Training and Technical Assistance

In response to the pressing need in the Boston metropolitan area for access and opportunity for Latina early childhood educators, CC&F and its partners are designing and implementing a professional development model that (1) advances the knowledge, skills, and career status of entry-level Latinas working in Head Start programs, particularly through support for the attainment of a college degree; and (2) increases the cultural and linguistic responsiveness of Head Start programs to better support and integrate the strengths of Latino families and staff.

CC&F, in partnership with Aid to Incarcerated Mothers (AIM), is training a cadre of mentors who will support children in Massachusetts, ages 4 to 14, who have a parent in a state or federal prison. CAMP’s goal is to minimize the impact of separation and incarceration on the child, and to improve the bonds between the children and their parent who is incarcerated. CC&F designed and is delivering a comprehensive training series that informs and supports mentors in their work with children.

Project RENEW is an Early Reading First grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This three-year project will provide an intensive professional development program in early childhood literacy for staff in the Worcester Child Development Program through credit-bearing coursework, instructional coaching, and adoption of a research-based literacy curriculum. CC&F/ EDC will also conduct an evaluation of the project and provide project leadership with ongoing data analyses to inform and guide continual program improvement.

CC&F is working with early childhood education leaders from across the state of New Hampshire, supporting them in devising and implementing a statewide plan. The plan will promote the use of newly published New Hampshire Early Learning Guidelines with child care, Head Start, and public school programs for young children birth through entrance into kindergarten, as well as with parents and local and state policymakers and decision-makers.

Strengthening Operations for Learning And Results (SOLAR) is a training and technical assistance (T/TA) planning and evaluation process. Project SOLAR is designed to support Head Start programs in their staff improvement and overall program improvement goals. The project is developing a Web-based T/TA tool suite to assist local Head Start program leaders in developing and managing T/TA plans. The centerpiece of the tool suite is a set of five staff performance inventories that allow managers to record, analyze, and compare assessments of staff skills and knowledge.

The primary goal of this project is to improve the language and literacy skills of at-risk children and their families though four mechanisms: (1) Early Childhood Education: A specific language and literacy curriculum, Building Language for Literacy, will be added to the Head Start preschool classrooms;

HHD/EDC is working closely with Education International, a federation of teacher unions, and WHO to help teacher unions in Haiti and 11 African countries conduct an HIV/AIDS prevention program. The project’s objectives are to help teachers protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs); advocate for school-based HIV prevention programs and policies; and use skills-based health education in the classroom to prevent HIV/AIDS and other STIs among students.

ScienceQuest was a unique after-school program that supported community-based organizations who wanted to increase staff and organizational capacity; assisted youth (ages 10–14) in learning science, technology, and literacy; and increased the youths’ positive experiences with learning. Through training in I-Search methods and ongoing in-person and electronic support, coaches lead small groups in personally relevant explorations documented through youth-designed Web sites.

CC&F/EDC led a collaborative effort with federal and state agencies and key associations to improve services for young children whose families are migrant or seasonal farmworkers. CC&F/EDC analyzed policies and services and facilitated cooperative agreements between and among states and federal agencies to improve educational and health outcomes for children.

In collaboration with EDC’s Education, Employment, and Community Programs, ERO has developed the Ford PAS program. Ford PAS includes an interdisciplinary high school curriculum that challenges students academically and develops their problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills. The program links classroom learning to future opportunities in business, engineering, and technology, and motivates young people to succeed in college and careers. These links are forged through innovative partnerships with business, higher education, and the community.