System Transformation for Equitable Preschools (STEP Forward with Data) Framework

January 30, 2024

Report At A Glance Metrics (XLS)Implementation Guide

The System Transformation for Equitable Preschools (STEP Forward with Data) Framework is designed to help preschool system leaders use data to promote greater equity at every step of the preschool system. In using this Framework, leaders will better understand the experiences of children, families, or workforce members within their systems to begin identifying potential inequities and examine root causes that could be addressed. The Framework organizes 20 essential questions into six preschool steps (click here for an overview). The steps align with points at which a child, family, or workforce member may face inequities and at which a preschool system leader could make actionable changes to improve quality and access to equitable preschool experiences.

The STEP Forward with Data Framework serves as a guide for preschool system leaders to:

Answer key questions about their preschool system, with a specific focus on experiences of focal populations
Establish standardized and consistent ways to collect and use data that address issues related to equity in preschool
Assess data gaps and integration needs to support the use of preschool data
Identify clear action steps for creating a more equitable preschool system based on the data they collect and the questions they answer

Preschool system leaders who use the STEP Forward with Data Framework can expect to:

Identify areas of progress and growth in the preschool system and understand where they can make changes to make their system more equitable over time
Use data that can inform actionable changes to policies and practices to address identified areas of progress or growth
Track the outcomes and progress toward system-level goals over time
Identify disparities between populations

Explore the STEP Forward with Data Framework

Supply
Outreach
Enrollment
Learning Experiences
Transitions
Administration

Supply

Supply refers not only to the quantity of preschool programs in the preschool system but also to the quality of these programs. Equitable supply within a preschool system ensures that all families, especially those from focal populations, can access the preschool programs they want. Accessing preschool means that, ...

Q1. Does existing supply meet the needs of families from focal populations?

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Outreach

Outreach covers the processes and resources that inform families about available programs and sites so that families understand where their children are eligible to attend. When preschool systems leaders prioritize outreach efforts, they can ensure that they meet families where they are instead of creating barriers for families ...

Q2. Do outreach methods improve knowledge and understanding of program options among families from focal populations?

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Enrollment

Enrollment covers the activities that occur once a family has decided that they would like to enroll their child into a preschool program or site. This also includes how systems help children stay enrolled in programs. In other words, enrollment is not a one-time event—rather, enrollment for children ...

Q3. Do eligibility processes allow families from focal populations to attend programs they want?

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Q4. Do enrollment procedures help families from focal populations attend programs they want?

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Q5. Are children from focal populations enrolled proportionate to or higher than their representation in the community?

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Q6. Are children from focal populations enrolled in programs rated as high-quality proportionate to their representation in the system?

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Q7. Do children from focal populations have consistent attendance?

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Learning Experiences

Learning Experiences are the factors that influence a child’s experience within their learning environment. Learning experiences may include instructional activities; the ways in which staff use curricula or assessments; social interactions between staff, children, and families; classroom climate; or available materials within the classroom.Children have equitable learning experiences ...

Q8. Are identities of children from focal populations and families reflected in programs?

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Q9. Do workforce members receive training in supporting the needs of children from focal populations and families?

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Q10. Do children from focal populations receive positive behavior supports?

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Q11. Do children from focal populations have the learning accommodations they need?

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Q12. Does the program offer or connect families from focal populations with whole family services?

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Q13. Are multiple forms of evidence used to understand the developmental progress, strengths, and needs—across domains of development—of children from focal populations?

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Q14. Are facilities structured and maintained to support the well-being of children from focal populations?

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Transitions

Transitions are the various ways in which a child or family may switch into, within, or out of the preschool system during a child’s early learning experience. Transitions may include switching between preschool classrooms or teacher/provider, transitioning from one learning support to another, or moving up into kindergarten.Equitable ...

Q15. Do transition activities meet the needs of families from focal populations?

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Q16. Are children from focal populations reaching developmental and learning milestones when transitioning to kindergarten?

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Administration

Administration encompasses the policies, processes, and infrastructure that facilitate how preschool systems operate, as well as the individual(s) who lead the preschool system. Administrative activities may include establishing regulations applied to all programs in the system, acquiring and distributing available funding for programs, or providing systemwide training to ...

Q17. Are families from focal populations and workforce members engaged in shared leadership?

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Q18. Are there funding mechanisms to support equitable experiences for children, families, and workforce members?

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Q19. Is there system-level guidance for how to support equitable experiences for children, families, and workforce members?

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Q20. Are there mechanisms to support equitable experiences for workforce members from focal populations?

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Download the Framework publications

STEP Forward with Data Framework Report: This comprehensive report describes the rationale for developing a unifying data framework for preschool systems, the goals of the Framework, and guidance for preparing to use it. It also provides a PDF version of the full Framework, with full descriptions of the preschool system steps, essential questions, metrics, suggested measures, level of data collected, and example data sources. A glossary of the terms is also included.

STEP Forward with Data Framework At a Glance: This concise resource offers an overview of the Framework, including a description of the six preschool system steps and 20 essential questions.

STEP Forward with Data Framework Metrics: This spreadsheet is a one-stop shop for all of the recommended metrics from the STEP Forward with Data Framework. Users can use the spreadsheet to filter, isolate, or adapt metrics for their own needs.

Step Forward with Data Framework Implementation Guide: This guide was designed specifically for preschool system leaders who plan to use the STEP Forward with Data Framework. It includes a series of exercises and tools for leaders and their community partners as they apply the Framework to their own unique systems.

The STEP Forward with Data Framework was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The content contained within this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Learn how to use the STEP Forward with Data Framework

Click Here

Suggested Citation: Lin, V., Hackett, S.E., Richards, D., King, C., & Bredeson, M. (2024). System Transformation for Equitable Preschools (STEP Forward with Data) Framework. Child Trends. https://doi.org/10.56417/7986y3601e

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