Dispatches from the intersection of ECE data & quality improvement.
As Head Start programs seek to strengthen their data use, they are beginning to use a new kind of resource: coaches. Data coaches started appearing in K-12 school districts over a decade ago. They help faculty glean insights from the mass of information they collect. With new federal requirements for data, now Head Start programs are engaging coaches as well. What is it like working with a data...
YMCA of the East Bay directly operates 21 Head Start and Early Start Centers. They partner with four additional centers across Alameda and Contra Costa counties in California. They also operate state funded and migrant programs in Yolo and Sacramento counties. In total, the program can serve approximately 1,800 children at full capacity. They joined the QI Network in 2021. Melanie Mueller has...
Although Focus Area Two (FA2) visits only happen once during a five year grant cycle, they are a critical opportunity for Head Start programs. While the monitoring process can be stressful, it’s also an opportunity to focus your team on federal expectations, think more deeply about data, reflect on your practice, and grow together as a team. It’s also a chance for managers to articulate the...
One of the most powerful levers at our disposal is predictive data. In contrast to lagging indicators such as end of year assessments or child outcomes, predictive data enables us to proactively intervene where we can make a real difference. While there are many types of predictive data, one of the most powerful is chronic absence. Chronic child absence translates into serious learning loss over...
Head Start programs are required to conduct an annual self-assessment. While they’re often an afterthought, Head Start self-assessments can be a valuable planning tool, a means to thinking about data collection, and a learning opportunity. The latter is key, according to Kristen Hayes, Management Training Lead at Early Intel. “The goal of self assessment should be to yield new knowledge that...
What is a “data story”? Part data analytics and part narrative, this new federal expectation can be an opportunity–or a pitfall–on your next federal review, depending on your team’s knowledge, tools and preparation. In this article, we explore the origins of this new requirement, the necessary mindset and examples of important types of data stories. The Office of Head Start introduced data tours...
Every five years, when Focus Area Two reviews come around, it’s a chance for Head Start programs to demonstrate their impact and tell their data story. Of course, no one wants federal reviewers to find a non-compliance or deficiency in their program, so the stakes can be high for these reviews. The right preparation is key to a successful review process, so Early Insights talked to Kristen...
