how to write a case study in early childhood education

Early Childhood Education: How to do a Child Case Study-Best Practice

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Description of Assignment

During your time at Manor, you will need to conduct a child case study. To do well, you will need to plan ahead and keep a schedule for observing the child. A case study at Manor typically includes the following components: 

• Three observations of the child: one qualitative, one quantitative, and one of your choice. 
• Three artifact collections and review: one qualitative, one quantitative, and one of your choice. 
• A Narrative

Within this tab, we will discuss how to complete all portions of the case study.  A copy of the rubric for the assignment is attached. 

• Case Study Rubric (Online)
• Case Study Rubric (Hybrid/F2F)

Qualitative and Quantitative Observation Tips

Remember your observation notes should provide the following detailed information about the child:

• child’s age,
• physical appearance,
• the setting, and
• any other important background information.

You should observe the child a minimum of 5 hours. Make sure you DO NOT use the child's real name in your observations. Always use a pseudo name for course assignments. 

You will use your observations to help write your narrative. When submitting your observations for the course please make sure they are typed so that they are legible for your instructor. This will help them provide feedback to you. 

Qualitative Observations

A qualitative observation is one in which you simply write down what you see using the anecdotal note format listed below. 

Quantitative Observations

A quantitative observation is one in which you will use some type of checklist to assess a child's skills. This can be a checklist that you create and/or one that you find on the web. A great choice of a checklist would be an Ounce Assessment and/or work sampling assessment depending on the age of the child. Below you will find some resources on finding checklists for this portion of the case study. If you are interested in using Ounce or Work Sampling, please see your program director for a copy. 

Remaining Objective 

For both qualitative and quantitative observations, you will only write down what your see and hear. Do not interpret your observation notes. Remain objective versus being subjective.

An example of an objective statement would be the following: "Johnny stacked three blocks vertically on top of a classroom table." or "When prompted by his teacher Johnny wrote his name but omitted the two N's in his name." 

An example of a subjective statement would be the following: "Johnny is happy because he was able to play with the block." or "Johnny omitted the two N's in his name on purpose." 

• Anecdotal Notes Form Form to use to record your observations.
• Guidelines for Writing Your Observations
• Tips for Writing Objective Observations
• Objective vs. Subjective

Qualitative and Quantitative Artifact Collection and Review Tips

For this section, you will collect artifacts from and/or on the child during the time you observe the child. Here is a list of the different types of artifacts you might collect: 

Potential Qualitative Artifacts 

• Photos of a child completing a task, during free play, and/or outdoors. 
• Samples of Artwork 
• Samples of writing 
• Products of child-led activities 

Potential Quantitative Artifacts 

• Checklist 
• Rating Scales
• Product Teacher-led activities 

Examples of Components of the Case Study

Here you will find a number of examples of components of the Case Study. Please use them as a guide as best practice for completing your Case Study assignment. 

• Qualitatitive Example 1
• Qualitatitive Example 2
• Quantitative Photo 1
• Qualitatitive Photo 1
• Quantitative Observation Example 1
• Artifact Photo 1
• Artifact Photo 2
• Artifact Photo 3
• Artifact Photo 4
• Artifact Sample Write-Up
• Case Study Narrative Example Although we do not expect you to have this many pages for your case study, pay close attention to how this case study is organized and written. The is an example of best practice.

Narrative Tips

The Narrative portion of your case study assignment should be written in APA style, double-spaced, and follow the format below:

• Introduction : Background information about the child (if any is known), setting, age, physical appearance, and other relevant details. There should be an overall feel for what this child and his/her family is like. Remember that the child’s neighborhood, school, community, etc all play a role in development, so make sure you accurately and fully describe this setting! --- 1 page
• Observations of Development :   The main body of your observations coupled with course material supporting whether or not the observed behavior was typical of the child’s age or not. Report behaviors and statements from both the child observation and from the parent/guardian interview— 1.5  pages
• Comment on Development: This is the portion of the paper where your professional analysis of your observations are shared. Based on your evidence, what can you generally state regarding the cognitive, social and emotional, and physical development of this child? Include both information from your observations and from your interview— 1.5 pages
• Conclusion: What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the family, the child? What could this child benefit from? Make any final remarks regarding the child’s overall development in this section.— 1page
• Your Case Study Narrative should be a minimum of 5 pages.

Make sure to NOT to use the child’s real name in the Narrative Report. You should make reference to course material, information from your textbook, and class supplemental materials throughout the paper . 

Same rules apply in terms of writing in objective language and only using subjective minimally. REMEMBER to CHECK your grammar, spelling, and APA formatting before submitting to your instructor. It is imperative that you review the rubric of this assignment as well before completing it. 

