Latest Resources - PAS/BAS

Learning a new language and adapting to mainstream customs can be intimidating. Culture shock is a real and powerful experience affecting one’s mental health and overall well-being in ways that are often overlooked. Low-income Latino families often experience greater challenges in engaging with their child’s learning and development compared to other ethnicities due to “educational, cultural, and linguistic barriers” (Miller & Greenfader, 2021, p.1). Many individuals come to the U.S. in pursuit of the American Dream—a goal that requires hard work, sacrifice, and overcoming these educational, cultural, and linguistic barriers. In homes and center-based programs, early childhood administrators establish protocols and set the tone for welcoming children and families into their programs. Administrators are also responsible for supporting classroom staff who deal with the behaviors sometimes seen when children and families enter new settings. The story below offers some lessons learned and some things to think about as administrators make intentional plans to welcome families, especially those who may also be new to the country, into programs. Building Trust Through Shared Experience Imagine being a five-year-old preschooler, crying every morning at drop-off and clinging to your mother as if it were the last time you would see one another. This was the situation I encountered as a preschool assistant teacher, struggling to understand why a child had such a difficult transition every day during arrival. The child’s distress was a mystery until one day, during a parent-teacher conference, the child’s mother finally shared their story, revealing the deep trauma they both had faced. As a first-generation Mexican-American, I could relate to the challenges of adapting to a new language and culture. I shared my experience as a bilingual student during a parent-teacher conference. This personal connection fostered a breakthrough, helping the mother and I form a trusting relationship. After that, the mother shared some of the trauma her family had experienced when immigrating to America. Circumstances in their country of origin forced her to send her child to America ahead of her to live with relatives who were strangers for a few weeks. This left both the mother and the child with deep trauma and anxiety around separation. Additionally, the mother shared that she feared that her child’s behavior would be misconstrued by school authorities and worried about being seen as a bad mother. This likely added to both her and her child’s stress and anxiety during drop-off. Supporting the Child’s Needs in the Classroom Armed with this new information, the teaching team tailored our approach to meet the child’s emotional needs. We comforted the child if they cried, explained that mom would always return, and provided a calming item and a family photo for comfort. We also created an individualized visual schedule, pairing it with the classroom schedule to reduce anxiety. After some time, the child stopped crying routinely, and the mother expressed her deep gratitude for our support. Reflecting on the experience, I remember the helplessness I initially felt when the child cried every morning. Now, I deeply appreciate the opportunity to build authentic, trusting relationships with families, children, and educators. REFLECTING ON BEST PRACTICES The mother’s willingness to share her story and partner with me to better support her child was transformative. It marked the beginning of the development of an effective transition plan for her child and the development of strong communication between the mother and teaching staff. I listened actively, ensuring she felt safe and comfortable, and then shared my own experience. Speaking the same primary language didn’t give me an automatic advantage; trust had to be earned, and it was through consistent actions that we demonstrated care and support for the child. Trust and respect were the keys to success. Looking back, expanding the enrollment form to inquire more about the child’s family and community would have been beneficial. During enrollment, many early childhood programs focus on learning basic child-related information like medical information, food preferences, and/or individuals authorized to pick up the child. However, capitalizing on the enrollment period as an opportunity to learn more about the child and family allows us to better meet their needs. The Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS-2) and the Program Administration Scale (PAS-3) both highlight the importance of soliciting information about each child’s developmental history, families’ beliefs, culture, and childrearing practices during the intake process (Talan & Bloom, 2018; Talan et al., 2022). If I had understood this particular family’s previous experiences right from the start, it could have eased the child’s transition. We could have provided better support for the child. Even if the mother only disclosed a small amount of information at enrollment, it would have helped jumpstart our trust and partnership. Reflective Questions Below are some topics and questions you may want to consider adding to your enrollment and intake processes and procedures. Add questions that make the most sense in your setting. What would be helpful to know about a new child’s developmental history? Questions asking when the child met certain development milestones (crawl, walk, etc.) Questions about the child’s preferred interests when playing (puzzles, books, paint, etc.) Others: What would be helpful to know about a new family’s beliefs and culture? Questions asking about days or celebrations that are important to the family Questions asking about the family’s hopes and dreams for their child Names for important items or people (e.g., what does your child call their favorite toy or stuffed animal, relatives, etc.) What would be helpful to know about a new family’s childrearing practices? Schedule times for napping, eating, enrichment activities, etc. Potty training preferences, meal practices, limited screen time, etc. Others: Want to learn more about the PAS, BAS, or any of our family engagement professional development opportunities? Contact us at pas.bas@nl.edu REFERENCES Miller, E., Greenfader, C. (2021, September 27). Latino family engagement in Head Start and elementary school: Associations with outcomes in two datasets. Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE). https://eric.ed.gov/?q=Social+AND+behaviors+AND+parents&ff1=lawHead+Start&id=ED656947 Talan, T., Bella, J. M., Bloom, P. J. (2022). Program administration scale: Measuring whole leadership in early childhood centers, third edition. Teachers College Press. Talan, T., Bloom, P. J. (2018). Business administration scale for family child care, second edition. Teachers College Press.

