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Click here to register for this event What: Ensuring School Readiness will explore how and why smooth transitions among early learning environments are critical for school readiness and are the first step toward preparing students for success in college and career. Presenters will focus on what it takes to foster continuity as children move from early learning programs to preschool to kindergarten, and will discuss the specific roles of early learning programs, schools, and families in preparing young children to enter school ready for success. This webinar will highlight innovative practices, explore the range of supports and services offered to young children and their families, and emphasize how to help families understand how to remain involved in their child’s education as the child moves into the early school grades. Jacqueline Jones from the U.S. Department of Education will discuss the importance of successful early transitions to education reform. Sharon Ritchie from FirstSchool, a research-based preK–3rd grade initiative, will discuss “seamless education” and how to use data to improve practice. Judith Jerald from Save the Children will talk about developing early childhood programming with an eye toward facilitating transitions. And Whitcomb Hayslip will discuss how a Los Angeles-based transitional kindergarten initiative uses deliberate collaboration between teachers and families to prepare children for school success. When: April 14, 2011 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Mountain Featured speakers include: Moderator: Tom Schultz, Project Director for Early Childhood Initiatives, Council of Chief State School Officers Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Early Learning, U.S. Department of Education Sharon Ritchie, Senior Scientist, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Judith Jerald, Early Childhood Advisor, Save the Children Whitcomb Hayslip, Early Childhood Education Consultant and Former Assistant Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District Click here to view the webinar archive for this event series

For more information on the Ready 2 Read early literacy initiative, visit http://ready2readmontana.org or contact Sara Groves at (406) 444-5357 or at sgroves@mt.gov. (HELENA) --- The Montana State Library (MSL) is pleased to announce that it has received $45,000 in grant funds from two separate Montana foundations. The First Interstate BancSystem Foundation, based in Billings, awarded the State Library $35,000, and the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, based in Missoula, awarded the State Library $10,000. The money will be used to expand the Montana State Library’s statewide early literacy initiative, Ready 2 Read. Launched in 2009, the Ready 2 Read program is an effort to help parents and caregivers understand the value of sharing language and literacy with their children. The program has provided collections of high-quality children’s books to libraries, early childhood training to librarians, and extensive information and training to parents and caregivers on the importance of sharing books with children from birth forward. “New research suggests that there is no greater investment than in early childhood education,” said Darlene Staffeldt, Montana State Librarian. “Montana libraries have evolved to meet the challenge of providing programs, services, and materials for our youngest library patrons – children from birth to three years old. We look forward to working with the First Interstate BancSystem and Washington Foundations to expand our offerings even further.” Funding from First Interstate BancSystem Foundation will be used to support training of librarians to further their expertise in early literacy and early childhood education.

Last week at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Conference, Senior Advisor on Early Learning Jacqueline Jones announced the Department of Education’s plan to create the first ever Office for Early Learning. The object of this new office will be to correct the isolation in which federal early learning programs and funds have functioned and provide the strong coordinated collaboration necessary to dramatically improve early learning services.

For preschoolers in the United States, the pressure is on to learn math early and learn it well. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has put pressure on schools to make sure that all students are meeting state standards for achievement, and this has resulted in more rigorous math curricula and testing, starting in early elementary school. With increased public attention on the value of high-quality early childhood education, the pressure to perform has trickled down to our youngest students, and preschools are taking a closer look at their math programs and making adjustments that will prepare “little learners” for the challenges of elementary school.  And parents are always searching for better ways to boost their youngsters’ mastery of early math.

Every parent wants their child to have opportunities for lifelong success – and that starts with getting kids off to a strong start. All of our nation’s students deserve a chance to compete on a level playing field, but too many children – especially those from disadvantaged communities – start kindergarten already behind. We know expanding high-quality early learning opportunities is simply one of the best investments we can make as a country, and President Obama has proposed to dramatically increase access to high-quality preschool and expand early learning and support services for infants, toddlers and families. Today, the White House released state-by-state fact sheets, outlining what states could expect to receive in federal funding to expand these early learning initiatives in their states.

