Connecticut State Department of Education

The State Department of Education is charged with the responsibility of providing a superior education for Connecticut's 21st century learners. The mission is to support all learners in reaching their full potential. This mission is accomplished in partnership with Connecticut's school districts and other organizations that provide educational programs and services.

With regards to the education of young children, the state is committed to ensuring that all of the state's preschool-age children, including children with disabilities, are afforded an opportunity to participate in a high quality preschool program. Such an experience fosters a child's overall development including literacy and readiness for the public school kindergarten curriculum. The focus on preschool education is a cornerstone of the the state's school reform efforts, with attention to high expectations and the assurance that preschool age children will demonstrate performance and proficiency at each age and stage of development and will enter school ready to learn.

To learn more about the Connecticut State Department of Education, go to http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/Early/index.htm.

State Education Resource Center

The State Education Resource Center (SERC) has been in operation since 1969 through funding from the Connecticut State Department of Education.  SERC's commitment is to serve as a centralized resource for professionals, families, and community members regarding education and early intervention/prevention for all of Connecticut's children and youth and their families, particularly children with special needs, at-risk learners, and diverse learners.  SERC strives for the highest possible level of excellence in its provision of professional development and other technical assistance initiatives, family education and support, and information and materials dissemination.

To learn more about SERC, go to http://www.ctserc.org/.

Recognition and Response Activities
The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), in collaboration with the State Education Resource Center (SERC), has developed a train-the-trainers model to provide training and technical assistance on the Recognition and Response Initiative. Early childhood programs have been selected to serve as project sites and early childhood educators have been selected to serve as project coaches for the Recognition and Response Initiative. The project coaches work with designated site teachers regarding the utilization of Connecticut’s Preschool Curriculum Framework (PCF) and Preschool Assessment Framework (PAF).  Project coaches specifically provide training and technical assistance to site teachers on linking standards, curriculum, and assessment through the use of the teacher’s classroom curriculum, PCF, PAF, and the Get Ready to Read! (GRTR!) screening tool. At the project sites, the PAF is utilized as a child progress measurement to guide instruction and practices. The GRTR! screening tool is used to gather additional information regarding children who appear to not be making adequate progress in the area of early literacy. 

The long-term intended outcomes of the Recognition and Response Initiative include: early identification and remediation of learning challenges at the preschool level; providing differentiated and individualized instruction to preschool children; increasing the quality of early childhood teaching and learning environment; and closing the achievement gaps such that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed.