Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Early Learning Networked Improvement Community Overview & Process
Background
The Early Learning Networked Improvement Community (ELNIC) is a group of diverse stakeholders, which include members of the Division of Early Childhood Services (DECS) at the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), local district improvement teams, researchers, and subject matter experts engaging in collective problem solving, disciplined by applying improvement science methods toward common, well-specified aims and problems of practice. This ELNIC is designed for local educational agencies (LEAs) committed to achieving sustainable change within a specific topic area, committed to problem-solving and continuous improvement. Through shared learning, teams include a variety of experts, researchers, state educational agency (SEA) members and LEA practitioners who work together to rapidly test and implement changes that lead to scalable, sustainable and lasting improvement.
- Members use frequent, ongoing, multiple, practical measures and data to determine improvement over accountability.
- Members engage in ongoing, job-embedded professional learning to test promising change ideas in classrooms.
- The coordinating hub manages and coaches the testing and refinement of promising change practices.
Overview of ELNIC
Early Learning Mathematics and Literacy
The current focus in the ELNIC is Preschool to Third Grade (P-3) instruction.
Within this ELNIC, the NJDOE and research partners team with educational practitioners to engage in ongoing, job-embedded, needs-based professional learning for testing and implementing promising change ideas and a framework in early learning mathematics and literacy instruction. This framework entails multiple components that encompass several evidence-based practices intended to meet the needs of all learners by employing an instructional framework in which intentional small group instruction and workstations along with the use of formative assessment and differentiated instruction is prioritized. Accessibility and inclusivity to ensure equitable instruction that meets the needs of all learners is also a priority.
In addition to focusing on equitable, quality, needs-based mathematics and literacy instruction, a major focus of the work is on increasing educators’ understanding of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) and pedagogical content knowledge in early learning mathematics and literacy using research based resources and tools and making instructional decisions based on multiple sources and types of data from robust local assessment systems that include screening, diagnostic, formative, interim, and summative assessment procedures.
Partnerships
The ELNIC operates around ongoing coordinating hub meetings, convenings and action periods. During hub and network meetings and convenings, members engage in direct collaboration, professional learning, data review, reflection, and coaching with researchers/experts. During interim action period inquiry cycles, participants implement practices and collect data about student learning to share during hub and network meetings and convenings.
The body of research around teacher learning to increase student achievement is robust. The ELNIC offers districts support from national experts in the field of early learning mathematics and literacy experts working closely with Dr. Doug Clements, Dr. Julie Sarama, and Dr. Sharon Walpole. In addition, state teams leads, the CCSSO project director and administrator as well as improvement science experts from West Ed, Institute of Education Sciences-Regional Regional Educational Laboratory (IES-REL), and Studer Education will work with the ELNIC local educational organizations to implement improvement science practices that support meaningful, data driven decisions about practices, education policies, and programs designed to impact the entire system from the district level to the classroom.
The project has been funded by the Education Program of the Heising-Simons Foundation.
Who is an ELNIC appropriate for?
ELNICs are especially appropriate for school teams who have:
- Instructional Coaches in K-3 mathematics and literacy
- a strong school culture of high expectations for all students and faculty
- a leadership structure that values teacher collaboration and is prepared to invest the time and staff to commit to the ELNIC's multi-year work
- a growth mindset and commitment to (learning the) principles of continuous improvement
- an understanding that continuous improvement takes time to reach tangible, sustainable results and therefore can celebrate the small wins while working towards a larger goal
Teams
We expect a large commitment from school teams in order to provide ongoing and quality engagement with this work. Members of the DECS at the NJDOE will serve as the facilitating hub and be responsible for organizing and overseeing the logistics of the ELNIC as well as providing ongoing administrative coaching and support. School teams are responsible for attending all meetings and testing change ideas during the action periods between meetings. School teams should include the Superintendent or their designee, 1-2 principals, 1-2 instructional coaches or supervisors, and 4-5 teachers.
Meetings, attendance, and professional learning
To honor the integrity of an ELNIC, it is essential that school teams attend all meetings and set aside capacity for the action period work. There is no fee to join and all professional learning will be free to participating districts. There will be opportunities for LEAs to engage in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the NJDOE as well as the CCSSO to receive funds for additional resources, professional learning, or stipend opportunities. The CCSSO will directly fund the district for this project.
Draft schedule and professional learning plan. Specifics and dates to be announced.
| Topic | Date |
|---|---|
| Interest Meeting | July 2023 |
|
Launch: Virtual Meeting with the NJDOE coordinating hub |
August 2023 |
| Full Network Meeting, virtual | September 2023 |
|
Action period – (PDSA cycles at schools, data collection, professional learning sessions) |
October 2023 |
| Full Network Meeting, virtual | October 2023 |
|
Action period – (PDSA cycles at schools, data collection, professional learning sessions) |
November-December 2023 |
| Fall Convening of Full Network, in-person | November 2023 |
| Onsite coaching and team meetings | December 2023 – January 2024 |
| Full Network Meeting | January 2024 |
|
Action period – (PDSA cycles at schools, data collection, professional learning sessions) |
February 2024 |
| Fall Convening of Full Network, in-person | March 2024 |
|
Action period – (PDSA cycles at schools, data collection, professional learning sessions) |
April 2024 |
| Full Network Meeting | May 2024 |
We are welcoming any school team that believes it is a good fit for their context and ready to make the commitment. All interested LEAs are invited to a mandatory initial interest meeting for more information along with ample question and answer time. Virtual meeting dates will be:
July 10th 11:00am-12:00pm
July 13th 10:00am-11:00am
After attending the interest meeting, LEA's will be asked to complete an Interest Form. The hub team will review each LEA’s Interest Form and reach out if any more information is needed. Please sign up via the NJDOE Events Page no later than June 30, 2023.
If you need more time or have questions about joining, please reach out to: K-3Office@doe.nj.gov