visual arts, music, physical education,library-media, and technology.Integrated Approach: Children’s learningactivities and experiences presentedthrough projects or thematic unitsinvolving many areas <strong>of</strong> the curriculuminstead <strong>of</strong> through isolated subject areas.Learning Environment: Physicalrepresentation <strong>of</strong> the curriculum whichincludes the climate, teaching practices,and materials and equipment.Non-paid Personnel: Parents and othervolunteers.Parapr<strong>of</strong>essional: An individual whoworks under the supervision <strong>of</strong> a teacher;also, associate or assistant teacher.Parent Involvement: An early childhoodprogram component which recognizesthe central role <strong>of</strong> parents in theirchildren’s development and establishesa working partnership with each parentthrough written in<strong>for</strong>mation, orientationto the program, home visits, and throughregular opportunities <strong>for</strong> dialogue viaparent conferences, participation onadvisory committees, needs assessments,participation as classroom volunteers, andflexible scheduling <strong>of</strong> meetings and events.Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Development: Refers toopportunities <strong>for</strong> early childhood staff toreceive ongoing training to increase theirpreparation and skills to care <strong>for</strong> andeducate children. These include in-servicetraining, workshops, college courses anddegree programs, teacher exchanges,observations, coaching, seminars,mentoring, and credentialing programs.Program: Refers to early childhoodeducation and care settings includingDepartment <strong>of</strong> Education administeredearly childhood programs (e.g., theGreat Start Readiness Program, Title 1preschool programs, Even Start FamilyLiteracy Program, programs servingchildren with disabilities), the FederalHead Start program, community-based<strong>for</strong>-pr<strong>of</strong>it and non-pr<strong>of</strong>it child andpreschool programs.Program Standard: Widely acceptedexpectations <strong>for</strong> the characteristicsor quality <strong>of</strong> early childhood settingsin homes, centers and schools. Suchcharacteristics typically include the ratio<strong>of</strong> adults to children; the qualifications andstability <strong>of</strong> the staff; characteristics <strong>of</strong> adultchildrelationships; the program philosophyand curriculum model, the nature <strong>of</strong>relationships with families; the quality andquantity <strong>of</strong> equipment and materials; thequality and quantity <strong>of</strong> space per child, andsafety and health provisions.Public Act 116: Licensing rules <strong>for</strong> childcare centers promulgated by the authority<strong>of</strong> Section 2 <strong>of</strong> Act Number 116 <strong>of</strong> PublicActs <strong>of</strong> 1973 to the <strong>Michigan</strong> Department<strong>of</strong> Social Services which set <strong>for</strong>th theminimum standards <strong>for</strong> the care andprotection <strong>of</strong> children. The rules apply toagencies, centers, or public and privateschools providing child care services (HeadStart, preschool full-day child care, be<strong>for</strong>eandafter-school, less than 24 hours) tochildren aged 2 ½ weeks to 13 years.Screening: The use <strong>of</strong> a brief procedureor instrument designed to identify, fromwithin a large population <strong>of</strong> children, thosewho may need further assessment toverify developmental and/or health risks.Standardized Assessment Tool: Atesting instrument that is administered,scored, and interpreted in a standardmanner. It may be either norm-referencedor criterion-referenced.Support Staff: Persons, whether paid orvolunteer, employed by the program insuch positions as food service, clerical,custodial, and transportation.Teacher: The qualified person assignedthe primary responsibility <strong>for</strong> planning andcarrying out the program within an earlychildhood classroom. The teacher maywork in partnership with other teachersor with parapr<strong>of</strong>essionals and hasprimary responsibility <strong>for</strong> the planning,organizing, and managing all aspects <strong>of</strong>the classroom learning environment; theassessment, diagnosis, and reporting <strong>of</strong>the individual learning and developmental142 <strong>Michigan</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Education
needs <strong>of</strong> the children; and theestablishment <strong>of</strong> cooperative relationshipswith families and colleagues.Test: One or more questions, problems,and/or tasks designed to estimate a child’sknowledge, understanding, ability, skill,and/or attitudes in a consistent fashionacross individuals. In<strong>for</strong>mation from a testor tests contributes to judgments made asa part <strong>of</strong> an assessment process.Transition: (1) Procedures and activitiesthat support the family and facilitatethe child’s introduction to new learningenvironments (e.g., home to school, frompreschool to kindergarten, from one schoolto another, from one grade to another, andfrom one country to another). (2) Withinthe program’s daily schedule, transitionalso refers to the process <strong>of</strong> shifting fromone activity or place to another.<strong>Early</strong> <strong>Childhood</strong> <strong>Standards</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Quality</strong> <strong>for</strong> Prekindergarten 143
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