Head Start Collaboration Project

The New York State Early Learning Guidelines describe typical child development. The Guidelines are not standards, but are meant to inform teachers and parents about how children typically develop from birth to age five and offer strategies for adults to help support the child’s full development in all domains. 

New York State Early Learning Alignment Crosswalk compares domains in each of the following three documents: 

• The Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework
• The Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core
• The NYS Early Learning Guidelines

The purpose of the NYS Early Learning Alignment is to help ensure that all children who attend any early care and education setting in the state experience responsive and knowledgeable teachers in stimulating learning environments to support their development.

• Universal Pre-K and Head Start Pre-K Memorandum of Understanding
• Parenting Education
• Family Resources Website
• Comprehensive Infant Toddler Services

Universal Pre-kindergarten (UPK) and the Head Start Pre-k Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

The Head Start Collaboration Project worked with the State Education Department and other key stakeholders to develop and implement strategies to increase the number of school districts participating in the UPK program while at the same time building partnerships between school districts and community-based programs such as Head Start. In addition, Head Start programs have been working to meet the requirements in the Head Start Reauthorization Act to develop MOUs with school districts on better collaborating to meet the needs of preschool-age children. 

Parenting Education

The New York State Parenting Education Partnership (NYSPEP) was established in 2007. The major goals of the Parenting Education Partnership are to normalize participating in parenting education and making evidenced- based parenting education more readily available. The membership of the partnership includes representatives of the:

• Head Start Collaboration Project
• Children and Family Trust Fund
• State Education Department
• Department of Health
• Office of Mental Health
• New York State Fatherhood Initiative (Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance)
• Prevent Child Abuse New York
• NYS Association of Family and Consumer Science Educators
• Head Start Programs
• Parents as Teachers
• SCO Family Services and Homes for the Homeless
• Parenting Educators
• Family Resource Centers
• National Parenting Education Network

The NYSPEP has recently reorganized its workgroups to focus on examining best practices in parenting education programs; designing methods of evaluating effectiveness in parenting education; developing methods to increase public understanding of positive parenting practices; and promoting professional development for parent educators. Work group activities include: 

• Providing accessible, user-friendly information for parenting educators on the research regarding elements of effective programs, as well as evidenced -based parenting curricula and programs. 
• Developing and disseminating documents to assist parenting education programs in a campaign designed to normalize the utilization of community supports and resource-rich websites and materials to strengthen parenting practices.
• Establishing a website with resources and contact information on NYSPEP: http://nyspep.org
• Creating a calendar of training workshops, conferences and other events that offer professional development and networking opportunities for parenting education providers.
• Providing training for parenting educators on topics identified in focus groups held last year.
• Establishing a task group to explore developing a parenting educator credential.
• Promoting effective cross system support for parents and parenting education through policy papers and professional presentations.

Family Resources Website

The Collaboration Project developed a family resource website, www.nysfamilyresources.org, where parents can easily access this information, including how to order or download related books and other publications. The website serves as a source of links to other websites helpful to parents and serves as a one-stop location for state agency publications for parents and other caregivers.