The Office of Early Childhood is committed to accelerating student achievement for every child in Mississippi. We accomplish this goal by helping school districts and families improve the readiness and reading achievement of Mississippi students starting in preschool.
Guidelines and Standards
The following are guidelines and standards for the implementation of best practices in early childhood classrooms to meet the developmental needs of young students.
Early Learning Guidelines
- Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four- Year Old Children (2018)
- Kindergarten Guidelines (2015) - Revision in Progress
Early Learning Standards
- Early Learning Standards for Classrooms Serving Infants through Four-Year-Old Children (2018)
- Kindergarten Standards
Teaching Supports
- Becoming a National Board Certified Teacher
- 4 Year Old Teaching Strategies (2015) - Revision in Progress
- Approved Pre-K Curricula (2014) - Revision in Progress
Teacher Requirements
Effectiveness Evaluation Plan
Schools providing services to prekindergarten (Pre-K) aged children receive an annual evaluation to ensure the effectiveness of services on improving children’s learning and well-being. Evaluation occurs for the Early Learning Collaboratives (collaborative) and other Pre-K classrooms (e.g. Title I, local-funded, tuition-based) in Mississippi public schools. Evaluation consists of two parts: rate of readiness and monitoring which are addressed in the Effective Evaluation for Early Learning Collaboratives and Other Pre-K Classrooms found below.
- Effectiveness Evaluation for Early Learning Collaboratives and Other Pre-K Classrooms - Revision in Progress
- Executive Summary: Effectiveness Evaluation for Early Learning Collaboratives and Other Pre-K Classrooms School Year 2016-2017 - Revision in Progress
Checklists
Checklists have been developed based on the guidelines and standards to support administrators, parents, and teachers in observing best practices in early childhood classrooms and monitoring the developmental growth of students.
Administrator: What to Look For When Observing a Kindergarten and Pre-K Classroom
Parent: What Parents Can Look For When Observing a Kindergarten and Pre-K Classroom
Student:
- NEW! Developmental Checklist for Kindergarten Students
- NEW! Developmental Checklist for Four-Year-Old Students
- NEW! Developmental Checklist for Three-Year-Old Students
Transition to Kindergarten
Transitioning from Pre-K to kindergarten is a big step for many children. Schools can support the transition by passing along useful information to the kindergarten teachers and by engaging in a variety of transition activities.
- Kindergarten Transition Plan
- Transition to Kindergarten Webinar
- Transition Folder Development PPT
- Transition Folder Checklist
- Child Information Sheet Sample
Early Learning Collaboratives
In Mississippi there are currently 14 state-funded early learning collaboratives comprised of school district, Head Start agencies, child care centers, and private non-profit organizations.
Professional Development
Professional development provides early childhood professionals the opportunity to learn about and implement best practices in early childhood through training and individualized technical assistance. The Office of Early Childhood offers several trainings specific to individuals who work in Pre-K and Kindergarten each school year. Schools and Early Learning Collaboratives may request technical assistance at any time.
Professional Development Opportunities
Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
The CLASS is an observation instrument developed to assess classroom quality in preschool through third-grade classrooms. For more information and professional development opportunities regarding CLASS, visit Teachstone. For 15-minute in-service suites, visit Head Start.
Tools and Supports
Specialized Early Childhood Education Trainings