​Since 2017, through the Resilient Oakland Communities and Kids (ROCK) initiative, Oakland Starting Smart and Strong (OSSS) has been building knowledge about resilience, trauma and its impact on children, and self-care for educators. Examples of ROCK supports for early childhood educators include: in person and virtual trainings, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), educator coaching, yoga, and self care resources.

A survey of OUSD early childhood educators conducted by OSSS in 2022 has revealed the positive impact of these ROCK supports, with survey respondents reporting widespread use of many trauma-responsive classroom strategies. The survey was conducted in English, Spanish and Cantonese, and 43 educators representing 68% of OUSD’s early childhood sites participated.

​​Notably, educators who participated in PLC sessions held substantially more positive beliefs about their students, jobs and themselves compared to those who did not attend a PLC. ROCK PLCs offer educators an opportunity to delve deeper into trauma-informed resilience and self-care strategies, through intensive collaboration and exchange of knowledge and best practices.

Additional key takeaways from the survey include:

• 70% of respondents have been teaching and caring for children 0-5 for eleven years or more, bringing a depth of experience and expertise to their sites.
• Educators throughout OUSD ECE are using a variety of trauma-informed strategies to support children in their classrooms. 
• Respondents expressed very positive feelings around self-efficacy at work, responses to problem behavior and symptoms, and underlying causes of problem behavior and symptoms. 

Please read Nurturing Positive Beliefs About Students, Jobs and Selves, our survey results summary, and email us your thoughts and questions at info@oaklandsmartandstrong.org. OSSS will be releasing a report this summer describing the evolution of ROCK over the years, including practical resources for educators and school leaders to both launch and continue the program at desired sites - stay tuned!

OSSS and our partners collected our third round of Early Development Instrument (EDI) data  in February. The EDI is a neighborhood-level snapshot of how systems are supporting Kindergarten children’s health, development, and school readiness. The results can inform neighborhood-based planning to hold systems accountable for the well-being of young children. 

OSSS and OUSD previously collected and analyzed EDI data in 2017 and 2020 with the support of UCLA. For each round of the EDI, every OUSD kindergarten teacher is asked to complete surveys about each of their students, assessing how systems support children in these developmental domains:

• Physical Health and Well-Being
• Social Competence
• Emotional Maturity
• Language & Cognition
• General Knowledge and Communication

The 2023 EDI data will be analyzed and ready for use by late summer 2023. 

To dig into the 2017 and 2020  data, take a look at the Oakland EDI Data Dashboard. OSSS, OUSD, and our community partners have used the EDI in many ways, including applying for and receiving the Emerging Bilingual Collaborative grant to support Dual Language Learners, increasing Social and Emotional Supports in OUSD Early Learning, supporting the San Antonio Family Resource Center’s (FRC) Parent Action Team’s advocacy for San Antonio Park, and informing the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth’s strategic plan.  Read more here about our many uses of the data.

In preparation for EDI 2023, OSSS and OUSD made some exciting new changes:

• In August 2022, OUSD sent the Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (CHEQ) parent/caregiver survey to the families of all OUSD kindergarteners. 46% of students had a parent/caregiver fill out the survey. The results of the CHEQ were shared with Kindergarten teachers, so they could better plan around the strengths and needs of their students throughout their school year. The CHEQ and EDI data together reflect both family and teacher perspectives on children’s development, providing a more well-rounded view of the supports students have received to be ready for school.
• In fall 2022, OSSS reviewed and updated the EDI Custom Questions. While most of the EDI survey questions are predetermined, each community has the option to include five custom questions tailored to their city’s unique priorities. With the input of the Data Committee and  OUSD Kindergarten Transitions Teacher Leaders, the EDI 2023 custom questions address housing security, communication with families, and access to services/supports. These questions are designed to hold systems accountable for providing place-based supports to meet the needs of children and families. 
• This winter, we are drafting Oakland ECEcosystems City District Profiles, which we will update with EDI 2023 data. These city district profiles will feature EDI and other early childhood data, and be a resource for elected officials and community advocates to support equitable resource allocation for Oakland’s children, families, and early educators.

To learn more about the Oakland EDI, take a look at:

• “EDI in Community” blog post
• EDI Dashboard 
• Data Into Action EDI 2020 Guide
• ECEcosystems Zone Profiles
• Oakland EDI Anti-Racism Memo
• Sample EDI Questionnaire