Early Childhood and Family Education

Welcome to the Early Childhood and Family Education Page!  On our page you will find information about our programs and services for families and children birth through 3rd grade as well as a variety of resources for parents, teachers, administrators, educators, and students.

Excerpts From Dr. Louisa Moats Blog on Obama's Preschool Proposal
| pdf |

Early Childhood and Family Education - Programs and Resources:

• Oklahoma Parents as Teachers (OPAT):  

State Statutes | Program Guidelines

• Pilot Early Childhood Program:

Pilot Rules | Community Action Project of Tulsa County (current grantee)

• Teacher Certification Requirements

• 4-year-old Pre-Kindergarten:

Rules | Oklahoma C³ Standards (PASS) | Developmental Learning Skills | Early Childhood Learning Environment

• Kindergarten: 

Developmental Checklist | Oklahoma C³ Standards (PASS) | Immunizations |

• Primary (1st-3rd Grades):

 Early Development

• Public School Collaboration Programs: 

Benefits of Collaboration

• Resources:

Publications and Research | Administrators and Educators | Parents | Students | Community Agencies

The Office of Standards and Curriculum is available to provide professional development to teachers in their local area, either face-to-face or through videoconference or webinar (point-to-point/distance learning) technology. In order for the professional development to have as much impact as possible, for face-to-face interactions, groups need to include representation from at at least 5 districts, an entire county, or that contain at least 45 teachers. For point-to-point/distance learning technology interactions any size group can be accommodated.

Oklahoma Parents as Teachers

A state affiliate of the Parents as Teachers National Center

Oklahoma Parents As Teachers (OPAT) is a free, voluntary parent education program designed to foster an early partnership between home and school.  The program is available for all expectant parents as well as parents with children birth to age three based on the philosophy that parents are their children's first and most important teachers. 

The goal of the OPAT program is to strengthen the capacity of parents to be effective first teachers in providing children the best possible start in life, maximize a child's overall development during those first three years, lay the foundation for school success, and minimize developmental problems that interfere with the child's learning.

To enroll in an OPAT program in your area, contact your local public school district or view the OPAT Program Directory for a complete listing of all the OPAT programs.

OPAT offers:

• Personalized visits
  • Provide trained parent educators from your public school
• Parent group meetings provide opportunities to
  •    Discuss developmental stages,
  •    Share parenting experiences, and
  • Obtain information and activities to encourage your child’s development.
• Resources and referrals
  • Connect parents to community resources,
  • Provide referrals to appropriate professionals in your community, and
  • Use reliable, research-based curricula.
• Developmental screenings
• Early partnership between home and school
  • Makes transitioning from home to school easier,
  • Provides resources from the school district to supporting parenting, and
  • Emphasizes the critical role parents have in school readiness.

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Oklahoma Parents as Teachers (OPAT) State Statutes

Section 231. Parents Education Program

    The State Board of Education shall develop and implement a program of parent education which provides practical information and guidance to parents regarding the development of language, cognition, social skills, and motor development of young children.  The program shall be phased in so that services will be available to parents of children under age three (3) in school districts identified by the Board as having the greatest numbers of children whose education is considered to be a high challenge.  As funds are available, beginning with the 1992-93 school year, the Board shall expand the program so that services will be available to the school sites identified by the Board as having the greatest percentage of children qualifying for the free or reduced school lunch program.  The Board shall expand the program each year if funding is available to ensure that a parent education program is available to all school districts.

    The program shall emphasize the importance of the parents of children as a child's first and most influential teachers.  The parent education programs currently offered in other states should be examined as possible models for the Oklahoma program.

    Beginning with the effective date of this act, for each of the next two fiscal years the Stat Board of Education shall contract with an organization to provide for technical assistance for a field operations center to coordinate the Oklahoma Parents as Teachers Program.  To be eligible for a technical assistance contract, an applicant must be an affiliate member of a national organization or association providing parent education training, must have at least two years' experience in implementation of a Parents as Teachers Program, and must have at least one staff member with a degree above the baccalaureate level who has expertise in Child Development or Early Childhood Education.  Technical assistance shall include assistance with training on program organization, management, implementation.  Staff of eligible applicants must include a person with a masters degree in Child Development or Early Childhood, and fundraising techniques for groups seeking to implement Parents as Teachers Programs and existing Parents as Teachers Programs throughout the state.  The technical assistance provider shall compile a report, utilizing data collected from the State Department of Education and the child Service Demonstration Center, on the status of Parents as Teachers Programs in Oklahoma, including the locations and descriptions of the programs, the sources of funding for the programs, and pending applications for funding.  The report shall be filed with the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education by April 1, 1995. (70-10-105.3)

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Four-Year-Old Program

Oklahoma has been named a National Model and #1 in Access by the National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER)!

Children who are age four on or before September 1, are eligible for the voluntary public school pre-kindergarten program.  Currently, 70% of Oklahoma’s four-year-olds attend public school and have access to:

•  an Early Childhood Certified Teacher,
•  a 10:1 child to teacher ratio,
•  comprehensive school services, and
•  full-day or half-day programs
•  state adopted curriculum standards
•  school readiness program

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Rules and Regulations - Early Childhood Education Programs - Four-Year-Olds

1. The number of children in a group shall not exceed twenty (20). The adult-child ratio shall not exceed 1:10. Any enrollment that exceeds ten (10) shall require the employment of a teacher assistant.

2. The school district shall ensure the teacher assistant is provided professional development in early childhood education.

3. The program shall encourage family involvement to support the child's education experience.

4. The learning environment shall:

    a. Be arranged in centers to provide for the individual and group learning experiences.
    b. Be equipped with movable furniture of the correct size.
    c. Have adequate materials and supplies available in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of the children in the class.
    d. Have restroom facilities that will accommodate four-year-olds.
    e. Provide for a playground area that is accessible and safe.
    It is recommended that space requirements be based on thirty-five (35) square feet per child, and that the classroom has a sink with running water.

5. The curriculum shall be appropriate for the age and development level of the students. A process to provide continuity between the early childhood program and the kindergarten program shall be established.

6. The program shall be directed toward developmentally appropriate objectives for such children, rather than toward academic objectives suitable for older children.

7. The program shall accommodate the needs of all children and families regardless of socioeconomic circumstances.

8. The program shall require that any teacher employed by a public school to teach in such early childhood program shall be certified in early childhood education.

9. A vision and hearing screening shall be provided for all pre-kindergarten students.

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Kindergarten

Children who are age five on or before September 1 are eligible for the public school Kindergarten program.  By the 2013-2014 school year, full-day Kindergarten will be offered in every school district in Oklahoma (some exceptions apply).  Kindergarten children have access to:

• an Early Childhood Certified Teacher,
• a maximum class size of 20,
• an option of full-day or half-day programs,
• a state-adopted curriculum standards, and 
• a school readiness program

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Primary (1st through 3rd grade)

Public School Collaboration Programs

State law allows public school early childhood programs to operate in collaboration with other public and private early childhood programs. Some collaborating organizations include:

• Assisted Living Centers
• Corporate Facility
• Educare
• Oklahoma Child Care Services
• Oklahoma Head Start Collaboration Office
• University Lab Schools
• YWCA

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