Biggest Mistakes Students Make on this Assignment

Here is a list of the biggest mistakes that students make on this assignment: 

• Failing to start early . The case study assignment is one that you will submit in parts throughout the semester. It is important that you begin your observations on the case study before the first assignment is due. Waiting to the last minute will lead to a poor grade on this assignment, which historically has been the case for students who have completed this assignment. 
• Failing to utilize the rubrics. The rubrics provide students with guidelines on what components are necessary for the assignment. Often students will lose points because they simply read the descriptions of the assignment but did not pay attention to rubric portions of the assignment. 
• Failing to use APA formatting and proper grammar and spelling. It is imperative that you use spell check and/or other grammar checking software to ensure that your narrative is written well. Remember it must be in APA formatting so make sure that you review the tutorials available for you on our Lib Guide that will assess you in this area. 
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The Good that’s Within You: A Case Study of Early Childhood Curriculum Practice

• Published: 16 July 2021
• Volume 50 , pages 1047–1058, ( 2022 )

Cite this article

• Daniel J. Castner   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6612-2092 1 ,
• Lacy Fajerstein 1 &
• Gretchen Butera 1  

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Few matters are of greater importance to high quality early childhood education than the content and mediation of curriculum. In spite of this, early childhood curriculum practices are rarely examined through the lens of curriculum theory. This research employs educational connoisseurship and criticism as a methodology to shed light upon the curriculum discourse and practices at one public elementary school in relation to one preschool classroom. The findings indicate multiple curriculum orientations subtly coexist at the school. We argue that identifying stakeholders' curriculum orientations and understanding how they operate in the context of a particular school provides a basis for more generative curriculum deliberations that make use of the strengths and recognize the limitations of disparate curricular traditions.

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Curriculum integration in the twenty-first century: some reflections in the light of the Australian curriculum

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Castner, D.J., Fajerstein, L. & Butera, G. The Good that’s Within You: A Case Study of Early Childhood Curriculum Practice. Early Childhood Educ J 50 , 1047–1058 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01243-9

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Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers (2001)

Chapter: 9&#9;findings, conclusions, and recommendations, 9 findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

T HE RESEARCH ON EARLY CHILDHOOD learning and program effectiveness reviewed in this report provides some very powerful findings:

Young children are capable of understanding and actively building knowledge, and they are highly inclined to do so. While there are developmental constraints on children’s competence, those constraints serve as a ceiling below which there is enormous room for variation in growth, skill acquisition, and understanding.

Development is dependent on and responsive to experience, allowing children to grow far more quickly in domains in which a rich experiential base and guided exposure to complex thinking are available than in those where they receive no such support. Environment—including cultural context—exerts a large influence on both cognitive and emotional development. Genetic endowment is far more responsive to experience than was once thought. Rapid growth of the brain in the early years provides an opportunity for the environment to influence the physiology of development.

Education and care in the early years are two sides of the same coin. Research suggests that secure attachment improves

both social competence and the ability to exploit learning opportunities.

Furthermore, research on early childhood curricula and pedagogy has implications for how early childhood programs can effectively promote development:

Cognitive, social-emotional (mental health), and physical development are complementary, mutually supportive areas of growth all requiring active attention in the preschool years. Social skills and physical dexterity influence cognitive development, just as cognition plays a role in children’s social understanding and motor competence. All are therefore related to early learning and later academic achievement and are necessary domains of early childhood pedagogy.

Responsive interpersonal relationships with teachers nur ture young children’s dispositions to learn and their emerging abilities. Social competence and school achievement are influenced by the quality of early teacher-child relationships, and by teachers’ attentiveness to how the child approaches learning.

While no single curriculum or pedagogical approach can be identified as best, children who attend well-planned, high- quality early childhood programs in which curriculum aims are specified and integrated across domains tend to learn more and are better prepared to master the complex demands of formal schooling. Particular findings of relevance in this regard include the following:

Children who have a broad base of experience in domain-specific knowledge (for example, in mathematics or an area of science) move more rapidly in acquiring more complex skills

More extensive language development—such as a rich vocabulary and listening comprehension—is related to early literacy learning.

Children are better prepared for school when early childhood programs expose them to a variety of classroom structures, thought processes, and discourse patterns. This does not mean adopting the methods and curriculum of the elementary school; rather it is a matter of providing children with a mix of whole

class, small group, and individual interactions with teachers, the experience of different kinds of discourse patterns, and such mental strategies as categorizing, memorizing, reasoning, and metacognition.

While the committee does not endorse any particular cur riculum, the cognitive science literature suggests principles of learning that should be incorporated into any curriculum:

Teaching and learning will be most effective if they engage and build on children’s existing understandings.

Key concepts involved in each domain of preschool learning (e.g., representational systems in early literacy, the concept of quantity in mathematics, causation in the physical world) must go hand in hand with information and skill acquisition (e.g., identifying numbers and letters and acquiring information about the natural world).

