Members of the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Preschool Coordinator Advisory Group (PCAG) met to discuss their priorities for the beginning of the new school year during their July 28 meeting.
The PCAG was formed to advise the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) on unmet needs and issues relevant to state-funded preschool. Each of the group’s 10 members represent districts from all five of the state’s Early Childhood Regional Training Centers.
Whitney Stevenson, the PCAG chair, led the discussion. One priority was to identify how the PCAG can help relive the workload of preschool teachers and staff.
Another priority of the group is to continue to get families more involved in their children’s education, in part through home visits by preschool teachers. The pandemic has caused concern, however, regarding the safety of staff during home visits.
The group also anticipates more ripple effects from the pandemic as the coming school year will bring in preschool students who grew up during the pandemic and under circumstances unique to previous students.
The group then discussed how to recruit new members to the PCAG. A two-year term limit for new members was recommended, and members emphasized the need to have proper representation for all the regions of the state.
The group voted and approved having the Regional Training Centers identify new members.
KDE School Readiness Branch Manager Andrea Bartholomew also shared information on Regional Training Center resources for teachers and encouraged members to reach out to new coordinators in the training centers.
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