Since its inception in Utah in 2009, Waterford Upstart has grown to serve over 90,000 children across 28 states. Early-childhood education has valuable lessons to share with K-12. Your child will love learning with fun activities that teach reading, math, and moreall at no cost to you. A score of 80 or higher within the Waterford Early Reading Program represents mastery, which is the goal of the cognitively based Waterford Upstart program. . Oklahoma is one of a handful of states offering universal pre-K. ), It was an internal struggle for me, Ms. Molina said. This is not a program for children of the rich, who are generally enrolled in play-based preschools that last at least several hours. As the economic chasm in the United States grows, who gets access to human interaction is becoming a stark dividing line through every stage of life. There are no income or geographic restrictions. That has pushed statehouses and city managers to search for other options. In this way, we have achieved regional and statewide scaling successfully with high fidelity and consistently strong results. Its all these things that everybody knows is quality.. Otherwise, there are a handful of private day cares. Step 1: Create your free Waterford Upstart account.Step 2: Submit an application to enroll your child in the program. The program is meant to be used a minimum of 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Families are also given support through a family coach and tips to continue engaging their children offline. How does that work? Children in the program can learn nursery rhymes and letter sounds at home, with just a computer. I spoke with Dr. LaTasha Hadley, Waterford Upstarts vice president of state partnerships, about the program and its work, especially in the face of the challenges posed by COVID-19. Utah-based Waterford.org is bridging the gap through its kindergarten readiness program Waterford UPSTART. Universal pre-K is growing in popularity. compared to a 65% average nationwide and 48% for low-income children. Even though more families are turning to remote learning this year, the pandemic has also limited Waterford's ability to recruit in person. North Carolina was funded at $6.1 million. The results of the first year of the Waterford Upstart pilot are exceptional. In addition to the resource library, eligible families get: Want some one-on-one help getting your child enrolled?Reach outwere here to help! Who pays for Waterford Upstart? Learn from districts about their MTSS success stories and challenges. The Waterford Upstart Skills Check uses a powerful tool called the Waterford Assessment of Core Skills (WACS) to measure your child's initial reading abilities and show their progress. In the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, an at-home solution like Waterford Upstart has proven to be not only effective in educating our youngest learners, but also a necessity for many families, said Claudia Miner, Waterford Upstart executive director and cofounder. Not surprisingly, many early-education experts balk at the idea of preschool online. Also, the software itself conducts ongoing assessment, then adapts and reinforces lessons to ensure a childs mastery of each skill encountered. Waterford Upstart FAQ To learn more about Waterford Upstart, check out our FAQ here. Instead, we seek to improve access to early-childhood education, particularly where access to transportation hinders access; where families choose not to send young children to site-based preschool; where English is not the primary household language; where children need an additional cognitive boost; where children are wait listed for site-based programs; or where children and their families face the technology gap because they have never had access to a computer. Step 1: Create your account using the form aboveyoull get immediate access to thousands of online early learning activities from our resource library.Step 2: Submit an application to enroll your child in a free Waterford Upstart program. Waterford UPSTART will provide a FREE Chromebook (which families may keep upon completion of the program if all requirements are met), as well as internet while families are enrolled in the program (must qualify). The program has been piloted in 29 states and Navajo Nationand is currently being implemented through public funding in 13 states. So when Waterford reached out to him this year, he was curious. Families are given the tools they need to be their childs first and most influential teachers, including a computer and internet at no cost. The state of Wisconsin wants to invest in your childs future, so they have funded the Waterford Upstart online PreK learning program for four-year-olds and others in the year before they enter kindergarten. An Online Preschool Closes a Gap but Exposes Another, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/07/technology/preschool-online-waterford-upstart.html. Thu., March 30, 2023, 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. The first is through measuring early-literacy skill gains, both overall and within subcategories, from the beginning to the end of the program using the computerized adaptive Waterford Assessment of Core Skills test. Spots are limited. Waterford.org is a BBB Accredited Charity with programs supported by a variety of governmental and philanthropic organizations, including support from a federal EIR grant, The Studio @ Blue Meridian, and TEDs Audacious Project. Call 888-982-9898 or email [email protected]. LaTasha: We measure the success of family involvement by how regularly the child is using the program. MTSS is a powerful framework for supporting student success, but implementation can be challenging. MANCHESTER, N.H. Adding literacy to its lineup, the New Hampshire. More than 150,000 children have used Waterford Upstart across the country Families spend 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week on early literacy skills with their children Upstart grads achieve 2-3x the learning gains compared to their peers A Recognized and Trusted Program Featured In Educational Certifications Get Started! Completing a final assessment of the Waterford Upstart program. Step 2: Submit an application to enroll your child in a free Waterford Upstart program. Miner said, and the program has spread to states including Delaware, Mississippi and Wyoming. Families who have children heading into kindergarten in 2022 can apply by going to www.waterfordupstart.org. We also provide written materials and activities to encourage parents and guardians to engage with their child and support their childs learning offline. The NDDPI Selecting a Comprehensive Preschool