• Arkansas Early Childhood HQIM Open Educational Resource Pilot

    Participation Application

  • Early childhood educators make important instructional decisions every day. Having the right curriculum can make those decisions easier. High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) are designed to do just that. When grounded in evidence and aligned with learning standards, HQIM support strong teaching practices and generate positive learning outcomes.

    Through conversations with educators, we've heard two challenges consistently emerge: identifying an evidence-based, high-quality curriculum is difficult, and materials can be expensive and inaccessible.

    Our pilot will examine whether an evidence-based, high-quality curriculum can be adapted for Arkansas and made available as an open educational resource (OER) at low or no cost. It will also help identify which professional learning and supports educators need to use HQIM successfully. 

    Focus on Early Learning

    Following a competitive process, we selected Focus on Early Learning as the pilot's curriculum. Developed by the Boston Public Schools Department of Early Childhood and its partners, Focus on Early Learning is a nationally recognized, comprehensive  curriculum that supports children's development across intellectual, social-emotional, and physical domains while addressing learning standards in approaches to play and learning, English language arts, math, social studies, science and engineering, and the arts. Focus on Early Learning has demonstrated positive impacts across all domains of early childhood development and learning. 

    Building on this strong foundation, our project team will adapt the curriculum and relevant resources to align with Arkansas's Child Development and Early Learning Standards (ACDELS).

    The Learner Collective

    Beyond bringing a best-in-class, affordable curriculum to Arkansas, this project is about learning what successful use of HQIM should look like. Participants will join an innovative community of practice, where they will receive ongoing support and share direct feedback on what's working, what's challenging, and what should be improved. This feedback loop is critical. Our project team will use this data to refine the curriculum, professional learning, and other supports for future statewide scale. 

    Pilot Design

    Our pilot is planned for the 2027-28 school year and will include approximately 20 early childhood program classrooms, primarily those serving four-year-old children. Our project team will select sites to reflect the diverse, mixed-delivery early childhood system. Programs serving children from low-income families will be prioritized. 

    Participating providers will receive, at no cost. 

    • Focus on Early Learning curriculum materials adapted for Arkansas
    • Professional learning to prepare educators for implementation
    • Coaching, ongoing support, and collaboration with other educators

    In return, pilot participants will be active in the learning process, helping us strengthen the model for Arkansas.

    Our project is intentionally designed to facilitate broader statewide access to high-quality, affordable instructional materials. During the 2027-28 school year, participating classrooms will utilize the curriculum while our project team and an external evaluator gather feedback and identify opportunities for improvement. The findings will help pinpoint what educators and providers need to implement HQIM successfully and sustainably. 

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  • General Program Information

    Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge.
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Which types of funding does your program receive? Select all that apply.*

  • Specific Program Information

    Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge.
  • Does your program have an overall quality rating?*
  • 2027-28 School Year Start Date
     - -
    2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
  • 2027-28 School Year End Date
     - -
    2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year

  • Program Demographics

    Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge. Approximate where exact information is not available.

  • *Approximate if exact information is not available.

  • *Approximate where exact information is not available.

  • Classrooms Proposed for Pilot Participation

    Please provide the following information for each classroom that you would like considered for pilot participation. Click the "Add Another Classroom" button if you wish to apply for more than one classroom.
  • In your program, is it typical practice for a child to remain in the classroom where they began the school year, even if their age changes?*

  • Program Technology

    Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge.
  • Is internet access available in your program's classrooms?*
  • Does your program use an app or online platform to communicate with families?*
  • Can it be used to send links to consent forms and surveys?*
  • How can communication flow? Select all that apply.*

  • Professional Development

    The following questions will help us understand your current professional development conditions.
  • Who typically participates in professional learning or training offered by your program? Select all that apply.*
  • Who typically facilitates professional learning or training for your program? Select all that apply.*
  • Typically, how do educators participate in professional learning or training? Select all that apply.*
  • Typically, how often does your program provide or arrange professional learning or training for educators?*
  • How long is a typical professional learning or training session?*
  • What topics are most commonly addressed through professional learning or training in your program? Select all that apply.*
  • Does your program provide teachers with shared planning time?*

  • Coaching

    The following questions will help us understand your program's current coaching structure.
  • Does your program have an established structure for providing coaching or individualized instructional support to teachers?*
  • Who typically provides coaching for your teachers? Select all that apply.*
  • How much time is typically dedicated to each coaching interaction?*
  • Does coaching typically include observation of the teacher's classroom practice?*
  • Typically, how often does a teacher receive coaching or individualized instructional support?*
  • Which of the following approaches does your program currently use to provide coaching or individualized instructional support to teachers? Select all that apply.*

  • Curriculum & Assessment

    Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge.
  • Which best describes your program’s current approach to curriculum?*

  • Program Changes & Attestation

    Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge.
  • Is your program currently participating in or scheduled to participate in any research studies?*
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