200 R.I. Code R. 200-RICR-20-10-6.6

Current through December 3, 2024

Section 200-RICR-20-10-6.6 - Early Learning Teaching and Learning Standards

A. Standard Six: Curriculum

1. The following early learning and development standards apply to all programs seeking approval.

2. Programs must have an evidence-based written plan that describes program practices for supporting the learning of each child based on their individual developmental levels, learning styles and interests, and is informed by the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards for preschool and/or state endorsed standards for kindergarten as approved by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education and published on the RIDE website.

3 Program Level

a. The program shall have a written curriculum aligned to the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards and/or state endorsed standards for kindergarten that on the RIDE endorsed list of Early Childhood Education curriculums or is a RIDE approved locally developed curriculum. This curriculum includes a description of how the program will implement core components of the curriculum:

(1) Context;

(2) Content;

(3) Teaching and Facilitation;

(4) Process.

b. The curriculum shall describe how the materials and equipment are intentionally chosen to support children's learning, interests, and skills levels while:

(1) reflecting the lives of the children and families;

(2) reflecting the diversity found in society, including gender, age, language and abilities;

(3) encouraging exploration, experimentation, and discovery;

(4) organized to support independent use;

(5) rotated to reflect changing curriculum and accommodate new interests and skill levels;

(6) rich in variety; and

(7) accommodate children's developmental delays and disabilities.

c. The curriculum shall guide teachers in the development of a developmentally appropriate daily schedule that is predictable, yet flexible and responsive to the needs of the children.

d. The curriculum shall guide teachers in incorporating content, concepts and activities that foster and integrate the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards and/or state endorsed standards for kindergarten to support all children's learning.

e. The curriculum shall articulate the intentional teaching practices, such as learning through play, and the mechanisms through which children attain developmentally appropriate goals in all developmental domains.

f. The curriculum shall reflect the programs understanding of how children learn and develop to guide teachers in meeting the individual needs of children.

g. The curriculum shall act as a guide for teachers in designing and implementing a variety evidence based strategies and multi-level learning opportunities based on the assessment of the child's developmental levels, learning styles and interests.

4. Classroom Level

a. Classroom level instruction emerges from the program level curriculum as it is translated into the daily experiences for the individual children in the class. It is informed by the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards, and/or state endorsed standards for kindergarten, as well as child assessment data and includes a variety of instructional strategies and multilevel learning opportunities. It also encompasses teaching staff roles, daily schedule, classroom environment, planned activities, intentional practice and nurturing relationships.

5. Context

a. Teachers shall design a learning environment that is well organized, accessible to all children and equipped with clearly defined learning areas which include, at a minimum, areas devoted to: construction, dramatic play, discovery, books, manipulatives and creative expression.

b. Teachers shall organize space and select materials to stimulate exploration, experimentation, discovery and conceptual learning in all developmental areas. These materials shall be:

(1) chosen intentionally to support children's learning goals;

(2) well-maintained;

(3) organized and labeled;

(4) easily accessible to children;

(5) representative of the interests, needs and cultures of children;

(6) age-appropriate;

(7) of sufficient quantity for the numbers of children being served.

c. Teaching staff shall post, maintain, and follow a regular daily schedule which allows flexibility to meet interests and individual needs of the children. The schedule prioritizes play and incorporates:

(1) a combination of teacher-initiated and child-initiated activities;

(2) learning opportunities, experiences, and projects that extend over the course of several days;

(3) large group, small group and individual activities;

(4) indoor and outdoor activities; and

(5) an age appropriate balance between active and quiet activities.

d. The outdoor environment shall be used to promote children's development and active physical play through intentional curriculum planning.

6. Content

a. Teachers shall intentionally plan and imbed learning opportunities/activities aligned with the domains of the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards and/or state endorsed standards for kindergarten to support all children's learning throughout the day.

b. Teachers shall maintain a method of documented planning that demonstrates that curriculum is based on the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards and/or state endorsed standards for kindergarten. Plans should be written at least on a weekly basis with adjustments as needed based on emerging needs, skills and interests of children in the class.