Click here to download flyer (PDF)What:Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) for Early Childhood Educators is a supplemental LETRS module based on a growing body of research that says the more children know about language and literacy before they begin formal schooling, the better equipped they are to succeed in reading. This two session presentation describes the scope and sequence of the module, helping preschool and kindergarten teachers to deepen their understanding of early literacy and enhance their strategies to help young children develop the foundation skills needed for learning to read and write.$75.00 Registration Fee - includes copy of LETRS for Early Childhood Educators (non-refundable payable to: Montana Center on Disabilities).You can register online here!When:Registration is from 8:00 am to 8:30 am January 13, 2012 and March 2, 20128:30 AM - 4:00 PMWhere:MSU-Billings College of Education Building Room 122Billings, MT1500 University DriveContact:Debra Miller Email: dmiler@msubillings.eduPhone: 406-657-2072

Click here to download the full flyer with agenda and registration form When: August 2-4, 2010 Where: Missoula, Hilton Garden Inn What: Kindergarten Transition and Model Kindergarten Curriculum The Center on the Social Emotional Foundation for Early Learning (CSEFEL) LETRS for Early Childhood Educators

To learn more and to access the online survey, go to http://ehhs.kent.edu/link/ What: Steve Bagnato, John Neisworth, and Kristie Pretti-Frontczak are inviting those who work with young children from birth to age eight to participate in a consumer rating of early childhood assessment measures. Results will expand upon LINKing Authentic Assessment & Early Childhood Interventio, by Stephen Bagnato, John T. Neisworth, & Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, 2010. The survey takes about 10 minutes per assessment. The website will be open until March 18th.  Input is being sought from teachers, family members, paraprofessionals, administrators, related service providers, therapists, consultants, social workers, school psychologists, child care providers, nurses, or others who have familiarity with early childhood assessment measures to participate. For questions or concerns: Contact Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak at 330-672-0597 or kprettif@kent.edu. Information about Kent State University's rules for research can be obtained from Dr. John West, Vice President and Dean, Division of Research and Graduate Studies 330-672-2851.

Whether or not a child with developmental delays qualifies for early intervention varies dramatically from one state to the next, but often researchers say far more kids are eligible than can be served. The finding comes from a new study analyzing early intervention services across the nation. Researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine examined each state’s eligibility requirements for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, Part C program, which serves infants and toddlers with disabilities. Then they used data from a long-term government study tracking nearly 11,000 children to identify how many kids were likely to qualify or receive services in each state.

A New Approach to Early Intervention: Virtual Home Visits Some bicoastal residents call it “flyover country.” Earlier generations called the huge expanses of America’s West “the Great American Desert.” But for the families of infants and toddlers with disabilities who reside there, often in remote and sometimes harsh circumstances far from the care their children require, it is home. Reaching those families for regular required home visits is often a monumental or downright impossible task for administrators of early intervention programs and their service providers who must drive for hours each way in weather conditions that are often severe and dangerous in an era in which fuel prices promise to remain prohibitively high. Until now, hard choices had to be made. Home visits to families in remote areas had to be postponed or canceled due to weather or cost. For families, their children’s needs went unmet. For federally funded statewide programs charged with seeking out and serving all infants and toddlers needing early intervention services, charters went unfulfilled. Today, however, technology provides the hope that virtual home visits can effectively and efficiently supplement, but not replace, traditional in-person visits.

Click here to download the flyer for this event (PDF) What: LETRS for Early Childhood Educators June 16-17th Learning Essentials for Teachers of Reading & Spelling with Lucy Hart Paulson June 18th LETRS Training of Trainers Saturday, June 18th Early Childhood Session Topics: CSEFEL (6 hours) Technology Traditional Native Games Native American Math Love & Logic Movement Part C to Part B Trauma Informed Educational When: June 16-18th, 2011 Where: Salish Kootenai College Pablo, MT

The goal of the Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) is to promote the adoption and sustained use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices. This site has resources for early childhood intervention practitioners, parents, and other caregivers of children, birth to five years of age, with identified disabilities, developmental delays, and those at-risk for poor outcomes.

The goal of this module is to help us do better at this important task of early identification, because the earlier we can recognize the signs, the earlier we can start treatment.  Early identification and treatment are central to positive outcomes for children with autism as they grow and develop ( Rogers, 1996; Smith, Groen, & Wynn, 2000).