Curriculum is designed to aid early childhood educators in choosing an effective pre-kindergarten curriculum that is appropriate for their program's staff and children and a curriculum that supports developmentally appropriate practice. [email protected] 970-560-0856 He said Waterford Upstart would give participants a computer that they would keep, plus internet service for the duration of the program. When your children sit down to use the program, theyre going to learn with games, with songs and puzzles, he told the audience. But options are thin. All rights reserved. This provides families with information about their childs usage and progress, as well as three weekly messages with personalized, targeted information and ideas to help them support their childs learning. Children develop foundational reading and social-emotional skills, and families are empowered to become their child's first and most influential teachers. Waterford.org recommends that children in PreK and kindergarten use Waterford for at least 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week and that children in 1st grade and above use Waterford for at least 30 minut Correlations View downloadable PDFs for correlations related to Waterford curriculum. Families who have children heading to kindergarten in 2022 can apply by going to www.waterfordupstart.org. Waterford Upstart is an in-home, kindergarten readiness program that provides positive parent-child interactions while delivering personalized, online instruction 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Ninety-one percent of the 200 participants graduated the program at Kindergarten Beginning, or above. The entire Waterford Upstart summer program, including educational songs, activities, and curriculum, will be provided online, with additional virtual coaching and support for parents. K12. One of her children, Jameson, will graduate from the program on Wednesday. Then, parents and guardians complete training on how to help their child be successful with Waterford Upstart, and children take a short preprogram assessment. Independent research shows the average Waterford Upstart graduate enters kindergarten reading at nearly a first-grade level and maintains those gains through the fourth grade. Waterford Upstart is an in-home, early education program that prepares four-year-old children for kindergarten. As the event wrapped up, Mr. Cardenas cleaned the room. We empower parents as a childs first teacher, and we support teachers in taking the right actions at the right time for their students. The group is funded by state legislatures;. We will always recommend, "My daughter has grown leaps and bounds amidst her learning disabilities. Waterford.org is a 501(c)(3)organization, and gifts aretax deductible as allowed by law. Income earned from being a shareholder in a corporation or partnership. Address: 4246 Riverboat Rd, Taylorsville, UT 84123. Read more from this blog. Please remember, though, that the English language version is considered the most accurate. Our Waterford.org software is accessible to students and educators using either our downloadable mobile application, Waterford Reading Academy, on supported mobile devices listed below, or in the desktop browser experience in accordance with the supported minimum requirements listed below. This state funding means it costs you nothing! Called Waterford Upstart and run by a nonprofit group, Waterford.org, it has children spend 15 minutes a day, five days a week over the course of nine months, tapping through lessons on a computer. Internal Storage: 8GB Peripherals: Sturdy headset with microphone Android: Camera 2 Mpx, Screen Size 7+ Chromebook Hardware Requirements Here are the states that have already established universal preschool programs or policies. Find a Waterford Upstart program in your area. Trust, Pension, Disability, Retirement, or Social Security income Rick: How does signing up for Waterford Upstart work? Waterford Upstart System Requirements Windows PC Hardware Requirements Apple Mac Hardware Requirements Chromebook At this time, mobile support is not available for Waterford Upstart. Follow along for learning tips and resources! The parent guides are available in English and Spanish. State leaders are using federal funds to help families prepare their 4-year-olds for kindergarten. Password must be at least 8 characters long and contain at least 1 uppercase letter and at least 1 number. Waterford Upstart also fuels family involvement in their childs early education through family coaches and fun educational activities parents can complete with their children offline. So they pulled Jose out of the day care. So Mr. Cardenas recently seized on an unusual preschool alternative that a group from Utah presented to him. This is something that I have never seen before, he said. Address: 4246 Riverboat Rd, Taylorsville, UT 84123. Isaac Troyo, the director of national Upstart implementations, spoke for 30 minutes explaining how it worked, first in English and then in Spanish. Copyright 2019North Dakota Department of Public Instruction- 600 East Boulevard Ave Dept 201| Bismarck, ND 58505-0440 | (701) 328-2260, Approved Assessment List for Early Entry to Kindergarten. View downloadable PDFs for correlations related to Waterford curriculum. ", "This was exactly what our family needed for a jump start to kindergarten. Waterford Upstart has been rigorously tested and proven, earning the program a federal EIR grant and the title of a TED Audacious project. Families are given the tools they need to be their child's first and most influential teachers, including a computer and internet at no cost. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Waterford Upstart has been rigorously tested and proven, earning the program a federal EIR grant and the title of a TED Audacious project. Dr. Ohio children now have an option to prepare for kindergarten at home at no cost to families. Copyright 2022 Waterford.org. Please note a filed tax return is required for verification. universal prekindergarten prominently on their agendas, think critically about rapid advances in artificial intelligence, children experienced learning deficits during the Covid-19 pandemic, when students change their name, pronouns or gender expression at school, grants from the federal Department of Education. Recommended CPU: 64-bit Recommended RAM: 2GB Product performance may suffer when below recommended level. (Her husband now works at a grocery store. Rick: What does the program cost for families? Copyright 2022 Waterford.org. If you don't have an email address, call us at. Tue., March 07, 2023, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.