New Mexico Prekindergarten Research Alliance, REL Southwest
This alliance brings together early childhood stakeholders representing publicly funded preK, community-based childcare, and Head Start to investigate prekindergarten program participation and student success, quality early childhood programs, students' transition to kindergarten, and funding of early childhood programs in New Mexico.
Work in Progress: Kindergarten Observation Tool Validation Study
Bridge Event: Preschool to Kindergarten: Successfully Navigating the Transition, August 2, 2016
Bridge Event: Teaching Math to Young Children Practice Guide: Hands-On Workshop, November 16, 2015
Bridge Event: Teaching Math to Young Children Practice Guide: Introduction, April 15, 2015
Bridge Event: Engaging Families in the Assessment Process and Use of Data: An Early Childhood Example (Cohosted with REL Northeast & Islands), August 12, 2014
Bridge Event: Building Early Childhood Data Systems, April 17, 2014
Other Alliance Work:
Workshop: Literature Review and Data Gap Analysis, November 18, 2014
Workshop: Framing Your Research Agenda Using a Research Continuum, January 8, 2014
Research Questions:
- Data Availability and Use
- What extant data relevant to prekindergarten programs in New Mexico are available at the federal, state, and local levels to help the New Mexico Prekindergarten Research Alliance members focus their research agenda and inform their study designs? And what are the gaps in the existing data?
- How well does the list of key prekindergarten program characteristics and key child cognitive and noncognitive factors and characteristics align with data available in New Mexico? What are the gaps in the coverage of desired variables? What variables should be added to the data system to support future research?
- Program Quality
- What does the research literature indicate are the characteristics of effective prekindergarten programs for all children and, to the extent the literature allows, for special populations relevant to New Mexico (Hispanic, Native American, English learners, and rural residents)?
- What does the research literature indicate are child cognitive, social, and behavioral skills and abilities at kindergarten entry that are associated with academic success in kindergarten and throughout the early elementary years? What child and family background or demographic variables might be important covariates?
- Program Participation and Student Success
- To what extent do students from subpopulations of interest participate in prekindergarten programs administered by the New Mexico Public Education Department or the State of New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department?
- How are Head Start programs with and without transportation services distributed across New Mexico?
- What are the barriers to participation in any type of preschool in rural areas of New Mexico, including transportation challenges and other barriers?
Geographical Areas Served:
New Mexico
Member Organizations:
- Children, Youth and Families Department, Office of Child Development
- New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children
- New Mexico Early Childhood Development Partnership
- New Mexico Public Education Department
- New Mexico Voices for Children
- State of New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department
- STG International Inc., Head Start/Early Head Start
- Thornburg Foundation
- University of New Mexico Continuing Education, Early Childhood Services Center
Contact Information:
Janice Keizer, Alliance Liaison
jkeizer@air.org
(800) 476-6861, ext. 6552
External Website
http://relsouthwest.sedl.org/research-alliances/new_mexico_prekindergarten.html