Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-3-.13 - Birth Through Kindergarten Program
(1)
Purpose. This rule states field-specific content standards for
approving programs that prepare individuals to work with and teach children
with unique learning needs from birth through kindergarten and supplements
requirements in GaPSC Rule
505-3-.01 REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS
FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS
and GaPSC Rule
505-3-.03 FOUNDATIONS OF READING,
LITERACY, AND LANGUAGE.
(2)
Requirements.
(a) To receive approval,
a GaPSC-approved educator preparation provider shall offer an educator
preparation program described in program planning forms, catalogs, and syllabi
addressing the following standards and requirements delineated below for
initial early childhood professional preparation programs, as well as the
applicable standards delineated in GaPSC Rule
505-3-.03, FOUNDATIONS OF READING,
LITERACY, AND LANGUAGE. The standards are adapted from standards published in
2019 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
and the standards published in 2017 by the Council for Exceptional Children-
Initial Specialty Set in Early Childhood and cross-walked with the Early
Intervention/Early Childhood Special Educator national standards developed by
the Council for Exceptional Children (2020).
1.
Child Development and Learning
in Context and Individual Learning Differences: Birth Through
Kindergarten candidates are grounded in an understanding of the developmental
period of early childhood from birth through kindergarten across developmental
domains. They understand each child as an individual with unique developmental
variations. They understand that all children develop within relationships;
that learning is constructed by adults and children together; and that learning
occurs within the context of families, languages, communities, and society.
Candidates use this multidimensional knowledge to make evidence-based decisions
to carry out their responsibilities. They understand how exceptionalities may
interact with development and learning, and use this knowledge to provide
meaningful and challenging learning experiences for children with unique
learning needs. Indicators are as follows:
(i)
Candidates know and understand early childhood development based on:
(I) Knowledge of developmental theories,
coursework, and observation across domains and areas such as physical,
cognitive, and linguistic; and
(II)
Understanding variability in early development of young children with unique
learning needs, such as children with disabilities or children who are
bilingual, and the impacts of variability on development and
learning.
(ii) Candidates
know and understand the biological and environmental factors, both social and
physical, that affect pre-, peri-, and postnatal development and
learning;
(iii) Candidates know,
understand, and value each child as an individual with unique developmental
variations, agencies, strengths, interests, challenges, approaches to learning,
experiences and abilities;
(iv)
Candidates know and understand the impact of medical conditions and related
care on development and learning, as well as on family concerns, resources, and
priorities;
(v) Candidates know and
understand the ways that development and the learning process for children with
unique learning needs occur within multiple contexts, including family,
language, and community as well as within a larger societal context of
structural inequities; and
(vi)
Candidates use multidimensional knowledge of early development (including
developmental period of early childhood; etiology, characteristics, and
classification of common disabilities in infants and young children; and
individual child, development and learning) to make evidence-based decisions
that support each child.
2.
Family and Community
Partnerships: Birth Through Kindergarten candidates understand
that successful early childhood education depends upon partnerships with young
children's families. They know about, understand, and value the importance of
family and community characteristics. They use this understanding to create
respectful and linguistically responsive, reciprocal relationships and to
engage as partners with families in young children's development and learning.
They use community resources to support young children's learning and
development and to support families as they also support partnerships with
early learning settings, schools and community organizations and agencies.
Indicators are as follows:
(i) Candidates know
about, understand, and value the differences among families and
communities;
(ii) Candidates engage
as partners with families in young children's development, and learn through
respectful and reciprocal relationships;
(iii) Candidates use community resources to
support families and young children, as well as work to support the community;
and
(iv) Candidates partner with
families and other professionals to develop individualized plans and support
the various transitions that occur for the young child and their family
throughout the birth through kindergarten.
3.
Child Observation,
Documentation, and Assessment: Birth Through Kindergarten
candidates understand that the primary purpose of assessment (formal and
informal, formative and summative) is to inform instruction and planning for
children with unique learning needs in early learning settings. They understand
that child observation, documentation, and other forms of assessment are
central to the practice of all early childhood professionals. They know how to
use observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment approaches and
technically sound tools that minimize discrepancies, and use knowledge of
measurement principles and practices to interpret assessment results and guide
educational decisions for individuals with unique learning needs. They are
responsible and ethical in their use of assessment and assessment results. In
partnership with families and professional colleagues, they document individual
children's progress, and plan learning experiences that promote positive
outcomes for each child. Indicators are as follows:
(i) Candidates understand that assessment
(formal and informal, formative and summative) is conducted to make informed
choices and for planning in early learning settings;
(ii) Candidates know a wide range of types of
assessments, their purposes, and their associated methods and tools;
(iii) Candidates align assessment with
curriculum; content standards; and local, state, and federal
regulations;
(iv) Candidates
practice assessment that is ethically and legally grounded and developmentally
and linguistically appropriate to document developmental progress and promote
positive outcomes for each child;
(v) Candidates build assessment partnerships
with families and professional colleagues, including, assisting families in
identifying their concerns, resources, and priorities, and integrating family
priorities and concerns in the assessment process;
(vi) Candidates assess progress in the five
developmental domains, play, and temperament using a variety of materials and
contexts to maintain the interests of young children and the assessment
process; and
(vii) Candidates
emphasize the child's strengths and needs in assessment reports that focus on
functional concerns, and participate as a team member to integrate assessment
results in the development and implementation of individualized
plans.
