[Comm-Council] FW: NEWS RELEASE: Oregon Receives National Recognition for Early Childhood Education Work

[HOKLIN Lonn * DO PA]

Lonn Hoklin

Public Affairs Manager

Oregon Department of Administrative Services

503-378-2627

503-428-2169 (cell)

Data Classification: Level 1-Published

________________________________

From: GOV Press [mailto:Governors.Press at das.state.or.us] 
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 12:11 PM
Subject: NEWS RELEASE: Oregon Receives National Recognition for Early
Childhood Education Work

 

 

 

Theodore R. Kulongoski

Governor

          

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 12, 2010

 

Contacts: 

Anna Richter Taylor, 503-378-6169

Jillian Schoene, 503-378-5040

Rem Nivens, 503-378-6496

 

Oregon Receives National Recognition for Early Childhood Education Work

Oregon one of six states to be selected for development of early
childhood education system

 

(Salem) - Governor Ted Kulongoski today announced that Oregon is one of
six states selected by the National Governor's Association (NGA) to
partner in the development of an early childhood education system, from
birth to school entry, which will serve as a model for other states.
Being selected is recognition of Oregon's work over several years, which
culminated in the Governor's Early Childhood Matters Initiative in 2008.

 

"Education should begin at birth for all Oregon children, and while we
have been at the forefront nationally, we also need to increase our
efforts and investments to truly reach that goal," Governor Ted
Kulongoski said. "With the support from national experts, we will move
even closer to designing a system and investment plan that can offer
every child access to high-quality learning opportunities to prepare
them for kindergarten and beyond."

 

Oregon was selected based on past and current efforts to improve early
childhood education. Under the Governor's initiative, the state has
already aligned standards, curricula, child assessments, teacher degree
requirements and monitoring mechanisms for federal Early Head Start/Head
Start, and state Early Head Start - Pre-Kindergarten programs. These
childhood programs also are already aligned with a set of common child
outcomes and state standards for Kindergarten through 3rd grade. 

 

With support from the NGA, Oregon will build upon these efforts and take
the next essential step forward by bringing center-based and home-based
child care services in alignment with early education standards. To do
this, the state recently launched a public-private partnership that will
provide leadership for early childhood quality initiatives including,
the Quality Indicator Program and the Oregon Programs of Quality. 

 

The Quality Indicator Program is an existing state program that collects
data on child care programs to measure quality. NGA will assist the
state in growing this program and making the information easily
accessible by parents. The Oregon Programs of Quality is a more recent
effort to implement a standards-based "quality designation award" for
child care programs. A field test of the standards has been completed.
NGA will help with further conceptualization of the Programs of Quality
initiative before the program is implemented statewide. NGA also will
provide technical assistance on the integration and implementation of
both efforts.  

 

Ultimately, the state will create a statewide early childhood care and
education system that will provide the governance, program quality,
professional development, data systems and standards required to meet
the early learning and development needs of Oregon's youngest children.

 

"Our vision is that no matter where a child in Oregon receives early
care and education, these programs will be available to help prepare all
children for school," Governor Kulongoski said. "Through data
collection, strong quality standards and arming parents with this
information, Oregon can reach this goal."

 

 

-30-

 

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