF will publish the Early Achievers implementation plan.
In the spring, DCYF and partners will begin training on the updates to Early Achievers and then begin
piloting the virtual data collection process.
We will implement statewide data collection using the updated virtual process in July of 2021.
Overview webinar script - Draft
Slide 3 Racial Equity Lens
In order to advance racial equity and social justice and to eventually become an anti-racist system we
had to work to make sure all workgroups were exploring inequities and working to design solutions
using an equity lens. Early Achievers has implemented the use of the Racial Equity Theory of Change
over the years. In addition to that foundational resource we have adopted the following racial equity
tool, which was adapted from resources the City of Portland, Oregon and the City of Boulder, Colorado
shared with the Government Alliance on Racial Equity. Each of the Early Achievers revisions workgroups
is using this framework and supporting questions to build their agendas.
It is important to note, that while we are implementing these tools in our process we don’t have all of
the answers about what or how to change Early Achievers to become anti-racist. We need to hear from
communities and work together to dig deeper into the structures, policies and approaches in order to
understand what changes we need to make and what supports we need in place.
Slide 4: Early Achievers House
This slide should look familiar. While we are making revisions to Early Achievers we are still committed
to high quality early learning and supporting school readiness. The Washington Early Achievers “House”
provides a structure that incorporates the Early Achievers quality standards and provides a framework
for effective everyday practices for supporting children’s school readiness. We use a house structure to
represent six integral elements of quality care giving – family engagement and partnerships; everyday
interactions with children; choosing and implementing a strong curriculum; using regular assessment of
children’ skills, individualized teaching for every child; and providing professional development and
training. In our house framework, these elements correspond, respectively, to parts of a house: -- the
open door, the foundation, two pillars, a roof, and strong siding – and when connected with one
another, they form a single structure that fosters children’s learning and development, regardless of if
they are served in a family home, a center or a preschool.
Slide 5- Reframing
Early Achievers has always been engaged in a process of continuous quality improvement, the pandemic
has presented the opportunity to leverage technology to address stakeholder feedback and streamline
quality improvement efforts.
This proposal incorporates participant feedback over the many years of Early Achievers implementation.
We have used that feedback to reframe Early Achievers while continuing to support high quality early
learning through data informed coaching.
Slide 6: Quality Recognition System
Part of our revisions work is shifting to a strengths based approach focused on quality recognition—this
means that Early Achievers is now our Quality Recognition and Improvement System. Sites will still earn
a facility rating, but in this flexible framework participants earn points for completing components of
Early Achievers and get data and feedback along the way. Each component adds points so participants
will be able to see how their points add up as they move along. This means they know what their rating
will be when they submit their request for a rating.
Slide 7: System Overview
Overview webinar script - Draft
This visual provides an overview of our proposed participation process. Based on data and feedback, we
know that coaching has been a valuable support for quality improvement. So we have deliberately
embedded coaching throughout the Early Achievers participation and quality recognition process. We
also understand the importance of flexibility so that diverse providers from across the state have
choices regarding how they demonstrate their quality as they work toward their desired rating level.
This revised process supports recognition of improvement over time rather than a single data collection
visit.
Slide 8 Level 2
At level 2 interviews are conducted with program leadership, teachers and families to build a program
profile that sets the stage for coaching. The provider profile is updated at the start of each three-year
quality recognition cycle.
Slide 9 Level 3
Now let’s take a look at level 3. For a program to be recognized at a level three each classroom or
learning environment at the program completes two video highlight cycles. A video highlight cycle is
where programs upload short 10-15 minute videos of an activity that they would like to highlight for
feedback. Each video will be provided with a report to support a coaching cycle.
Slide 10 maintaining
Once an early learning program has completed the program profile and submitted two video highlights
per learning environment, they can request a level 3 rating.
Slide 11 beyond Level 3
Beyond level 3 participants can choose from a variety of options to earn points towards a level 4 or 5.
These include completing additional video highlight cycles, school age video highlights for programs
serving that age group, professional development achievements in MERIT and accreditation for
programs that are accredited by an approved national accrediting body.
Slide 12 Quality Standards
Here is a look at the updated quality standards. The main changes are in the learning environment
standards where program profile, video highlights and coaching cycles replace the Environment Rating
Scales and Classroom Assessment Scoring System.
Slide 13 Coaching cycles
We know that changes require support. Our Early Achievers coaches throughout the state are available
to assist all early learning programs to get more familiar with updates to the system, provide technical
support and co-create individual participant plans. Coaches will meet with participants before the
process starts to get everyone oriented and make time for participant questions. Coaches have access to
many tools and resources that can be useful to participants at this stage of the process. Together,
coaches and participants will make a plan that meets your needs.
Slide 14 Coaching cycles
We are fortunate that coaching supports will continue while participants are unable to have outside
visitors. Coaching will continue through the Coaching Companion, an online platform that allows
coaches to have conversations with early learning programs virtually and review videos of practice
together to support quality improvement. Coaching Companion includes a library with a wealth of
Overview webinar script - Draft
resources like links and sample videos of best practice for coaches to use with participants in their
learning and growth. Coaches are there to support participants to learn Coaching Companion as well as
support continued quality improvement based on individual participant goals.
Slide 15: Technology Supports
Let’s take a look at the various ways that we will support technology needs in a virtual system:
We are currently developing an easy-to-use smartphone app that will allow participants to take video
from a smartphone device where it will be stored in the Coaching Companion for later use. If
participants do not have access to technology, we have video equipment that will be available to
borrow.
Coaching Companion is a platform that is already available in Washington. We encourage participants to
start using Coaching Companion today with the support of their coach. We will have orientations and
guides on Coaching Companion to help navigate the platform. This will include step by step guidance on
getting into Coaching Companion and using the various features.
Remember – participants are always able to access a coach or a Community Liaison to learn more about
the various parts of Early Achievers, to access support around technology and to work together to make
sure that quality improvement plans best fit the needs of each participant.
Thank you so much for your time. We recommend that you go back to the web page to explore more
information and other resources like surveys where you can provide feedback on the information you
are reviewing.
