5th Annual Illinois Birth-to-Third Grade (B3) Continuity Conference

The B-3 Continuity Conference welcomes school districts and community leaders working towards birth-to-third grade alignment strategies in their community. The conference provides an opportunity for community teams to come together to learn and explore best practices for birth-to-third grade alignment strategies. General sessions focus on systems alignment work and particular focus on strengthening preschool programs. Multiple breakout sessions will be provided to target key strategies for those serving children across the zero-to-age-eight continuum (check out the forthcoming agenda to see sessions geared toward different stakeholders). Additionally, communities are given structured time to connect within their local teams to think critically about work happening locally.

The conference provides a great opportunity to connect with others across the state also focused on the birth-to-third grade continuum. Communities that have participated in the past can testify that the conference has created a community of B-3 practice that supports their everyday work.

Conference Goals

Sustained and aligned early childhood programs, birth through third grade (B-3), have the potential to be an educational game-changer. To support this work, the Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development (OECD), the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and the Center for the Study of Education Policy (CSEP), is pleased to announce an opportunity for community and school leaders to participate in the Illinois Birth Through Third Grade (B-3) Continuity Conference.

The Illinois Birth-to-Third (B-3) Continuity Project is hosting its fifth and final conference. The B-3 Conference is open to school districts and community leaders working towards birth-to-third grade alignment strategies in their community. Communities are encouraged to come as teams with representatives from early childhood, K-12 schools, and the broader community. Entities holding Preschool Expansion Grants and Preschool for All Expansion Grants should be included within applying communities.

Conference Themes: This conference is collaboratively planned by CSEP, ISBE and OECD to build the capacity of early childhood and elementary education staff to provide informed leadership about research-based practices to develop an effective system of supports and services for children birth-through-third grade.

1. Expand knowledge of developmentally appropriate educational practices across the birth through third grade continuum with a focus on sustainable and cost-effective implementation that involves leveraging resources among schools and the community to build a continuum of high-quality early learning environments.
2. Enhance their understanding of the structures, practices and supports needed to increase alignment within and across communities and school districts to best support children and families, including family engagement that continues into the early grades, supported transitions, data-driven improvement, joint professional development, curriculum and instruction, assessments, comprehensive services and community partnerships.
3. Identify technical assistance needs and resources to enhance their community’s capacity and to prepare and support children and families from birth through third grade. Learn from experts and colleagues in an inclusive and dynamic forum to network, share information and build skills.

RFP Breakout Sessions

An open RFP was conducted for breakout sessions. Proposals from all eight B-3 strategies are welcome. Sessions should be developed so that a dialogue about B-3 topics is created. RFP's are no longer being accepted.

The B-3 Continuity Project is extremely excited to be partnering with the ISBE KIDS Support team to offer an Administrator's Academy in conjunction with the 2019 B-3 Continuity Conference. There is no cost for the academy but administrators wishing to participate will need to separately register for the credits. Content across the two days is designed for administrators of kindergarten and preschool programs. Participants will learn how a developmentally appropriate classroom using a play-based learning model is purposefully and intentionally planned by teachers to address standards. Explicit connections to Danielson domains will be addressed. Registration, learning objectives, course materials, and other details are posted online. Registration for the Administrator's Academy is now closed.

The B-3 Continuity Conference is open to school districts and community leaders working towards birth-to-third grade alignment strategies in their community. Communities are encouraged to come as teams with representatives from early-childhood, K-12 schools, and the broader community. As the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has placed emphasis on the importance of an aligned B-3 system within Preschool for All Communities, entities holding Preschool Expansion Grants and Preschool for All Expansion Grants should be included within applying communities. A lead organization should collaborate with partners to submit an application with all attendees from their community.

Districts or communities are encouraged to bring a team of 2-5 stakeholders to the Conference. Communities that are working with multiple districts may bring a team composed of educators and community members representing the community work as a whole. Examples of appropriate team members include: superintendent/assistant superintendent, school board member, elementary principal, kindergarten and PreK-teachers, child care center directors, Head Start director, Early Childhood coordinator, Community Schools Resource Coordinator, Innovation Zone Coordinator, Before/After School partners, community-based partner(s), municipal staff, United Way staff.

