CCSSO’s High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) Pre-K State Network

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) believes that a strong education begins with a strong start. Early education, spanning prekindergarten (pre-K) through third grade, is the critical starting point for school entry, long-term academic success and future career readiness.

State education agency (SEA) leaders sit at a unique intersection of policy, funding and local delivery. As leaders capable of fostering systemic change, state chiefs and their leadership teams are positioned to create the conditions necessary for opportunities and outcomes for every student. By establishing coherent support structures for local districts and private providers, SEA staff works to provide three- and four -year-old has access to evidence-based, rigorous learning materials that align with the standards they will meet in later grades.

CCSSO’s High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) PreK State Network provides states with expertise and access to resources to build an education infrastructure that serves all students and builds a foundation for lifelong success.

The Network uses a four-prong approach to help participating states develop and implement strategic action plans:

-High-Quality Adoption: Ensuring new instructional materials are high-quality (as determined by the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine report) and aligned with State Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) and state K-12 standards.

-Professional Learning: Increasing the number of preK teachers in districts and private settings who receive professional development grounded in evidence-based practices and the skillful use of HQIM.

-Data-Driven Improvement: Collecting and analyzing data to verify outcome targets, monitor high-fidelity use of materials and track student progress.

-Scaling and Advocacy: Building allies and sharing lessons learned to scale high-quality curriculum planning to more states across the country.

We are proud to partner with dedicated state teams from:

-California
-Maryland
-Maine
-Mississippi
-New Jersey
-South Carolina
-Washington D.C. (OSSE)

HQIM Pre-K Resources
CCSSO’s HQIM PreK State Network provides states with expertise and access to resources to build an education infrastructure that serves all students. The resources below are ideal for early education state leaders, however, all are welcome to explore and download the resources listed below:

-Research-Aligned Curriculum and Practices in Prekindergarten Literacy Education: This resource aims to provide state leaders with a research-backed synthesis to guide the selection and effective implementation of prek literacy materials. Explore here.

For more information on the HQIM Pre-K State Network and how it aims to advance early childhood education infrastructure, please contact HQIM Pre-K Program Director Makila Meyers-Burgos.