Metacognitive skill development allows children to solve problems more effectively. Curricula that encourage children to reflect, predict, question, and hypothesize (examples: How many will there be after two numbers are added? What happens next in the story? Will it sink or float?) set them on course for effective, engaged learning.

young children who are living in circumstances that place them at greater risk of school failure—including poverty, low level of maternal education, maternal depression, and other fac tors that can limit their access to opportunities and resources that enhance learning and development—are much more likely to succeed in school if they attend well-planned, high-quality early childhood programs. Many children, especially those in low-income households, are served in child care programs of such low quality that learning and development are not enhanced and may even be jeopardized.

The importance of teacher responsiveness to children’s differences, knowledge of children’s learning processes and capabilities, and the multiple developmental goals that a quality pre-

school program must address simultaneously all point to the centrality of teacher education and preparation.

The professional development of teachers is related to the quality of early childhood programs, and program quality pre dicts developmental outcomes for children. Formal early childhood education and training has been linked consistently to positive caregiver behaviors. The strongest relationship is found between the number of years of education and training and the appropriateness of a teacher’s classroom behavior.

Programs found to be highly effective in the United States and exemplary programs abroad actively engage teachers and provide high-quality supervision. Teachers are trained and encouraged to reflect on their practice and on the responsiveness of their children to classroom activities, and to revise and plan their teaching accordingly.

Both class size and adult-child ratios are correlated with greater program effects. Low ratios of children to adults are associated with more extensive teacher-child interaction, more individualization, and less restrictive and controlling teacher behavior. Smaller group size has been associated with more child initiations, more opportunities for teachers to work on extending language, mediating children’s social interactions, and encouraging and supporting exploration and problem solving.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

What is now known about the potential of the early years, and of the promise of high-quality preschool programs to help realize that potential for all children, stands in stark contrast to practice in many—perhaps most—early childhood settings. How can we bring what we know to bear on what we do?

A committee of the National Research Council recently addressed that question with regard to K-12 education (National Research Council, 1999). While the focus of this report differs from theirs, the conceptual framework for using research knowledge to influence educational practice applies. In this model, the impact of research knowledge on classroom practice—the ultimate goal—is mediated through four arenas, as depicted in Fig-

FIGURE 9–1 Arenas through which research knowledge influences classroom practice.

ure 9–1 . When teachers are directly engaged in using research-based programs or curricula, the effect can be direct. This is the case in some model programs. But if research knowledge is to be used systematically in early childhood education and care programs, preservice and in-service education that effectively transmits that knowledge to those who staff the programs will be required.

While we have argued that the teacher is central, effective teachers work with curricula and teaching materials. In Chapter 5 we refer to exemplary curricula that incorporate research knowledge. Changing practice requires that teachers know about, and have access to, a store of teaching materials.

Quality preschool programs can be encouraged or thwarted by public policy. Regulations and standards can incorporate research knowledge to put a floor under program quality. Public funding and the rules that shape its availability can encourage quality above that floor, and can ensure accessibility to those most in need. And finally, program administrators and teachers, as well as policy makers, are ultimately accountable to parents and to the

public. Parents’ expectations of, and support for, preschool programs, as well as their participation in activities that support early development, can contribute to program success.

The chance of effectively changing early childhood education will increase if the four arenas that influence practice are addressed simultaneously and in a mutually supportive fashion. The committee’s recommendations address each of these four arenas of influence.

Professional Development

At the heart of the effort to promote quality preschool, from the committee’s perspective, is a substantial investment in the education and training of preschool teachers.

Recommendation 1: Each group of children in an early childhood education and care program should be assigned a teacher who has a bachelor’s degree with specialized education related to early childhood (e.g., developmental psychology, early childhood education, early childhood special education). Achieving this goal will require a significant public investment in the professional development of current and new teachers.

Sadly, there is a great disjunction between what is optimal pedagogically for children’s learning and development and the level of preparation that currently typifies early childhood educators. Progress toward a high-quality teaching force will require substantial public and private support and incentive systems, including innovative educational programs, scholarship and loan programs, and compensation commensurate with the expectations of college graduates.

Recommendation 2: Education programs for teachers should provide them with a stronger and more specific foundational knowledge of the development of children’s social and affective behavior, thinking, and language.

Few programs currently do. This foundation should be linked to teachers’ knowledge of mathematics, science, linguistics, literature, etc., as well as to instructional practices for young children.

Recommendation 3: Teacher education programs should require mastery of information on the pedagogy of teaching preschool-aged children, including:

Knowledge of teaching and learning and child development and how to integrate them into practice.

Information about how to provide rich conceptual experiences that promote growth in specific content areas, as well as particular areas of development, such as language (vocabulary) and cognition (reasoning).

Knowledge of effective teaching strategies, including organizing the environment and routines so as to promote activities that build social-emotional relationships in the classroom.

Knowledge of subject-matter content appropriate for preschool children and knowledge of professional standards in specific content areas.

Knowledge of assessment procedures (observation/performance records, work sampling, interview methods) that can be used to inform instruction.