4.
Learning Environments: Birth Through Kindergarten
candidates create safe, developmentally responsive learning environments, so
that children with unique learning needs become active and effective learners
and develop emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and
self-determination. They collaborate with other colleagues to create safe
learning environments to engage all children in meaningful learning activities
and social interactions. Birth Through Kindergarten candidates use motivational
and instructional interventions to teach children with unique learning needs
how to adapt to different environments. They know how to intervene safely and
appropriately with all children. Indicators are as follows:
(i) Candidates select, develop, and evaluate
developmentally responsive and functionally appropriate materials, equipment,
and environments;
(ii) Candidates
organize space, time, materials, peers, and adults to maximize progress in
natural and structured environments;
(iii) Candidates embed learning opportunities
in everyday routines, relationships, activities, and places;
(iv) Candidates structure social
environments, using peer models and proximity, and responsive adults, to
promote interactions among peers, parents, and caregivers;
(v) Candidates provide a stimulus-rich indoor
and outdoor environment that employs materials, media, and adaptive and
assistive technology responsive to individual differences;
(vi) Candidates implement basic health,
nutrition, and safety management procedures for infants and young children;
and
(vii) Candidates use evaluation
procedures and recommend referral with ongoing follow-up to community health
and social services.
5.
Developmentally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching
Strategies: Birth Through Kindergarten candidates understand that
teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its
details vary depending on children's ages, characteristics, and the settings
within which teaching and learning occur. They understand and use positive,
caring, supportive relationships and interactions as the foundation for their
work with young children. They are able to differentiate instruction for
individual children and for groups. They use a broad repertoire of
developmentally responsive and linguistically relevant, and evidence-based
teaching approaches that reflect universal design for learning principles. They
understand the importance of play and inquiry in young children's learning and
development, and how to support play in early education. They develop and
sustain reflective, responsive and intentional practice. They use technologies
to support instructional assessment, planning, and delivery for children with
unique learning needs, and are familiar with augmentative and alternative
communication systems and a variety of assistive technologies to support the
communication and learning of children with disabilities. Birth Through
Kindergarten candidates use strategies to enhance language development and
communication skills of children with unique learning needs. They develop and
implement a variety of education and transition plans across a wide range of
settings and different learning experiences in collaboration with individuals,
families and teams, and teach to mastery and promote generalization of
learning. Indicators are as follows:
(i)
Candidates understand positive, caring, supportive relationships and
interactions as the foundation of early childhood educators' work with young
children, and understand how to support child-initiated development and
learning in classroom and home settings;
(ii) Candidates understand that the science
of learning and child development indicates the need for distinct teaching
skills and strategies appropriate to early childhood (such as
teacher-scaffolded and -initiated instruction to complement child-initiated
learning), along with differentiated instruction to support children's
individual needs, including those of bilingual children and children with
developmental delays or disabilities;
(iii) Candidates use a broad repertoire of
developmentally responsive and linguistically relevant, and evidence-based and
evidence-informed teaching skills and strategies that reflect universal design
for learning principles;
(iv)
Candidates develop and sustain reflective, responsive, and intentional
practice;
(v) Candidates link
development, learning experiences, and instruction to promote educational
transitions, implementing processes and strategies that support transitions,
and assisting the family in planning for transition; and
(vi) Candidates design intervention
strategies incorporating information from multiple sources and supportive of
children's independent functioning in natural environments.
6.
Content Knowledge
in Early Childhood Curriculum: Birth Through Kindergarten
candidates have and apply a solid understanding of the content of the academic
disciplines. They understand content knowledge about the central concepts,
methods, inquiry and application tools, and structures in each academic
discipline. They understand pedagogical content knowledge about how young
children learn and process information in each discipline including the
learning trajectories for each discipline. They apply this knowledge in using
early learning standards and other resources to make decisions about
spontaneous and planned teaching practices, and about curriculum development,
implementation, and evaluation that will be stimulating, challenging, and
meaningful to each child. Birth Through Kindergarten candidates understand the
central concepts, structures of the discipline, and tools of inquiry of the
content areas they teach and can organize this knowledge, integrate
cross-disciplinary skills, and develop meaningful learning progressions for
children with unique learning needs. They understand and use general and
specialized content knowledge for teaching across curricular content areas to
individualize learning for children with unique learning needs and can modify
general and specialized curricula to make them accessible to all children.
