State reports modest gains in early‑childhood quality, expands EC Learn and local partnerships

Assistant Superintendent Barry Carter and Deputy Assistant Superintendent Karen Powell presented the Department of Education’s 2024 annual report and the quarter‑2 2025 update, highlighting statewide gains in early‑childhood quality ratings, growth in observation coverage and expansion of the department’s free online professional development platform, EC Learn. Carter said more than 14,000 classroom observations took place across 7,190 classrooms and that the share of sites rated high‑proficient or excellent has increased; he told the council 95 percent of sites were rated proficient or higher and that 91 percent of children served in public funding are enrolled in sites rated proficient or better. Carter noted that instructional support remains the lowest‑scoring domain and that the department plans targeted supports for that area. Powell outlined workforce and network work: the department continued CCR&R coaching, mental‑health consultation and targeted professional development; EC Learn enrollments rose rapidly after the platform’s November launch, with thousands of newly enrolled participants in recent months. The department also distributed Heggerty curriculum materials to support literacy instruction and is developing training modules that align DIBELS screening with early‑language standards. Powell described the department’s Ready Start Network work and a multi‑network workforce planning grant that studied local workforce needs and found that many early‑childhood staff have limited experience, that providers want more business supports, and that communities benefit from local pipeline strategies. Several Ready Start Network pilots informed training and family‑engagement pilots the department plans to scale. BESE at‑large member Conrad Appel commented during public remarks that kindergarten‑through‑third‑grade outcomes remain an overarching state challenge and warned that constrained state revenues could limit future expansions; he urged continued focus on reaching underserved children as well as on quality improvement work. The department announced upcoming conferences, additional EC Learn modules, and plans to continue site improvement planning and targeted coaching for sites scoring below performance thresholds.