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

Research consistently finds that high-quality administrative practices are crucial for ensuring program quality as well as beneficial results for children and families. This valuable tool includes 25 items clustered in 9 subscales, which measure whole leadership functions of center-based early care and education programs. The PAS-3 is applicable for multiple uses: program self-improvement, technical assistance, professional development, quality monitoring, research, evaluation, and public awareness. This third edition of the PAS includes updated national norms, revisions to support the reliable use of the instrument, and additions to better assess the effectiveness of early childhood leadership practices. To learn more or buy this book, visit New Horizons.

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership. I have some very fond childhood memories of visiting Chinatown in Chicago with my family. My father would take us up and down the main avenue to look at the windows. Every time I went, I found it to be a fascinating place to visit. The windows had symbols I had never seen before. I was amazed by the large fish swimming in the tanks and the ducks for sale that hung from ropes in storefront windows. My father would buy each of us a mystery box which was always the highlight of our trip. I loved it all, taking in the colors, music, toys, and sweets. Then one day, I began to notice that my visits were no longer the same. I was still fascinated looking at the windows; however, now I wanted to know what the people around me were saying and what the symbols on the windows meant. During my young teen years, I began to feel lost during my visits. I felt out of place when I visited the street I once saw as magical. The culture mattered to me, and I had no one to explain it to me. I felt like I did not fit in. Fast forward to many years later when I became the administrator of a fairly large preschool program in a primarily Latino community. I set a goal to provide opportunities in the program that would allow every family to fit in. We focused on offering various opportunities during and after program hours in the preferred language of families. We offered workshops in both English and Spanish. At least one teacher in each classroom, all of the support staff, and I spoke both of the languages needed to communicate with every parent/guardian during family-teacher conferences. I thought we were doing enough until I met a colleague who challenged me to take a deeper look into how we welcomed, acknowledged, and respected each and every family. It made me ask the question, was the program making enough effort in these areas? As the program administrator, what opportunities could I offer that would be inviting to the families? How could I include every family in all aspects of our program? I suddenly realized that while we were good, we definitely had areas where we could improve. I knew we had families entering the program feeling the same way I felt when I walked through Chinatown. The difference now was that I was in a position to fix that. I started by asking the teachers in each classroom to translate the lesson plans, as well as any applicable early learning standards, into Spanish. We wanted families to be able to read about what their children were learning and the learning objective(s) behind the weekly activities. We then began to offer parent-child activity days two times a year that provided hands-on activities that mirrored what the children did in the classroom. Teachers explained how the activities supported children’s learning and development while children played with their parents and guardians. After each of these events, we often heard from the families that they had no idea their children were learning so much until they participated in the activities alongside them. We added English and Spanish labels to everything we could possibly think of. We labeled the heaters, outlets, hallways, staircase, desks, printers, and windows, in addition to traditional classroom items the teachers had already labeled. In every area where we were able to add a label, we did! It wasn’t long before I heard children asking their adults what the words meant and family members taking the time to explain them. Daily communication with every family was highly encouraged. I knew that even with all of the wonderful text printed all around the school, we had at least 10% of family members who could not read. Whenever an event was scheduled, families were given written material and informed verbally in their primary language. Take-home family activities were available throughout the year. The final products were posted in the hallways for everyone to view and to encourage conversations. Our most popular activity was “My Hopes and Dreams for My Child.” Families wrote about what they would like their children’s future to be. They were encouraged to add pictures of their family members. The hallways were filled with their smiling faces and inspiring stories. Now it’s my turn to encourage you. Take a look at your classrooms, offices, hallways, and other spaces. Are these areas welcoming to each and every family you serve? How could you make the space more inclusive for all? What else can you do to encourage family involvement and engagement? When families feel accepted and welcomed into a program, genuine, authentic