Knowledge of the variability among children, in terms of teaching methods and strategies that may be required, including teaching children who do not speak English, children from various economic and regional contexts, and children with identified disabilities.

Ability to work with teams of professionals.

Appreciation of the parents’ role and knowledge of methods of collaboration with parents and families.

Appreciation of the need for appropriate strategies for accountability.

Recommendation 4: A critical component of preservice preparation should be a supervised, relevant student teaching or internship experience in which new teachers receive ongoing guidance and feedback from a qualified supervisor.

There are a number of models (e.g., National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) that suggest the value of this sort of supervised student teaching experience. A principal goal of this experience should be to develop the student teacher’s ability to integrate and apply the knowledge base in practice. Col-

laborative support by the teacher preparation institution and the field placement is essential. Supervision of this experience should be shared by a master teacher and a regular or clinical university faculty member.

Recommendation 5: All early childhood education and child care programs should have access to a qualified supervisor of early childhood education.

Teachers should be provided with opportunities to reflect on practice with qualified supervisors. This supervisor should be both an expert teacher of young children and an expert teacher mentor. Such supervisors are needed to provide in-service collaborative experiences, in-service materials (including interactive videodisc materials), and professional development opportunities directed toward improvement of early childhood pedagogy.

Recommendation 6: Federal and state departments of education, human services, and other agencies interested in young children and their families should initiate programs of research and development aimed at learning more about effective preparation of early childhood teachers.

Of particular concern are strategies directed toward bringing experienced early childhood educators, such as child care providers and prekindergarten and Head Start teachers, into compliance with standards for higher education and certification. Such programs should ensure that the field takes full advantage of the knowledge and expertise of existing staff and builds on diversity and strong community bonds represented in the current early childhood care and education work force. At the same time, it should assure that the fields of study described above are mastered by those in the existing workforce. These programs should include development of materials for early childhood professional education. Material development should entail cycles of field testing and revision to assure effectiveness.

Recommendation 7: The committee recommends the development of demonstration schools for professional development.

Many people, including professional educators of older chil-

dren, do not know what an early childhood program should look like, what should be taught, or the kind of pedagogical strategies that are most effective. Demonstration schools would provide contextual understanding of these issues.

The Department of Education should collaborate with universities in developing the demonstration schools and in using them as sites for ongoing research:

on the efficacy of various models, including pairing demonstration schools in partnership with community programs, and pairing researchers and in-service teachers with exemplary community-based programs;

to identify conditions under which the gains of mentoring, placement of pre-service teachers in demonstration schools, and supervised student teaching can be sustained once teachers move into community-based programs.

Educational Materials

Good teachers must be equipped with good curricula. The content of early childhood curricula should be organized systematically into a coherent program with overarching objectives integrated across content and developmental areas. They should include multiple activities, such as systematic exploration and representation, planning and problem solving, creative expression, oral expression, and the ability and willingness to listen to and incorporate information presented by a teacher, sociodramatic and exercise play, and arts activities.

Important curriculum areas are often omitted from early education programs, although there is research to support their inclusion (provided they are addressed in an appropriate manner). Methods of scientific investigation, number concepts, phonological awareness, cultural knowledge, languages, and computer technology all fall into this category.

Because children differ in so many respects, teaching strategies used with any curriculum, from the committee’s perspective, need to be flexibly adapted to meet the specific needs and prior knowledge and understanding of individual children. Embedded in the curriculum should be opportunities to assess children’s

prior understanding and mastery of the skills and knowledge being taught.

Teachers will also need to provide different levels of instruction in activities and use a range of techniques, including direct instruction, scaffolding, indirect instruction (taking advantage of moments of opportunity), and opportunities for children to learn on their own (self-directed learning). The committee believes it is particularly important to maintain children’s enthusiasm for learning by integrating their self-directed interests with the teacher-directed curriculum.

Recommendation 8: The committee recommends that the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and their equivalents at the state level fund efforts to develop, design, field test, and evaluate curricula that incorporate what is known about learning and thinking in the early years, with companion assessment tools and teacher guides.

Each curriculum should emphasize what is known from research about children’s thinking and learning in the area it addresses. Activities should be included that enable children with different learning styles and strengths to learn.

Each curriculum should include a companion guide for teachers that explains the teaching goals, alerts the teacher to common misconceptions, and suggests ways in which the curriculum can be used flexibly for students at different developmental levels. In the teacher’s guide, the description of methods of assessment should be linked to instructional planning so that the information acquired in the process of assessment can be used as a basis for making pedagogical decisions at the level of both the group and the individual child.

Recommendation 9: The committee recommends that the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services support the use of effective technology, including videodiscs for preschool teachers and Internet communication groups.

The process of early childhood education is one in which interaction between the adult/teacher and the child/student is the

most critical feature. Opportunities to see curriculum and pedagogy in action are likely to promote understanding of complexity and nuance not easily communicated in the written word. Internet communication groups could provide information on curricula, results of field tests, and opportunities for teachers using a common curriculum to discuss experiences, query each other, and share ideas.

