Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota's Early Learning Guidelines for Birth to 3
The Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota’s Early Learning Guidelines for Birth to 3 provide a framework for understanding and communicating a common set of developmentally appropriate expectations for infants and toddlers within a context of shared responsibility and accountability for helping very young children meet these expectations. The specific goals that Minnesota wants to achieve are:
Minnesota Department of Human Services received a technical assistance grant from the National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative at ZERO to THREE, a project of the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop Early Learning Guidelines for children from birth to age three. Planning, which began in June 2004 with a MN work team, will result in guidelines that will communicate a common set of developmentally appropriate expectations for young children.
Parents, caregivers, health providers, social service providers, parent and family educators, early educators, policy makers and community members support the healthy development of Minnesota’s 200,000 infants and toddlers. Minnesota’s youngest children are cared for, nurtured and educated in a variety of settings including: family, friend and neighbor care provider homes; licensed family child care homes; and child care and early education programs.
Expected Outcomes
The Early Childhood Indicators of Progress for 0-3-year-olds will be used to enhance and support the development of infants and toddlers as well as promote high quality care and education. Minnesota will strive to achieve these outcomes with the use of the guidelines by providing information on:
The Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota’s Early Learning Guidelines for Birth to 3 provide a framework for understanding and communicating a common set of developmentally appropriate expectations for infants and toddlers within a context of shared responsibility and accountability for helping very young children meet these expectations. The specific goals that Minnesota wants to achieve are:
- To provide information parents and other caregivers can use to better understand widely held expectations for infant and toddler development.
- To promote high quality child care, early childhood education, and children’s health;
- To maximize linkages and develop comprehensive and coordinated services to benefit families with infants and toddlers based on the Early Learning Guidelines framework.
- Early learning guidelines express shared expectations for young children’s learning and provide a common language for measuring progress toward achieving these goals.
Download the current draft of the Early Learning Guidelines
Download the Early Learning Guidlines feedback form
Minnesota Department of Human Services received a technical assistance grant from the National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative at ZERO to THREE, a project of the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop Early Learning Guidelines for children from birth to age three. Planning, which began in June 2004 with a MN work team, will result in guidelines that will communicate a common set of developmentally appropriate expectations for young children.
Parents, caregivers, health providers, social service providers, parent and family educators, early educators, policy makers and community members support the healthy development of Minnesota’s 200,000 infants and toddlers. Minnesota’s youngest children are cared for, nurtured and educated in a variety of settings including: family, friend and neighbor care provider homes; licensed family child care homes; and child care and early education programs.
Expected Outcomes
The Early Childhood Indicators of Progress for 0-3-year-olds will be used to enhance and support the development of infants and toddlers as well as promote high quality care and education. Minnesota will strive to achieve these outcomes with the use of the guidelines by providing information on:
- Expectations that can be used as a framework by parents.
- Promoting high quality child care, early childhood education and children’s health.
- Maximizing linkages and developing comprehensive and coordinated services to benefit families with infants and toddlers, based on the early learning framework.
Included in the document are more detailed descriptions of the purpose and goals, guiding principles for the development of the guidelines, and the guidelines themselves for specific age ranges within the infant/toddler period across four developmental domains.
Time Line for Next Steps
- October 31 through December 2, 2005: Public comment period with guidelines and feedback form posted on DHS website.
- December 2 through December 30, 2005: Final revisions to document.
- February, 2006: Expected release
If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact Deb Swenson-Klatt at deb.swenson–klatt@state.mn.us or 651-215-0579.
I urge all Minnesota providers to look over this document and make your recommendations to DHS and make your opinions known. ~Tammy
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:07 PM 
