Education and Digital Literacy Annual Report Page 2
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TO: LIBRARY AND EDUCATION FROM: Jill Bourne COMMISSION SUBJECT: Education and Digital Literacy DATE: March 10, 2021 Annual Report Approved Date RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Library and Education Commission take the following actions related to the Education and Digital Literacy Strategy Update: • Review the annual report on the implementation of the Education and Digital Literacy Strategy including the implementation of the Quality Standards, relationships with schools and school districts, and the evolution of City programs; • Review and provide feedback regarding program plans for Fiscal Year 2020-21; • Direct staff to return to the Library and Education Commission annually to report on progress implementing the Education and Digital Literacy Strategy. OUTCOME The Library and Education Commission (LEC) will be informed and provide feedback to staff on the annual report of the implementation of the Education and Digital Literacy Strategy, including implementation of program Quality Standards, relationships with schools and school districts, and the evolution of City programs. BACKGROUND On May 7, 2018, City Council unanimously approved the Education & Digital Literacy (EDL) Strategy1, and designated San José Public Library (“SJPL”, “Library”) as lead department, with direction to devise and implement a comprehensive educational policy and workplan for the following educational development areas: • Early Education - Entering School Ready to Learn and Succeed; 1 Education and Digital Literacy Strategy.pdf Library and Education Commission March 17, 2021 Subject: Education and Digital Literacy Annual Report Page 2 • Learning by Grade Level Proficiency - Expanding Education Beyond the School Day; • Pathways to Post-Academic Success - Graduating Ready for College and Career; • Digital Literacy - Ensuring Access, Affordability, and Adoption; and, • Policy and Governance Each category in the EDL Strategy was examined with respect to the following essential factors: • The need in San José: Each strategic area must be analyzed by using local data to identify needs, evaluate potential solutions, and assess outcomes to determine success and make corrections. • Coordination and Integration: Coordinated systems, formalized collaborations, and partnerships are proven to improve access to and increase the quality of educational programs. • Standards and Quality Assessment: Quality standards that take into account differences in program intent and capacity are essential, as are tools for implementing regular assessments of program quality and alignment. • Reporting Structure: Create a governance structure that promotes transparency and accountability. An action plan in each educational development area was articulated and approved within the EDL Strategy. Actions reflect the principles of piloting ideas with partners and learning quickly, demonstrating a bias toward action and a commitment to quality assessment, data collection, and analysis of program effectiveness and impact. Finally, all efforts are intentionally learner centered. ANALYSIS This memorandum will provide updates on implementation of the EDL Strategy Action Items and will include data for fiscal year (FY) 2019-20 and workplans for FY 2020-21. Early Education – Entering School Ready to Learn and Succeed In support of the City’s Education Policy and EDL Strategy, SJPL and PRNS provide several programs designed to meet the needs of children, ages 0-5, and their caregivers. On an annual basis, PRNS serves more than 1,500 children, ages 3-5, through programs such as the San José Recreation Preschool (SJRP), The Hatchery at Emma Prusch Park, Camp San José Junior, and vendor-led sports and performing arts activities. SJPL offers more than 4,500 free programs and activities targeted at children, ages 0-5, and their caregivers at 25 library locations throughout San José, with a total attendance of more than 167,000 in program participation each year. Upon approval of the Early Education Quality Standards 2 (EEQS) in March 2019, City departments initiated and continued efforts to ensure that City-sponsored programs for children, ages 0-5, aligned with the adopted EEQS. To initiate this work, each department 2 City of San José Early Education Quality Standards (sjpl.org) Library and Education Commission March 17, 2021 Subject: Education and Digital Literacy Annual Report Page 3 identified City programs and quality Standard Areas in which to develop targeted assessment and quality improvement plans. San José Recreation Preschool Program (SJRP) PRNS offered the recreation preschool program at 13 community centers across 25 classrooms, serving nearly 600 children. PRNS developed a phased-in strategy to enhance