States can play a significant role in promoting program quality with respect to both teacher preparation and curriculum and pedagogy.

Recommendation 10: All states should develop program standards for early childhood programs and monitor their implementation. These standards should recognize the variability in the development of young children and adapt kindergarten and primary programs, as well as preschool programs, to this diversity. This means, for instance, that kindergartens must be readied for children. In some schools, this will require smaller class sizes and professional development for teachers and administrators regarding appropriate teaching practice, so that teachers can meet the needs of individual children, rather than teaching to the “average” child. The standards should outline essential components and should include, but not be limited to, the following categories:

School-home relationships;

Class size and teacher-student ratios;

Specification of pedagogical goals, content, and methods;

Assessment for instructional improvement;

Educational requirements for early childhood educators; and

Monitoring quality/external accountability.

Recommendation 11: Because research has identified content that is appropriate and important for inclusion in early childhood programs, content standards should be developed

and evaluated regularly to ascertain whether they adhere to current scientific understanding of children’s learning.

The content standards should ensure that children have access to rich and varied opportunities to learn in areas that are now omitted from many curricula—such as phonological awareness, number concepts, methods of scientific investigation, cultural knowledge, and language.

Recommendation 12: A single career ladder for early childhood teachers, with differentiated pay levels, should be specified by each state.

This career ladder should include, at a minimum, teaching assistants (with child development associate certification), teachers (with bachelor’s degrees), and supervisors.

Recommendation 13: The committee recommends that the federal government fund well-planned, high-quality center-based preschool programs for all children at high risk of school failure.

Such programs can prevent school failure and significantly enhance learning and development in ways that benefit the entire society.

Policies that support the provision of quality preschool on a broad scale are unlikely without widespread public support. To engender that support, it is important for the public to understand both the potential of the preschool years, and the quality of programming required to realize that potential.

Recommendation 14: Organizations and government bodies concerned with the education of young children should actively promote public understanding of early childhood education and care.

Beliefs that are at odds with scientific understanding—that maturation automatically accounts for learning, for example, or that children can learn concrete skills only through drill and practice—must be challenged. Systematic and widespread public

education should be undertaken to increase public awareness of the importance of providing stimulating educational experiences in the lives of all young children. The message that the quality of children’s relationships with adult teachers and child care providers is critical in preparation for elementary school should be featured prominently in communication efforts. Parents and other caregivers, as well as the public, should be the targets of such efforts.

Recommendation 15: Early childhood programs and centers should build alliances with parents to cultivate complementary and mutually reinforcing environments for young children at home and at the center.

FUTURE RESEARCH NEEDS

Research on early learning, child development, and education can and has influenced the development of early childhood curriculum and pedagogy. But the influences are mutual. By evaluating outcomes of early childhood programs we have come to understand more about children’s development and capacities. The committee believes that continued research efforts along both these lines can expand understanding of early childhood education and care, and the ability to influence them for the better.

Research on Early Childhood Learning and Development

Although it is apparent that early experiences affect later ones, there are a number of important developmental questions to be studied regarding how, when, and which early experiences support development and learning.

Recommendation 16: The committee recommends a broad empirical research program to better understand:

The range of inputs that can contribute to supporting environments that nurture young children’s eagerness to learn;

Development of children’s capacities in the variety of cog-

nitive and socioemotional areas of importance in the preschool years, and the contexts that enhance that development;

The components of adult-child relationships that enhance the child’s development during the preschool years, and experiences affecting that development for good or for ill;

Variation in brain development, and its implications for sensory processing, attention, and regulation;

The implications of developmental disabilities for learning and development and effective approaches for working with children who have disabilities;

With regard to children whose home language is not English, the age and level of native language mastery that is desirable before a second language is introduced and the trajectory of second language development.

Research on Programs and Curricula

Recommendation 17: The next generation of research must examine more rigorously the characteristics of programs that produce beneficial outcomes for all children. In addition, research is needed on how programs can provide more helpful structures, curricula, and methods for children at high risk of educational difficulties, including children from low-income homes and communities, children whose home language is not English, and children with developmental and learning disabilities.

Much of the program research has focused on economically disadvantaged children because they were the targets of early childhood intervention efforts. But as child care becomes more widespread, it becomes more important to understand the components of early childhood education that have developmental benefits for all children.

With respect to disadvantaged children, we know that quality intervention programs are effective, but better understanding the features that make them effective will facilitate replication on a large scale. The Abecedarian program, for example, shows many developmental gains for the children who participate. But in addition to the educational activities, there is a health and nutrition component. And child care workers are paid at a level

comparable to local public school teachers, with a consequent low turnover rate in staff. Whether the program effect is caused by the education component, the health component, or stability of caregiver, or some necessary combination of the three, is not possible to assess. Research on programs for this population should pay careful attention to home-school partnerships and their effect, since this is an aspect of the programs that research suggests is important.

