LCSD Head Start CLASS Scores Rank High Nationally

The Lake County School District Head Start preschool program at The Center learned some exciting news last week about the performance of its teachers. During the 2012-2013 school year, the Center had its triennial onsite Federal review for Head Start. During this week-long visit, all classrooms were scored by an outside observer using the CLASS tool. The Center teachers’ CLASS scores were outstanding in all areas.

The Center, housed at Pitts Elementary School, serves three- to five-year olds in Lake County and provides a school readiness program as well as childcare; programs are funded through multiple sources, including federal Head Start funding and state Colorado Preschool Program funding. CLASS stands for Classroom Assessment Scoring System and is a tool that is specifically designed to measure observed teacher-child interactions. There are three main domains that are scored during a CLASS observation: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support. There are more specific dimensions within each of these larger domains.

The CLASS scores at The Center in April of 2013 ranked very well as compared to the National Average scores of all other Head Start programs assessed during on-site reviews in 2013. The Center was above the top 10 percent in the area of Classroom Support and very close to the top 10 percent for both Emotional Support and Instructional Support. Learn more about the CLASS tool at www.teachstone.com. Congratulations to all of our wonderful preschool teachers!