engagement occurs. Everyone wins with this effort. Are you interested in learning more about practices for family support and engagement? The Program Administration Scale (PAS) and the Business Administration Scale for Family Child (BAS) are great resources! Additionally, we offer a variety of professional development opportunities including: Authentic Engagement: Creating True Partnerships with Families (virtual or in-person training) Building Partnerships and Engaging Families (virtual or in-person training) PAS and BAS Reliability Training (in-person training) Facilitating Responsive Family Engagement (Aim4Excellence Module 8) Contact the McCormick Center https://mccormickcenter.nl.edu/contact/ for more information. Iris Corral, M.Ed., is Leadership Training Specialist for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University. In this role, Iris assists with trainings for the Taking the Lead, Ready to Lead, and Taking Charge of Change leadership academies. Iris holds an associate degree in social service from Harold Washington College, a baccalaureate degree in integrative studies from Governors State University, and a master’s degree in early childhood administration from National Louis University. She has also earned her Illinois Director Credential-Level III and an ECE Credential-Level V. In addition to her role at the McCormick Center, Iris also serves as adjunct faculty at Morton College, where she teaches early childhood education courses. Prior to joining our team, Iris spent eight years working as a preschool director in a Preschool for All (PFA) program. Iris also worked at Erie Neighborhood House in Chicago for eleven years as a teacher assistant and the parent support/health coordinator.

Have you ever been frustrated over and over again by the same problem? Have you ever established procedures for a task, explained them repeatedly to everyone involved, and then discovered the task was not accomplished correctly? Is there an important deadline that gets missed more often than you care to admit? Have you ever had an employee resign, and then realized you do not know how to locate important files, items, and passwords that are needed? If you said yes to any of these, it might be an indication that systems in your center could benefit from some improvement. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a system is “a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized framework or method.” The Program Administration Scale (PAS) highlights how important systems are for establishing and sustaining quality. If you are familiar with the PAS, you know that throughout the tool there are indicator statements of quality that include the word “system.” And, in the PAS “system” is defined very specifically. To receive credit for having a system there must be three components in place: tangible, concrete evidence; involvement of multiple individuals; and a defined process of accountability. Having these three components of a system in place is not a guarantee that something will happen as planned; however, having the three components of a system in place makes it more likely to happen as planned. For instance, by having tangible, concrete evidence there is a physical reminder, something we can see and touch that reminds us to complete the practice. By having more than one person involved in the practice, it is more likely to occur because it is dependent on more than one person remembering to follow through. And, by having a defined process of accountability, the practice is more likely to happen as planned because there is a trigger, or prompt, in place to remind people to do it. The third component of a system, a defined process of accountability, is often the most difficult to understand. Think of it as a reminder, or a check, to help ensure practices happen as planned. The word “defined” is key; it means that the practice is intentional. Someone thought it through and determined a step, or the steps, needed to help ensure that it would happen. In other words, a defined process of accountability is premeditated. As a result, the defined process of accountability can be clearly articulated. In some cases, a defined process of accountability is an embedded routine, so it becomes second nature, increasing the likelihood that it will occur. To explore each component of a system further, let’s consider an example from the PAS. Item 16, Family Communications, indicator 7.4 states, “A system exists to support daily communication between teaching staff and families.” Note that this indicator is not about one-way communication. Teachers and families should be communicating back and forth. When interviewing an administrator about this indicator she said the following: When each child enrolls at the center, we create a “This and That Notebook” for them. The notebook is placed in their cubby and at some point during the afternoon, the lead teacher writes a note to the family about something that happened during the day with their child. It could be routine information like how much their child ate or how long their child slept, or it could be something funny their child said. They might include a picture to accompany an anecdote. They can write in the notebook multiple times if they want, but they must write in the notebook at least once during the day to give families a sense of how the day went for the child. That notebook