Research on programs for any population of children should examine such program variations as age groupings, adult-child ratios, curricula, class size, looping, and program duration. These questions can best be answered through random assignment, longitudinal studies. Such studies raise concerns because some children receive better services than others, and because they are expensive. However, random assignment between programs that have very similar quality features, but vary on a single dimension (a math curriculum, for example, or class size) would seem less controversial. The cost of conducting such research must, of course, be weighed against the benefits. Given the dramatic expansion in the hours that children spend in out-of-home care in the preschool years, new knowledge can have a very high payoff.

Research is also needed on the interplay between an individual child’s characteristics, the immediate contexts of the home and classroom, and the larger contexts of the formal school environment in developing and assessing curricula. An important line of research is emerging in this area and needs continued support.

Recommendation 18: A broad program of research and development should be undertaken to advance the state of the art of assessment in three areas: (1) classroom-based assessment to support learning (including studies of the impact of methods of instructional assessment on pedagogical technique and children’s learning), (2) assessment for diagnostic purposes, and (3) assessment of program quality for accountability and other reasons of public policy.

All assessments, and particularly assessments for accountability, must be used carefully and appropriately if they are to resolve, and not create, educational problems. Assessment of young

children poses greater challenges than people generally realize. The first five years of life are a time of incredible growth and learning, but the course of development is uneven and sporadic. The status of a child’s development as of any given day can change very rapidly. Consequently assessment results—in particular, standardized test scores that reflect a given point in time— can easily misrepresent children’s learning.

Assessment itself is in a state of flux. There is widespread dissatisfaction with traditional norm-referenced standardized tests, which are based on early 20th century psychological theory. There are a number of promising new approaches to assessment, among them variations on the clinical interview and performance assessment, but the field must be described as emergent. Much more research and development are needed for a productive fusion of assessment and instruction to occur and if the potential benefits of assessment for accountability are to be fully realized.

Research on Ways to Create Universal High Quality

The growing consensus regarding the importance of early education stands in stark contrast to the disparate system of care and education available to children in the United States in the preschool years. America’s programs for preschoolers vary widely in quality, content, organization, sponsorship, source of funding, relationship to the public schools, and government regulation.

As the nation moves toward voluntary universal early childhood programs, parents, and public officials face important policy choices, choices that should be informed by careful research.

Recommendation 19: Research to fully develop and evaluate alternatives for organizing, regulating, supporting, and financing early childhood programs should be conducted to provide an empirical base for the decisions being made.

Compare the effects of program variations on short-term and long-term outcomes, including studies of inclusion of children with disabilities and auspices of program regulation.

Examine preschool administration at local, county, and state levels to assess the relative quality of the administrative and support systems now in place.

Consider quality, infrastructure, and cost-effectiveness.

Review the evidence that should inform state standards and licensing, including limits on group size and square footage requirements.

Develop instruments and strategies to monitor the achievement of young children that meet state and national accountability requirements, respect young children’s unique learning and developmental needs, and do not interfere with teachers’ instructional decision making.

At a time when the importance of education to individual fulfillment and economic success has focused attention on the need to better prepare children for academic achievement, the research literature suggests ways to make gains toward that end. Parents are relying on child care and preschool programs in ever larger numbers. We know that the quality of the programs in which they leave their children matters. If there is a single critical component to quality, it rests in the relationship between the child and the teacher/caregiver, and in the ability of the adult to be responsive to the child. But responsiveness extends in many directions: to the child’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical characteristics and development.

Much research still needs to be done. But from the committee’s perspective, the case for a substantial investment in a high-quality system of child care and preschool on the basis of what is already known is persuasive. Moreover, the considerable lead by other developed countries in the provision of quality preschool programs suggests that it can, indeed, be done on a large scale.

Clearly babies come into the world remarkably receptive to its wonders. Their alertness to sights, sounds, and even abstract concepts makes them inquisitive explorers—and learners—every waking minute. Well before formal schooling begins, children's early experiences lay the foundations for their later social behavior, emotional regulation, and literacy. Yet, for a variety of reasons, far too little attention is given to the quality of these crucial years. Outmoded theories, outdated facts, and undersized budgets all play a part in the uneven quality of early childhood programs throughout our country.

