One State's Systems Change Efforts to Reduce Child Care Expulsion: Taking the Pyramid Model to Scale. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vinh, Megan; Strain, Phil; Davidon, Sarah; Smith, Barbara J.
• Is Part Of: Topics in early childhood special education. Volume 36:Number 3(2016:Nov.)
• Page Start: 159
• Page End: 164
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: behavior -- classroom -- evidence-based practices -- scaling up -- prevention -- policy issues -- expulsion; Children with disabilities -- Education (Preschool) -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Education, Special -- Periodicals; Enfants handicapés -- Enseignement préscolaire -- Périodiques; Éducation précoce; Éducation préscolaire; Éducation spéciale; Enfant handicapé; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 371.905
• DOI: 10.1177/0271121415626130
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-1214

Abstract

This article describes the efforts funded by the state of Colorado to address unacceptably high rates of expulsion from child care. Based on the results of a 2006 survey, the state of Colorado launched two complementary policy initiatives in 2009 to impact expulsion rates and to improve the use of evidence-based practices related to challenging behavior. The primary policy initiative involved the funding of a center to develop model sites, a state-level planning team, ongoing practitioner training, and certification of coaches and trainers all built around the Pyramid Model. The secondary initiative involved expanding the number of early childhood mental health consultants and modifying their reimbursement/payment formula such that direct preventative work with adult providers, consistent with the Pyramid Model, was reimbursable. A follow-up survey in 2011 showed a dramatic reduction in expulsion rates and a corollary increase in providers' teaching of prosocial skills to children with challenging behavior.