Evaluation of Kentucky's Early Childhood Teacher Academies

Outcome Summary for CCLD Annual Report

During the summer of 2005, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) sponsored five week-long Early Childhood Teacher Academies (ECTAs) across the state. The purpose of the ECTAs was to improve language, literacy, and early mathematics classroom practices and child outcomes for children receiving Kentucky state preschool (e.g., public preschool, special education) and Head Start services. Along with KDE, CCLD funded an evaluation of this project that targeted (1) participant's level of learning at the ECTAs; (2) the effect of the ECTAs on classroom instruction; and (3) the effect of the ECTAs on child language, literacy and early mathematics development.

120 early education teachers completed surveys of their ECTA learning and experiences. Items were rated on a scale from 1 (no change in knowledge) to 5 (significant change in knowledge). Responses indicated that, on average, ECTA participants gained a great deal of new knowledge.

During the fall and spring of the 2005-2006 academic year, classroom observations of language, literacy, and early mathematics practices were collected from a sample of about 25 ECTA teachers across the state, as were direct child assessments of skills in these areas from approximately 160 preschool children in their classrooms. Various measures of children's skill development show increases from fall to spring (Table 1). Similarly, classroom observations of early math skills, in particular, show increases in quality of instruction and related activities (1 = inadequate; 7 = excellent) (Table 2).

Table 1.

 

Table 2.

Participant comments also reflected tremendous learning, enthusiasm, and gratitude:

  • "This Academy provided me with valuable resources and training appropriate for the children with whom I work! Rarely do I get such HIGH quality training and materials, which are effective for instruction of preschoolers! EXCELLENT!"
  • "This has been the best training I have received in 20+ years of teaching!"
  • "This was a wonderful teaching academy that has helped me tremendously as a beginner teacher. It exceeded my highest expectations!"
  • "As a 13-year Lead Preschool teacher for Kentucky's Preschool, I wish all Preschool Lead Teachers and Instructional Assistants had the opportunity to attend this hands-on Institute. It was the best training I have ever attended. With 26 years of experience in the early childhood field I can guarantee you that the knowledge gained during this training far exceeded my expectations. The trainers were excellent and the materials were great - it was a preschool teacher's dream! Thank you so much for a GREAT Summer Institute. This institute will make me a better teacher, which in effect will make my students better learners!"