YPSILANTI, MI, August 20, 2012 — In recognition that proper implementation of the HighScope Preschool Curriculum yields more effective child outcomes and acknowledging the importance of providing teachers with formal training of the Curriculum, HighScope Educational Research Foundation has entered into a cooperative agreement with Oakland Schools, a Michigan Intermediate School District, which will provide various professional development coursework on the HighScope Preschool Curriculum.
Under the agreement, a Certified HighScope Trainer, employed by Oakland Schools, will deliver specific training workshops and courses on the theory and practice of the HighScope Preschool Curriculum. With the collaborative efforts of both HighScope and Oakland Schools, the Certified Trainer will administer official HighScope Curriculum training in Oakland County, which will be offered to early childhood teachers of school districts in Oakland County. Teachers’ participation will be acknowledged by HighScope and included in the HighScope Student Database for purposes of maintaining transcripts. This agreement does not preclude any district from working directly with HighScope to offer training to their staffs, but provides another choice for county educators.
Examples of courses that will be offered by Oakland Schools include the Child Observation Record (COR) workshop, Program Quality Assessment (PQA) workshop, the HighScope Plan-Do-Review Process workshop, a workshop on HighScope’s approach to Adult-Child Interaction, and the HighScope Step By Step series.
“HighScope and Oakland Schools support the position that high-quality educational experiences for young children prepare children to succeed in school and life,” noted Gavin Haque, Director of Educational Services at HighScope. “Both of our organizations agree that professional development leads to improved implementation of curriculum,” said Dr. Joan Lessen-Firestone Director, Early Childhood, Oakland Schools. “Both HighScope and Oakland Schools want to be proactive in our efforts to improve the quality of instruction in early childhood education,” she added.
The HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization that focuses on curriculum development, child and program assessment, publishing, professional development, and research for early childhood education. Its most well-known research is the Perry Preschool Study, a longitudinal study used by policymakers to justify investment in early childhood.
About HighScope
HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an early childhood leader in pursuit of a world where all children have the opportunity to develop socially, emotionally, and cognitively so they have satisfying, productive lives. HighScope supports the development of young children from birth through age eight by developing and providing quality, research-based, high-quality curricula, assessments, professional learning, and other supports in the context of families and their communities.
HighScope’s roots extend back to the Perry Preschool Project (1962–1967). Launched in Ypsilanti, Michigan and led by Ypsilanti Schools psychologist David Weikart and Perry Elementary School principal Charles Eugene Beatty, the Perry Preschool Project was one of the first early childhood programs in the United States intentionally designed to increase school success for preschool children living in poverty. Today, HighScope’s work can be found in classrooms throughout the United States and in educational settings around the globe.
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Tara Baliat
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