the SJRP program in alignment with the EEQS. PRNS staff identified 11 classrooms to participate in a ten-month SEEDS of Early Literacy (SEEDS) pilot program in partnership and support of FIRST 5 Santa Clara County (FIRST 5) and Applied Survey Research (ASR), an evaluation consultant. The pilot at Almaden, Noble, Evergreen, Mayfair, Roosevelt, and Seven Trees served as a learning laboratory for PRNS, FIRST 5, and ASR to inform the collaborative team’s best practices, operations, and strategies to expand SEEDS citywide within a public, license-exempt setting. Programming remained consistent with previous years in 14 classrooms at the seven remaining SJRP sites: Camden, Kirk, Calabazas, Berryessa, Willow Glen, Southside, and Millbrook. PRNS utilized the EEQS Assessment Tool to assess all 25 SJRP classrooms. Staff assessed SJRP on each of the eight program quality standards areas and rated according to the progressive levels of quality: (1) Basic (2) Proficient Quality; and (3) Advanced Quality. At the eleven SEEDS pilot sites, PRNS staff made infrastructure and programmatic changes and implemented best practices which consequently resulted in participating classrooms rating 1.75 overall in the Basic quality standard area. In contrast, traditional, non-pilot, SJRP sites maintained consistent programming and infrastructure, which is reflected in Basic Not Met (0) in the EEQS assessment. This implementation may require potential policy changes and long-term investment in infrastructure, resources, and programmatic strategies to achieve and sustain Advanced quality rating in the EEQS. San José Public Library In its first year of EEQS implementation, the Library focused on applying the standards to torytime programs, which have the potential to play a critical role in school readiness and in the development of early literacy skills at home. SJPL provides over 4,500 storytimes throughout the city, reaching approximately 28,000 children. SJPL conducted a pre-assessment to provide a baseline understanding of library performance within the EEQS. The Library utilized the EEQS Assessment Tool to assess all 25 library locations on each of the eight program quality standards areas. Library staff made infrastructure and programmatic changes and implemented best practices which resulted in a 1.3-point increase in quality within the first year of implementation. The results from the implementation of the EEQS assessment tool highlights the great strides staff made to move from Basic to Proficient within the first year of implementation. Library and Education Commission March 17, 2021 Subject: Education and Digital Literacy Annual Report Page 4 In Fall 2019, the Library conducted a Storytime Survey with over 590 caregivers. 87% of respondents claimed to read “more” or “much more” as a result of attending Library storytimes. Library storytimes and children’s books are considered to be the most valuable resources to parents and caregiver. This feedback has been evident during the Library closures with increasing attendance at virtual storytimes and high volumes of children’s books requested for curbside pickup at branch locations. 86% of respondents highly agree that the Library provides important learning experiences for children, with another 83% claiming to be “more” or “much more” engaged in learning opportunities such as talking, playing or singing because of Library resources and programs. Early Education in FY 2020-21 In the current year (year two of implementation) PRNS partnered with FIRST 5, ASR, and Kate Horst, developer of the SEEDS curriculum, to implement best practices and strategies across SJRP in both in-person and virtual programming. This helps to ensure a high-quality early education and recreation program in adherence to the EEQS. PRNS will focus on the following: Assessments: Nationally recognized and evidence-based assessment tools to conduct pre/post assessment of participating children and classroom environments (in-person operations); Professional Development: Training, coaching, and support for PRNS and SJRP staff for both program models; EEQS: Assessments including development of Quality Improvement Plan and follow-up for both program models; Curriculum: Implementation of standardized curriculum, educational materials, and resources for in-person and virtual instruction; and, Evaluation: Implementation of evaluation framework and data management tools to track and report outcomes. The Library is focused on continual quality improvement by investing in staff training and professional development. Special emphasis in year two implementation is being placed on increasing positive outcomes for children and families in our community through training on the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework and Trauma-Informed Supports for children. The inclusion