7. Teaching and Facilitating

a. Teaching staff shall create a positive learning environment by using a wide range of teaching strategies. Teaching strategies shall be:

(1) based on information gained through ongoing observation and documentation of children's behavior and learning;

(2) supportive of children's growth and development in the areas addressed in all domains; and

(3) supportive of the development of individual relationships through interactions that are respectful of and sensitive and responsive to differing abilities, temperaments, activity levels, culture and cognitive and social developmental levels.

b. Teaching staff shall implement curriculum in a manner that:

(1) reflects responsiveness to goals that families have for their children;

(2) is informed by child assessment and observation data; and

(3) supports the development and maintenance of children's home language whenever possible while promoting English language acquisition; while

(4) ensuring that all children have access to universal curriculum, are active participants in classroom activities, and provided accommodations, as needed, to facilitate such participation.

c. Teaching staff shall promote children's learning by responding to their observed and documented need for and interest in practicing emerging skills. Teaching staff shall:

(1) provide targeted and individualized instruction;

(2) utilize multi-level learning opportunities and a variety of instructional strategies to support children's development;

(3) use children's interest in and curiosity about the world to engage them with new content and developmental skills; and

(4) provide children opportunities to affect what happens in the classroom through participation in decision making about issues concerning classroom behavior, plans, and activities.

d. Teaching staff shall promote positive interactions with children by:

(1) managing behavior, teaching and implementing classroom rules and expectations, and helping individual children learn socially appropriate behavior by providing positive guidance that is consistent with the child's level of development;

(2) talking frequently with children and listening to children with attention and respect through responding to children's questions and requests, using multiples strategies to communicate and build relationships with every child, and engage in meaningful and extended conversation with each child;

(3) creating a positive environment through their own behaviors, including frequent social conversations with children, joint laughter and affection, eye contact, tone of voice and smiles;

(4) developing individual relationships with children by providing care that is responsive, attentive, consistent, comforting, supportive, and culturally sensitive; and

(5) providing children with opportunities to affect what happens in the classroom through participation in decision making about issues concerning classroom behavior, plans, and activities

e. When a child presents with challenging behavior, teaching staff shall:

(1) Meet with parents/guardians to share observations, listen to parental/guardian insights, and discuss intentions of how best support the child's appropriate behavior.

(2) Observe the child, then identify events, activities, interactions and other factors that predict and may contribute to challenging behavior.

(3) Focus on teaching the child social communication and emotional regulation skills and using environmental modifications, activity modifications, adult or peer support and other intervention strategies to support the child's appropriate behavior rather than focusing only on eliminating the challenging behavior.

(4) Respond to challenging behavior, including physical aggression, in a manner that provides for the safety of the child and others in the classroom, is calm and respectful to the child, and provides the child with information about acceptable behavior

f. For all children, staff shall not use food or outdoor play as a reward or as a behavior consequence. Exceptions may only be made if specifically stated in a child's Individualized Education Program (IEP).

g. For children requiring special education services, teaching staff shall collaborate with special education professionals and families to support children with disabilities and developmental delays to succeed in inclusive environments and ensure each partner has access to necessary information and supports for appropriate services.

h. When technology is used in a program, technology shall be used for the purpose of extending learning within the classroom to integrate and enrich the curriculum. Staff shall be actively engaged in this process with children.

8. Process

a. Teachers shall implement curriculum through play experiences that provide multiple opportunities for all children to attain developmentally appropriate goals in each developmental domain.

b. Teachers shall design learning opportunities that integrate multiple goals.

