Survive An On-Site CLASS Review
…and learn useful things about your program!
REGION IV Head Start Association Conference | Atlanta, GA
February 6-9, 2017
Jerry
Parr
President & CEO
Willow Tree Early Education Team
Jerry is a nationally recognized Head
Start and Early Head Start expert. He
has significant experience with
On-Site Monitoring and DRS
requirements. The Willow Tree Early
Education Team specializes in Early
Childhood, Head Start, and Early Head
Start consulting services.
SEE US AT BOOTH 17
Contact
(603) 425-4185
Email
[email protected]
Section 641A(c)(2)(F) of the Head Start
Act (the Act)
u
requires that the OHS monitoring review process include the use of ''a valid
and reliable research based observational instrument, implemented by
qualified individuals with demonstrated reliability, that assesses classroom
quality,
u
including assessing multiple dimensions of teacher-child interactions that
are linked to positive child development and later achievement.'’
u
The Act also states, in Section 641(c)(1)(D), that such an instrument should be
used as part of the system for designation renewal.
OHS selected the CLASS Tool for this
purpose.
In 2015, 227 Head Start grantees received
CLASS® reviews. The CLASS® tool has 10
dimensions of teacher-child interactions
rated on a 7-point scale, from low to high.
The 10 CLASS® dimensions are organized
into three domains: Emotional Support,
Classroom Organization, and Instructional
Support.
u
Emotional Support assesses the degree to which teachers establish and
promote a positive climate in their classroom through their everyday
interactions.
u
Classroom Organization assesses classroom routines and procedures
related to the organization and management of children's behavior,
time, and attention in the classroom.
u
Instructional Support assesses the ways in which teachers implement
the curriculum to effectively promote cognitive and language
development.
What CLASS® scores cause a grantee to be
required to compete? (or you should have stayed
away in high school algebra)
u
There are two circumstances under which a grantee is required to
compete as the result of low CLASS® scores.
u
First, grantees with average CLASS® scores below the established minimum on any
of the three CLASS™ domains will be required to compete. These thresholds have
been established as a score of:
u
4 for the domain of Emotional Support,
u
3 for the domain of Classroom Organization, and
u
2 for the domain of Instructional Support.
What CLASS® scores cause a grantee to be
required to compete?
u
Second, each year the 10 percent of grantees reviewed that receive the lowest
average scores in each domain are required to compete.
u
If a program scores in the bottom 10 percent of all Head Start programs, this
means that the vast majority of Head Start programs were assessed at higher
levels. However, if the lowest 10 percent in any of the three CLASS® domains
should include grantees with a score of 6 or 7, those grantees would not be
required to compete, even if this means that fewer than 10 percent would be
required to compete based on that domain.
u
If the hypotenuse of the isosceles triangle is greater than X and the train that
left Chicago at 55 MPH is carrying a load of bananas then Y is equal to or
greater than… well something I guess
For more information, see: Use of
CLASS® in Head Start, available on
the ECLKC. Individual grantee
CLASS® reports also are available on
the ECLKC in the Program Service
Reports.
Grantee-level dimension scores are
averaged to produce grantee-level
domain scores.* Previous large-scale
studies of CLASS® have shown that
the average preschool classroom
scores are higher in the domains of
Emotional Support and Classroom
Organization than in the domain of
Instructional Support.
(Here comes the banana train from Chicago!)
*Note: To calculate the Emotional Support domain, subtract the Negative Climate score from 8, add the Positive Climate, Teacher Sensitivity, and Regard for Student Perspective scores, then divide by 4.
Unintended Consequences of CLASS in
Head Start
PD
Performance
PD
Compensation
Programs should be careful when they tie
compensation to CLASS scores as an incentive
Ø
Murky cause and effect
Ø
Snapshot observations
Ø
Uncertain Context (Policy Collisions)
Performance
PD
Punitive
Ø
Stress leading to decrease in performance
Ø
Turn-over leading to lower scores
Ø
Un/Under Trained staff
Ø
Overwhelmed senior staff
Ø
Credential Grist Mill
Ø
Drain on Training resources
Performance
PD
Coaches/Mentors/Managers
Programs should be careful to keep roles
separate whenever possible
Ø
Adversarial Relationships
Ø
PD Message gets lost in shadow of
Corrective Action
Performance
Can CLASS make you happy? I really
think that it can…
But first we have to agree on some
assumptions:
u
u
u
There is a reason that you rarely
find low Emotional Support Scores
and High Instructional Support
Scores in the same classroom
u
Stress is counter-productive
u
Ignorance is not bliss
u
Cause and effect are not always
obvious
You did not become a teacher
because of your love of paper work
u
Your classroom is a dynamic place
that changes during the day, during
the week, during the month and
during the year
Your morale and the morale of
those around you has a direct
influence on your effectiveness in
the classroom
u
Staff turn-over and staff
attendance has a direct influence
on your effectiveness in the
classroom
Ways that CLASS Data can help
u
Transitions
u
Balanced Activities
u
Cause and Effect Strategies
u
Judicious Use of Resources
u
A fun place to work is… well, a fun
place to work!
u
LESS PAPERWORK!
PD
This is about the entire
program’s success
v
It takes a village…
Performance
PD
CLASS was designed to support
teacher development
Teachers who feel good about themselves,
feel respected by their peers and leadership
perform miracles in their classrooms
Performance
PD
Its really all about the children
Even if it starts with the data it needs to end
with the children… every decision you make
needs to recognize that… especially the
really, really hard ones!
Performance
Seven Step Improvement Process
CLASS Observation Data Collection System
Sample Analytical Dashboard From Extracted Data
Reports
u
u
Generate multiple reports and graphs:
u
Dimension by Program Type
u
Dimension by Region
u
Dimension by Center
u
Sample size by Program Type
u
Sample size by Region
Generate Visual Comparisons to National Average:
u
National Scores Comparison by Program Type
u
National Scores Comparison by Region
u
National Scores Comparison by Center
Sample Color Coded Comparison to the
National Scores by Center Report
Wrap-Up Activity