Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine Indiana's progress and commitment to promoting quality early childhood education. The researcher used the recommendations found in Right From the Start: The Report of the National Association of State Boards of Education Task Force on Early Childhood Education to assess Indiana's early childhood educational system.The report, Right from the Start, is the product of a yearlong study conducted by National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) task force on Early Childhood Education (NASBE, 1988). Right from the Start is targeted at how state policy makers and public school leaders can improve the critical first years of education for children.Me questions guiding this study were: (a) What does the state of Indiana do to promote quality early childhood education? (b) Now that Right From the Start has been in publication for seven years, what steps has the state of Indiana taken to implement the recommendations outlined in Right From the Start?'The researcher devised a questionnaire based on the recommendations given in Right From the Start. A pilot study for the questionnaire was conducted with the Superintendent of the Delaware Community School Corporation. Using the results from the pilot study, the researcher then revised the questionnaire and sent it to an early childhood education representative from the Indiana State Board of Education. The questionnaire was completed and returned in October 1995.The results of the questionnaire are presented and discussed. In addition, the implications of the study, pertaining to early childhood education in the state of Indiana, are also discussed.