B. Standard Seven: Child Assessment

1. The program has a written plan and description of practices for implementing a child assessment system aligned with the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards for preschool and/or the state endorsed standards for kindergarten. This plan:

a. Monitors children's development;

b. Informs curriculum and decision-making;

c. Identifies how programs determine if children might benefit from additional supports and/or special services; and

d. Describes how programs communicate with families and other authorized parties.

2. At the program level, this information is also used to:

a. Ascertain the degree to which the program is attaining desired child outcomes and goals for children;

b. Identify patterns and trends across the program; and

c. Inform the program's improvement plan and professional development of staff.

3. Program level: the program has written policies and procedures that guide their child assessment practices at the program and classroom level.

a. The program shall have a written plan and description of practices for implementing a child assessment system that is aligned with the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards and program curriculum for preschool children and/or the state endorsed standards and program curriculum for kindergarten. The plan shall include:

(1) timelines associated with assessments that occur throughout the year;

(2) procedures to keep individual child records confidential;

(3) ways to involve families in planning and implementing assessments (see § 6.9(B)(3)(d) of this Part); and

(4) methods for communicating assessment information with families, including two-way communication.

b. The program shall have a written plan outlining the types of assessment used by the program and their appropriateness, including:

(1) monitoring children's development and learning;

(2) informing curriculum and decision-making;

(3) identifying children who might benefit from additional or increased supports and/or special services; and

(4) monitoring program effectiveness.

c. The assessment methods used by the program shall be:

(1) sensitive to and informed by family culture, experiences, children's abilities, and home language;

(2) meaningful, accurate, and objective; and

(3) used in settings familiar to the children.

d. The program shall have a written statement in their family handbook informing families about their child assessment practices that includes information about the assessments used by the program, including:

(1) purposes for which assessment is used;

(2) methods used for assessment;

(3) tools used for assessment, and how staff or others are trained to use assessment procedures and interpret results; and

(4) how assessment information will be shared with families.

e. Families shall have ongoing opportunities to share the results of observations from home to contribute to the assessment process and the identification of goals for their child.

f. The program shall make provisions for teachers, families and relevant specialists to have regular opportunities to participate in two-way communication to discuss each child's goals, progress, accomplishments and developmental challenges in the classroom, and at home, as well as to plan learning activities. This includes providing family members with information, either verbally or in writing, about their child's development and learning on at least a quarterly basis, with written reports as part of the family conferences at least two times a year.

g. The program shall use child assessment data at the program level to:

(1) ascertain the degree to which the program is attaining desired child outcomes and goals for children;

(2) identify patterns and trends across the program; and

(3) inform the program's continuous quality improvement plan as well as the professional development of staff.

h. The program shall collaborate with Child Outreach programs to screen children annually through active collaborations such as providing space for onsite screenings, coordinating onsite community screening events for children and their families in community-based setting and/or providing families with dates and times of upcoming child outreach screenings.

4. Classroom Level: Classroom level child assessment practices, aligned with the RI Early Learning and Development Standards developmental progressions and/or the state endorsed standards for kindergarten, emerge from the written program level assessment plan and are used to monitor children's development and learning; inform curriculum and decision making; determine who might require additional supports and/or special services; and communicate early learning and development information with families and other authorized parties.

a. Teachers shall use ongoing, formative assessments to inform the implementation of classroom practices that reflect each child's developmental level, learning style, and interests in each Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards domain and/or state endorsed standards for kindergarten.

b. Teachers shall have a system to help manage and organize the collection of assessment information for each child.

c. Teachers shall assess the developmental progress of each child using assessment data from natural classroom environments and situations consistent with children's culture, language, developmental abilities and everyday experiences.

d. Teachers shall use child assessment information to:

(1) identify children's strengths, learning styles and developmental levels;

(2) inform classroom instruction, make sound decisions about individual and group curriculum content, inform teaching approaches, guide personal interactions, and inform the design of the children's learning environment;

(3) identify children who might benefit from additional or increased supports and/or special services;

(4) document and implement a plan for each child that supports his or her inclusion and success; and

(5) share information on each child's progress with families and other authorized parties.

e. For children requiring special education services, early childhood educators and special education providers shall work collaboratively, and in partnership with families, in supporting successful participation in inclusive environments and in ensuring that each partner has access to the necessary information and supports.

f. Teachers shall conduct child assessment as an integral part of the classroom, so that children are provided with multiple options and varied opportunities for learning and demonstrating what they have learned.

g. Teachers shall engage families and relevant specialists in regular two-way communication to discuss each child's goals, progress, accomplishments and development needs, both in the program and at home.