What will it take to provide better early education and care for our children between the ages of two and five? Eager to Learn explores this crucial question, synthesizing the newest research findings on how young children learn and the impact of early learning. Key discoveries in how young children learn are reviewed in language accessible to parents as well as educators: findings about the interplay of biology and environment, variations in learning among individuals and children from different social and economic groups, and the importance of health, safety, nutrition and interpersonal warmth to early learning. Perhaps most significant, the book documents how very early in life learning really begins. Valuable conclusions and recommendations are presented in the areas of the teacher-child relationship, the organization and content of curriculum, meeting the needs of those children most at risk of school failure, teacher preparation, assessment of teaching and learning, and more. The book discusses:

• Evidence for competing theories, models, and approaches in the field and a hard look at some day-to-day practices and activities generally used in preschool.
• The role of the teacher, the importance of peer interactions, and other relationships in the child's life.
• Learning needs of minority children, children with disabilities, and other special groups.
• Approaches to assessing young children's learning for the purposes of policy decisions, diagnosis of educational difficulties, and instructional planning.
• Preparation and continuing development of teachers.

Eager to Learn presents a comprehensive, coherent picture of early childhood learning, along with a clear path toward improving this important stage of life for all children.

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Early Childhood Policy Case Studies

Early childhood policy case studies provide concrete examples of policy efforts, success factors, and ongoing implementation challenges in the field of early childhood. Cases can be used to enhance discussion in early childhood policy courses in higher education and to provide lessons for current policymakers in the field of early childhood.

Access Early Childhood Policy Case Studies

Our multimedia cases are designed to support college instruction in early childhood policy (ECP) courses by highlighting the complexity of early childhood systems and the policies that govern them. The ECP case studies explore topics including policy goals and outcomes, ECE funding, unintended consequences, implementation challenges, organizational dynamics, and tensions. These cases are based on articles and reports and interviews with diverse stakeholders including researchers, policymakers, implementers, and the beneficiaries of the policies.

Learn about the ECPIHE Initiative

The Early Childhood Policy in Institutions of Higher Education (ECPIHE) seeks to support the development of a new field of early childhood policy. In so doing, it strives to enhance the study of, and experiences related to, advancing early childhood policy in American institutions of higher education (IHEs).

Visit ECPIHE website.

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California Transitional Kindergarten

Published October 2022

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• About the child wellbeing subsidy
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• Examples to help you understand when a child is at risk
• Talking with the family
• Establishing eligibility for child wellbeing
• Reporting obligations
• Issuing a child wellbeing certificate
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Field Experiences in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE): Preparing Teachers for Success in Diverse Early Education Settings

• Ragan McLeod University of Alabama

Field experiences provide opportunities for early childhood and early childhood special education (EC/ECSE) educators to implement effective practices in learning settings, and are, therefore, a vital part of EC/ECSE teacher preparation. In this article, we describe field placement models from four universities in the United States: The Bridge Project, Getting Started Early, Peer Coaching to Increase Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions, and University Supervisors Coaching Teacher Candidates: Supporting Young Bi/Multilingual Children with Disabilities. Although there is variety in the settings and effective practices supported through these field placements, performance feedback and collaboration are clear themes across models.

• PDF McLeod et al. (2024)

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Copyright (c) 2024 Ragan McLeod, Zhen Chai, Debra Berry Malmburg, Ya-Chih Chang, Nancy Hunt, Courtney O'Grady, Kimberly Tomeny, Jisun Oh, Ankita Bhattashali

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

The Journal of Special Education Preparation ( JOSEP ) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal that features research-to-practice information and materials for special education faculty in higher education settings. JOSEP brings its readers the latest on evidence-based instructional strategies, technologies, procedures, and techniques to prepare special education teachers and leaders. The focus of its practical content is on immediate application.

ISSN: 2768-1432

JOSEP is published in partnership with and funded by Ball State University Libraries and the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children.

Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/03/how-to-claim-15-hours-free-childcare-code/

Thousands of parents of two-year-olds benefit from 15 hours free childcare - here's how

We’re making the  biggest investment  by a UK government into childcare in history, doubling the amount we expect to spend over the next few years from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year.

We've already started to rollout the first phase of the expansion. Since April 2024, hundreds of thousands of families have been able to access 15 hours of government-funded childcare for their 2-year-olds.

And from 12 May, eligible working parents will be able to apply for 15 hours of government-funded childcare for children who are aged between 9-months and 23-months-old. We explain more about exactly who’s eligible below.

The rollout of support is part of our plan to help families – freeing thousands of parents from having to choose between having a family and a career.

• Currently, eligible working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds can access  30 hours of childcare  support.
• Eligible working parents of 2-year-olds are also now able to access 15 hours  childcare  support.
• From  September 2024 , 15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old. Applications will open on May 12.
• From  September 2025 , support will reach 30 hours for eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old up to school age.

It's worth noting that some providers may ask for charges in addition to the government funded childcare. Visit  childcarechoices.gov.uk  for further information.

When can I apply and how do I get my code? 

Applications are now open for eligible working parents whose children will be 2 or older by the 31 August to receive 15 hours childcare, starting from September 2024.

From 12 May, eligible working parents whose children will be aged between 9- and 23-months old on 31 August can also apply to receive 15 hours childcare starting from September 2024.

When you apply, you’ll receive a code to give to your childcare provider.

