A Guide to Good Start, Grow Smart In Child Care

GSGS includes several priorities that span Federal agencies

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• Partnering with States to Improve Early Childhood Education—Federal agencies are working in partnership with States to strengthen early learning in child care and other early childhood programs. GSGS calls on States to develop quality criteria for early childhood education, including voluntary guidelines on early literacy and early math concepts that align with State K–12 standards. To help States meet these criteria, States have more flexibility with their Federal child care funds.

• Strengthening Head Start—The Head Start program has developed a new accountability system, known as the National Reporting System, to ensure that every Head Start center assesses student learning in language, early literacy, and pre-math skills. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) implemented a national training program that used a train-the-trainer approach and mentoring to reach all Head Start teachers with techniques to promote prereading skills for Head Start students.

• Providing Information to Teachers, Caregivers, and Parents—To close the gap between the best research and current practices in early childhood education, the U.S. Department of Education initiated a broad public awareness campaign for parents, early childhood educators, child care providers, and the public. In summer 2002, the First Lady and Education officials hosted Early Learning Summits and Early Childhood Educator Academies. New publications were released for parents and caregivers (see Resources section). In addition, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the Administration for Children and Families in HHS and offices in the Department of Education collaborated on a 5-year, $40 million research agenda to identify language and early literacy curricula and teaching strategies.

Although GSGS activities are occurring in early childhood programs across the Federal government, this booklet focuses on the work of the Child Care Bureau (CCB) and the State agencies that administer the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). Within this priority area, key goals for the CCB include:

• Early Learning Guidelines (ELGs). Voluntary State guidelines on early reading skills and early math concepts for children ages 3 to 5 that are adaptable to various child care settings and align with State K–12 standards;

• Professional Development. A State plan for offering education and training activities to child care and preschool teachers and administrators, which also can include Federally funded training initiatives; and

• Program Coordination. A State plan for coordinating at least four early childhood programs, which may include the CCDF program, Head Start, public pre-Kindergarten programs, and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, among others.

Under the leadership of the Child Care Bureau’s Associate Commissioner, Shannon Christian, the CCB has created strategic partnerships with States to improve early childhood programs through a significant infusion of guidance, training, and technical assistance to help States meet these key goals.

The CCB encouraged States to include GSGS objectives in their plans for administering CCDF, provided national and regional training for States, Tribes, and Territories and provided individualized technical assistance, including onsite consultation for many States. The CCB also invested in research and evaluation to help policymakers and practitioners make sound decisions that support the professional development of the early care and education workforce and promote school readiness in young children.

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