C. Standard Eight: Family Engagement

1. The program has a written plan that describes program practices for communicating with and involving family members as partners in their child's education and in program decision-making. Family members include adults and children significant in the child's daily life who influence the child and support their learning.

2. Program Level:

a. The program shall be open to families for observation and visits whenever the program is in operation.

b. The program shall implement activities to facilitate the transition of children and families including:

(1) opportunities for the child and parent/guardian to visit the program one or more times prior to enrollment;

(2) activities to support internal transitions within the program, e.g., from class to class, during program enrollment; and

(3) strategies to support families with their transitions to other programs or schools as they transition out of the program. These strategies may include providing information on future program options, enrollment procedures and practices, networking with families who have already made this transition, and opportunities for program visitation.

c. The program shall use a variety of methods to engage all families in active two-way communication on an ongoing basis such as new family orientations, small group meetings, individual conversations, notes between program and home, and written questionnaires.

d. The program shall plan and implement a wide variety of opportunities for families to be engaged in their child's education, both within the program and in the family's home.

e. The written program plan shall delineate the expectation that teaching staff engage all families in the education of their child, including families with special needs and circumstances, so that they can take full advantage of family engagement opportunities.

f. Programs shall encourage collaboration with families by making teachers available to meet with families to discuss children's progress, collaborate with IEP teams by attending meetings, participating in relevant training, and/or sharing information to support children with and without developmental delays or disabilities and their families.

g. The written program plan shall describe the opportunities for all families to be actively involved in program decision making (e.g. advisory groups) and leadership.

h. The written program level plan shall describe how program actively seek and utilize input from families in the following areas:

(1) establishing or refining program philosophies, long-term goals and short-term objectives;

(2) conducting program assessment and evaluation;

(3) designing family engagement opportunities;

(4) establishing strategies to ensure that the program remains relevant to the values, culture, identity and home language; and

(5) creating a physical environment that is welcoming to families.

i. The program shall make efforts to accommodate families with special needs and circumstances so that they can take full advantage of family engagement opportunities.

3. Classroom Level: Classroom level family engagement emerges from the program level written plan as it is translated into individual teacher and staff practices with families.

a. Teaching staff shall implement intentional practices designed to foster strong two-way relationships with all families from the first contact and maintain them over time.

b. Teaching staff shall communicate with all families in a variety of ways on at least a weekly basis regarding children's activities and developmental milestones, shared care-giving issues, and other information that affects the well-being and development of their children.

c. Teaching staff shall collect information from individual families for use in designing family engagement opportunities appropriate to their interests and circumstances.

d. Teaching staff shall use a variety of resources to communicate with families who speak languages different from their own and, whenever possible, provide information for families in their primary language.

e. Teaching staff shall communicate with all families to gather information about their child's interests, approaches to learning and developmental needs, and to learn about each family's goals and concerns and goals for their children. This information shall be incorporated into ongoing classroom planning and assessment.

f. Teaching staff shall plan and implement a continuum of opportunities so that all families:

(1) know what young children should know and be able to do as articulated in the Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards and/or the state endorsed standards for kindergarten;

(2) recognize how standards-based programs support their child's learning; and

(3) understand and embrace the positive role that families play in supporting their child in learning at home and in the program.

200 R.I. Code R. 200-RICR-20-10-6.6

Amended effective 12/31/2018
Amended effective 8/13/2019