Indicators are as follows:
(i) Candidates
understand content knowledge and resources, including the central concepts,
methods, inquiry and application tools, and structures of the academic
disciplines in an early education curriculum;
(ii) Candidates understand pedagogical
content knowledge regarding how young children with unique learning needs learn
in each discipline, and how to use the teacher knowledge and practices
described in Standards 1 through 4 (e.g., universal design for learning,
embedded and differentiated instruction) to support young children's learning
in each content area;
(iii)
Candidates apply, expand, integrate, and update their content knowledge in the
disciplines, knowledge of curriculum content resources, and pedagogical content
knowledge to their teaching practice;
(iv) Candidates apply current research to the
five developmental domains, play, temperament, and address challenging behavior
in learning situations; and
(v)
Candidates plan, implement, and evaluate developmentally appropriate curricula,
instruction, and adaptations based on knowledge of individual children, the
family, and the community.
7.
Professionalism as an Early
Childhood Educator: Birth Through Kindergarten candidates identify
and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession and serve
as informed advocates for young children, families, and the early childhood
profession. They know and use ethical guidelines and other early childhood
professional guidelines. They are continuous, collaborative learners who
demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early
childhood education to inform their practice. They have strong communication
skills that effectively support their relationships and work with young
children, families and colleagues. They understand that differences are a part
of families and schools, and that complex human issues can interact with the
delivery of special education services. Indicators are as follows:
(i) Candidates identify and involve
themselves with the early childhood field and serve as informed advocates on
behalf of infants and young children and their families, including awareness of
trends and issues (legal, ethical, policy) in early childhood education, early
childhood special education, and early intervention. This includes
participation in activities of professional organizations relevant to early
childhood education, early childhood special education, and early
intervention;
(ii) Candidates know
about the historical, philosophical foundations and legal basis of services for
infants and young children with and without disabilities, and know about and
uphold ethical standards and other early childhood professional guidelines
(e.g., recognizing signs of emotional distress, neglect, and abuse; following
reporting procedures; and implementing family services consistent with due
process safeguards);
(iii)
Candidates engage in continuous, collaborative learning to inform
practice;
(iv) Candidates integrate
knowledgeable and critical perspectives on early childhood education and
develop the habit of intentional, reflective practice, including, applying
evidence-based and Council for Exceptional Children Division for Early
Childhood recommended practices for infants and young children including those
from a variety of backgrounds;
(v)
Candidates use strong communication skills to effectively support young
children's learning and development and work with families and colleagues,
including integrating family systems theories into practice; and respecting
families' choices and goals; and
(vi) Candidates advocate for professional
status and working conditions for those who serve infants and young children,
and their families.
8.
Collaboration: Birth Through Kindergarten candidates
collaborate with families, other educators, related service providers,
individuals with exceptionalities, and personnel from community agencies in
responsive ways to address the needs of all children across a range of learning
experiences. They use the theory and elements of effective collaboration, serve
as a collaborative resource to colleagues, and use collaboration to promote the
well-being of all children across a wide range of settings and collaborators.
Indicators are as follows:
(i) Candidates know
and apply models and strategies of consultation and collaboration, and the
roles of families, school and community personnel in planning individualized
programs;
(ii) Candidates
understand the concerns of families of children with disabilities and
strategies to help address these concerns;
(iii) Candidates know responsive factors that
promote effective communication and collaboration among families, school
personnel, and community members;
(iv) Candidates understand the structures
supporting inter-agency collaboration, including interagency agreements,
referral, and consultation;
(v)
Candidates collaborate with caregivers, professionals, and agencies to support
children's development and learning, including involving families in evaluation
of services;
(vi) Candidates
implement family-oriented services based on the family's identified resources,
priorities, and concerns; and
(vii)
Candidates provide consultation and coaching in settings serving infants and
young children, including use of adult learning principles when consulting with
and coaching family members and service providers.
9.
Teaching of Reading, Literacy,
and Language: The program shall prepare candidates to meet the
Birth Through Kindergarten standards specified in GaPSC Rule
505-3-.03, FOUNDATIONS OF READING,
LITERACY, AND LANGUAGE.
10.
Birth Through Kindergarten Field Experiences: Field
experiences and clinical practice are planned and sequenced so that Birth
Through Kindergarten candidates develop the knowledge, skills, and professional
dispositions necessary to promote the development and learning of young
children across the entire developmental period of birth through kindergarten.
Field experiences must occur in all three age groups (0 - 2, 3 - 4, and 5) and
in at least two early childhood education program settings. Indicators are as
follows:
(i) Candidates observe and
participate under the supervision of qualified professionals in a variety of
settings, including Pre-K, K, licensed childcare programs, Head Start,
preschool special education, and grade levels in which children are served
according to the Birth Through Kindergarten program grade bands;
(ii) Candidates work effectively over time
with children of a variety of ages, with children with varied abilities, and
with children reflecting a variety of family systems;
(iii) Candidates demonstrate ability to work
effectively during full-time supervised residency and field experiences in at
least two different settings, serving children of three different groups
(infant/toddler: Birth-2 years; preschool/pre-k: 3-4 years, and Kindergarten: 5
years) and with varying abilities; and
(iv) Candidates analyze and evaluate field
experiences, including supervised experiences working with parents, and
supervised experiences working with interdisciplinary teams of
professionals.
Notes
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