goes home with the child, and the family is expected to write in it before placing it back in the child’s cubby the next day. The family handbook gives some detail about the purpose of the notebook and ideas for what to write about that might be helpful for the teachers. Likewise, the employee handbook provides teachers with the purpose of the notebook and examples of what to write about that might be helpful for the families. The education coordinator reviews the notebooks on a quarterly basis and provides feedback to lead teachers on their own writing as well as on how to get families more involved. Now let’s identify the three components of a system in the example above. The tangible, concrete evidence of a system of daily communication between teaching staff and families is the “This and That Notebook.” There are multiple individuals involved in the system as well—the lead teacher, the family, and the education coordinator. The defined process of accountability is the back-and-forth routine between the lead teachers and the families of writing in, handing off, and reading the notebook followed up with the quarterly checks by the education coordinator. In the PAS there are specific indicators that use the term system; however, systems can be developed for just about anything and are used to create efficiencies and become more effective. The following resource, Understanding Systems and the PAS: Developing a System can serve as a guide for how to develop or improve upon a system. Do you coach directors and want to know more about the PAS or the topic of family engagement? Attend the Transformative TA Institute, February – March, 2021. This six-session virtual professional development experience focuses on strategies and tools for supporting program leaders. References “System: Definition of System by Oxford Dictionary on Lexico.com Also Meaning of System.” Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictionaries, www.lexico.com/en/definition/system . Talan, T. & Bloom, P. J. (2011). Program Administration Scale: Measuring early childhood leadership and management (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

In my role as Report and Certification Manager for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, I reviewed hundreds of assessments for our state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). When reviewing reports for a program, I was impressed when I found all of the classrooms reflected a consistently high level of quality. As a former administrator, I know this level of consistency does not just happen. The key to this level of quality is an intentional focus on ensuring that new teachers receive a thorough orientation, all teachers receive ongoing feedback and support, and there are many opportunities for professional development. Behind the scenes, there is a leader who has systems in place to ensure that all teachers are supported in their work and given a clear vision of quality. When I was an administrator, I remember times when I felt as though everything was going well, only to learn that one of our teachers had decided to take a new teaching position in another early care and education program. I then began the process of recruiting and selecting a new teacher to take their place. I must confess that most times, once I had found a new teacher, I provided a brief orientation and sent them on their way into their new classroom with little follow up. Remembering those times, the following quote from Margie Carter makes me cringe: “We often lose potentially great members of our staff, not only because of inadequate wages, but because we throw them into a deep, Olympic-size pool without giving them carefully fitted goggles and a clear life-support system. How can they become long-distance swimmers if our orientation and staff development is focused only on treading water?” According to Gallup’s Perspective on Creating an Exceptional Onboarding Journey for New Employees, only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job of onboarding new employees. The result is that many employers are losing their best people before they barely get started. How do we provide this kind of orientation or onboarding experience for new employees in early care and education? The first three items of the Program Administration Scale (PAS) outline concrete steps administrators can take to help ensure new employees are off to a good start and receive ongoing feedback and support. The first item of the PAS, Staff Orientation, assesses whether the program provides an orientation for new staff. Are there written orientation procedures? How often have these procedures been reviewed to ensure they are complete and up-to-date? Is there a system to ensure staff orientation is consistently implemented? For many organizations, the introductory or probationary period is 90 days, yet the actual orientation is often done in a week or less. According to the Gallup research, new employees typically take around 12 months to reach their full performance potential within a role. With this in mind, it is helpful to think of the end of the probationary period as the beginning of the new employee’s continuing professional development. The second item of the PAS, Supervision and Performance Appraisal, measures whether there are regular opportunities for supervision and systemic performance appraisal for staff. Does the program have