There are no fees for attending the conference, but participants are responsible for their own up-front travel costs and meals (no meals are provided by the conference). A block of rooms at discounted rates has been reserved at the Double Tree Bloomington, IL. The room block is under the group name "ISU - Birth through Third Grade" and group code "BTT". Rooms may be booked online or by calling (309) 664-6446. The special room rate will be available until May 21st or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first.

Participants will need to book and pay for room on their own; however, for existing Expansion Communities hotel costs are eligible for reimbursement after receipts and appropriate, provided forms are handed in. If the conference were to reach capacity expansion communities will also be given preference for available openings. All registrants will be notified in April regarding conference space and to finalize their teams.

The Partner Plan Act Conference will take place the day before the the B-3 Continuity Conference on June 11, 2019, also at the Double Tree Hotel. This annual conference brings early childhood system stakeholders to learn, network, and deepen their community systems knowledge and skills. Content between this conference and the B-3 Continuity Conference is designed to compliment each other and some team members might find it beneficial to attend all three days of content. This year's theme is Equity from the Start: Community Systems Development through a Racial Equity Lens. Separate registration is required. More details can be found on the Partner Plan Act Conference website.

Tuesday, June 11

Partner Plan Act Conference

Full Agenda and Speaker List

Wednesday, June 12

7:30-9:30 am	Administrators’ Academy Pre-session
9-10:00 am	Registration
10:00 am	Welcome, Introduction, Conference Goal Setting B-3 Continuity Project: Maintaining the Momentum
10:15 am	Key Note: Blythe Keeler Robinson School Readiness & Ready Schools: Building & Maintaining Authentic Partnerships for Our Children to Succeed
11:30 am	Guided Community Collaborative Time
12:00 pm	Lunch
1:15 pm	Breakout Sessions (4 options) Developmentally Appropriate Practices and Illinois Learning Standards Mastering KIDS: Voices From the Field Building a Collective Data Muscle: A practical workshop for using data to inform collaborative work Data Protocol Packet Bridging the Transition through Collaboration: Strategies to help families thrive
2:30 pm	General Plenary: The Transformative Journey towards Excellent Practices in Birth to Third Grade Facilitated by: Pat Chamberlian, Julie Kallenbach, & Lisa Hood Illinois Resources for Excellent Practices
3:30 pm	Break
3:45 pm	Networking Session: Attendees will have an opportunity to connect with others in similar roles to themselves. Connecting with GOECD's PDG B-5 Staff Zooming Out: A Systems Approach to Sustaining B-3 Alignment Reflections with Blythe CS3 - Community Systems
5:00 pm	Happy Hour (cash bar)

Thursday, June 13

8:30 am	Welcome – State Updates
8:45 am	Breakout Sessions (4 options) Connecting Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) to Danielson Smarter not Harder: Using MTSS and Data to improve outcomes for PreK-3rd Grade Children and Families Ready for Success Network: A Roadmap for Early Childhood Collaboration The Power of Rhythm to Regulate
10:00 am	Breakout Sessions (4 options) Play as Method of Instruction Cultivating Leadership for Equity in Early Learning: The Illinois Racial Equity Leaders Cohort The Early Development Instrument (EDI): Using Shared Early Childhood Data for Community Planning What I am learning as a sole family support in my program and what I wish I was told from the get-go
11:15 am	Community Debrief Session & Resources
11:45 am	Lunch
1:00 pm	Breakout Sessions (4 options) Action Planning for DAP Implementation Playing with Numbers: Family Engagement in Early Math Early Education Essentials: Strengthening Organizational Conditions across the Educational Continuum Early Education Essentials Definitions Early Education Essentials Report 2018 Sharing Developmental Concerns with Families to Impact Informed Family Decision Making A Guide to Early Intervention Services in Illinois Standardized Illinois Early Intervention Referral Form Illinois Early Intervention Program Referral Fax Back Form
2:15 pm	General Plenary: Illinois B-3 Systems Moving Forward Moderated by Cristina Pacione-Zayas, PhD from the Erikson Institute with a panel including ISBE, a School District, a Head Start program and a Prevention Initiative Program Illinois Risk and Reach Report Why the K-12 World hasn't Embrace Early Learning
3:15 pm	Closing