It’s important to remember that codes need to be renewed every three months, so parents who apply before 1 June will need to make sure they renew their code before the offer starting in September.

You can claim your place the term after your child turns the relevant age. This gives local authorities and childcare providers enough time to prepare.

There is no limit on the number of codes available, so you don’t have to apply on the day applications open.

However, if you’re applying for childcare to start in September 2024, we recommend that you reach out to your preferred provider now to check when they will need your code by, and apply for your code before the start of the school summer holidays.

How do I apply?  

You apply online here on gov.uk  once you have checked our  eligibility criteria .

You’ll need to make sure you have the following information to hand before starting the application:

• your national insurance number (or unique taxpayer reference if you are self-employed)
• the date you started or are due to start work
• details of any government support or benefits you receive
• the UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) for your child.

You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.

Once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code to give to your childcare provider.

Eligible parents are also able to access Tax-Free Childcare through the same application system. You can apply for Tax-Free Childcare at any time. However, you don't need to apply for Tax-Free Childcare to be eligible to apply for the 15 hours childcare scheme.

Can I apply for government-funded childcare if I’m on parental leave?

Yes, you can.

If you’re applying for childcare for an older child, who is not the reason for your parental leave, you can continue to apply in the usual way.

For parents applying for free childcare for the child who is the reason for your parental leave, we have extended the period where a parent starting a new job or returning to a job after parental leave, including maternity leave, can apply for government-funded childcare.

Previously, there was a 31-day window in which new parents could apply for childcare before returning to work.

Now, as long as a parent plans return to work from parental leave or start a new job by the end of September 2024, they can apply for a free childcare code on 12 May at the same time as everyone else, giving them plenty of time to secure a place.

Parents on parental leave or starting a new job will need to apply online. They will then receive a letter in the post within 1 to 2 weeks so they can access their childcare entitlement.

Parents who plan to start or return to work between 1 October 2024 and 31 January 2025 will be able to apply for a code from 1 September 2024 to use from 1 January 2025.

What happens once I receive my code? 

Once you receive your code, you’ll need to take it to your childcare provider, along with your National Insurance number and your child’s date of birth.

Your childcare provider will process the code to provide your place.

Places will be available for September in every area of the country, but a significant minority of settings hold waiting lists of over six months. If you have a preferred nursery for September, you should reach out now to secure a place for your child ahead of receiving your code.

Your local authority can provide support for finding a government-funded place in your area.

What if I’m already registered for Tax Free Childcare? 

If you have an existing Tax-Free Childcare account, you will be asked to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months to ensure your code remains valid. The new offer of 15 hours government-funded childcare goes live on 12 May, and we know that some parents will not be able to apply for codes at this time due to the timing of their reconfirmation windows.

To ensure that every parent can obtain a code and give it to their provider in good time, we will be issuing temporary codes via letter to those whose reconfirmation windows open on or after 9 June. This means that no eligible parent should miss out regardless of when your reconfirmation window opens. You will receive your code in the post from HMRC by 24 May.

If your reconfirmation window is currently open, or will open before 12 May, we advise you wait until after 12 May to reconfirm. This will avoid the need for you to be issued a temporary code in the post.

For some parents, your reconfirmation window will be open when the offer launches or soon after, in which case you can apply whenever suits you.

If I receive a code in a letter from HMRC, does this make my code on my Childcare Account invalid? 

No. Both codes will be valid.

If you have two codes, one from your letter beginning with 11 and one from the website beginning with 50, please give your provider the code from the website, as this is your permanent digital code for your child.

If you only have one code (beginning with 11) then you can use this code to start using your government-funded hours.

Please remember that once your reconfirmation window opens, you will still need to reconfirm your eligibility through your Childcare Account and share the digital code you receive  with your provider.

Do I need to wait for my reconfirmation window to add another child to my account? 

A parent who is already using the childcare service for another child can add a new child to their account at any time.

Your reconfirmation cycle for your current Tax-Free Childcare will not affect this.

How are you making sure there will be enough childcare places for eligible parents? 

Parents that have a preferred place for September should reach out now to their local provider to secure a physical place for their child ahead of time.

To make sure there are enough places available, we’re investing over £400 million in 2024-25 to increase the hourly rates paid to local authorities.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has independently reported that the average funding rates for two-year-olds and under 2s paid by government from April 2024 are projected to be substantially higher than the market rate paid by parents last year, and we have committed to further increases to provider rates for the next two years.

We have also committed to increasing hourly funding rates over the next two years by an estimated £500 million, to make sure providers can increase places at each phase of the rollout.

You may also be interested in:

• Budget 2023: Everything you need to know about childcare support
• Before and after school childcare: Everything you need to know about wraparound care
• Free childcare: How we are tackling the cost of childcare

Tags: 15 hours free childcare , Applying for 15 hours free childcare , Childcare , Free childcare 2024 , Free childcare eligibility , tax-free childcare , When to apply for 15 hour free childcare

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