clear, objective, performance appraisal criteria that are shared with teachers as part of the orientation? Do they receive annual performance appraisals? How often are teaching staff formally observed and provided with written or verbal feedback based on these observations? This ongoing feedback and support are critical in teachers’ growth and development. However, according to the Gallup research, “Unfortunately, most employees receive far too little feedback from their manager—nearly half of employees receive feedback from their manager a few times a year or less.” The third PAS item addresses ongoing staff development. Is job-specific staff development provided for all teaching, support, and administrative staff? Is staff development individualized, taking into consideration each employee’s strengths and areas of potential growth? Is there a system to support the career development of teaching and administrative staff? This ongoing professional development is critical to the success of all staff and to the overall success of the program. Through professional development experiences, staff gain new ideas and insights, they are challenged by new approaches, and learn to practice continuous improvement. As I think back to my former self so many years ago, I am heartened by these words of wisdom from Maya Angelou: “When you know better, you do better.” I am hopeful that if I had more training and support, I would have done better to help our new staff become long-distance swimmers in their careers as early childhood teachers. References Create an Exceptional Onboarding Journey for Your New Employees. (2020, April 8). Retrieved September 19, 2020, from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/247076/onboarding-new-employees-perspective-paper.aspx . Talan, T.N. & Bloom, P.J. (2011). Program administration scale: Measuring early childhood leadership and management (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press. Additional Resource Albrecht, K.M. (2015). The right fit: Recruiting, selecting, and orienting staff (2nd ed.). Lake Forest, IL: New Horizons. Would you like to learn more about the Program Administration Scale (PAS) or other topics related to the administration of early care and education programs? If so, please look at our website for resources or contact us for information on training opportunities. Linda Butkovich, M.S.Ed., is Report and Certification Manager for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership. In this role Linda oversees the Program Administration Scale (PAS) and Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) certification system. Linda is also a national reliability anchor for the PAS and BAS. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood special education. Prior to joining the McCormick Center, Linda worked as a developmental therapist with children birth to three years of age and their families. She has also been director of an NAEYC-accredited program, teacher, and family child care provider. Linda also provides training, consultation, and mentoring for early childhood program administrators.

Every election is determined by the people who show up. -Larry J. Sabato Our rights as citizens are inherently tied to our responsibility to vote. Moreover, as engaged members of the early childhood community we have a duty to vote in the best interest of young children all across our great country. This means we need to be mindful of and prepared for national, state, and local elections. The first step requires being registered to vote, the second is determining when and how to vote, and the third, and oftentimes the most daunting, is researching the candidates so you know how you will cast your ballot. Our work is not done once we know who we plan to vote for, we must also think about educating and empowering staff and families to vote as well. We at the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership recognize that many factors may make this election cycle more difficult to navigate, but no less important. If you are a family child care provider, the following document, Planning for the Polls: Voting Resource for Family Child Care Providers, may be helpful as you prepare for this election season. If you are interested in learning more about virtual and in-person professional development opportunities for family child care providers contact the McCormick Center. Robyn Kelton, M.A., is a Quality Training Specialist for the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University (NLU). Robyn conducts training and research on the Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) and the Program Administration Scale (PAS) and serves as a national reliability anchor for both tools. In addition, Robyn reviews BAS and PAS assessments for the assessor certification system. Robyn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Kansas and a Master of Arts degree in psychology with an advanced certificate of study in organizational psychology from NLU. Robyn is currently a doctoral student in the brain, behavior, and quantitative science psychology program at the University of Kansas. Prior to joining the McCormick Center, Robyn spent three years as a lead teacher in a kindergarten classroom for an after-school program. Robyn’s research interests include leadership in early care and education, family child care, child development, and autobiographical memory.