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Nevada has been working towards B-3rd alignment for over 10 years. The purpose of B-3 is to improve the quality and coherence of children's learning opportunities and encompasses the range of children's learning experiences from birth (pre-school) through third grade. It is not a mixed bag of initiatives or programs, but rather requires intentional planning, formally designed strategies, and explicit leadership and support. It includes strategies to align curriculum, assessment, and instructional practices across this continuum. Key elements or buckets include: Cross-sector work, Administrator Effectiveness, Teacher Effectiveness, Instructional Tools, Learning Environments, Data-Driven Improvement, Engaged Families, and Continuity and Pathways.

Linked below are several of Nevada's current B-3 projects:

P-3 Leadership Academy (Administrators)

The Nevada P3 Leadership Academy Certificate cohort program is a joint partnership between the Office of Early Learning and Development at NDE and the National P3 Center. This 10-month fully online preschool through 3rd grade (P-3) leadership program provides timely, intentional professional learning for working administrators who want to deepen their understanding of child development, school leadership, and learning opportunities that dismantle historic inequities. Individuals and teams are invited to apply!

• Applications for Cohort 5 will be open in March 2025. Contact Anna Severens for more information.
• If you missed the application window this year, please sign up on our interest list to be notified when applications open again the following year.

**Want to hear what other Nevada administrators have to say about the program? Click here to read current and past participant's comments.

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Annual P3 Summer Retreat

The inaugural Nevada Preschool to 3rd Grade (P-3) Summer Leadership Retreat will convene statewide early care and education leaders on the summer of 2025, to build administrator capacity and advance Nevada's Birth to 3rd Grade Approach in Action statewide. This event is designed as a continuation of support and networking from the Nevada P3 Leadership Academy program. For more information, please contact Anna Severens aseverens@doe.nv.gov.

Early Childhood Endorsement:

This Early Childhood Endorsement opportunity is being offered statewide to provide graduate level courses for in-service teachers working to receive an Early Childhood Endorsement on their current K-8 license. Applicants for the endorsement program would have ideally taught Kindergarten or below for at least one year. The cohort group will take all four low cost courses offered in one school year with weekly synchronous meetings followed by asynchronous assignments.

The four courses are:

• Early Childhood Development and Learning
• Play Theory and Creativity
• Early Childhood Curriculum
• Early Childhood Classroom Management

Upon completion of all four courses, participants can submit the credits to NDE to add an Early Childhood Endorsement on their current K-8 license which allows certified teachers to teach children 0-8 years of age (infant through 2nd grade). To add your name for the interest list for the Early Childhood Endorsement program please submit your name to the interest list here. The endorsement programs are run through Nevada's Regional Professional Development program and are offered at a low cost through Southern Utah University.

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Nevada Early Learning Institute.

The Early Learning Institute (ELI) is an annual professional development opportunity for Nevada pre-K-12 teachers and administrators. This virtual conference is held over a multi week period. Participants can earn up to 4 credits (60 hours), 20 CUs in CCSD, and counts for salary advancement in Clark, Washoe, and many Nevada School Districts as well as charter schools.

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Regional Professional Development

• The Northwest Regional Professional Development Program (NWRPDP), in accordance with Nevada Revised statutes, is committed to elevate student performance by providing sustained professional learning for educators. They strive to build productive regional partnerships and make a positive impact with all of our pursuits. NWRPDP offers high quality teacher professional development on a range of topics. NWRPDP services the following counties in Nevada: Carson, Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, Storey, and Washoe. Browse through NWRPDP's training calendar here.

• The Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program also has a training calendar and services the following counties: Clark, Mineral, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Nye.

• The Northeastern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program (NNRPDP) services the following Nevada counties: Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Pershing, and White Pine. NNRPDP creates and presents professional development for teachers, administrators, and districts in their desired area of growth, and we are located where you are! We work with participants in their own schools or classrooms to improve student learning through improved teaching. You might consider professional development services at any of these levels:

  • District-wide: Initiatives led by district goals provide long-term, collaboratively planned instruction over several weeks or semesters
  • School-based: Seminars provide focused, actionable strategies and knowledge to meet individual schools’ particular goals and outcomes
  • Teacher growth: Individual and small group collaboration and coaching for teachers who have specific areas of interest for growth
  • We collaboratively custom design your professional development in single and multi-part sessions to meet your needs!

OELD Listserv

• OELD uses a listserv to send out information, announcements, and engagement opportunities to those individuals who have subscribed to the OELD Listserv. Join our listserv to stay up to date!

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Kindergarten Policy Statement.

• This statement strives to empower teachers and classroom implementation through an evidence based approach and sharing of best practices to help bridge the gap between 0-5 (pre-school) and K-3rd pedagogy and classroom instruction to increase student learning outcomes and engagement.

Pillars of the P-3 Promise

• The Nevada P-3 State Leadership Team convened for the National P-3 Institute in the fall of 2023. Representatives on this team included NDE State Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent of Student Achievement, OELD, CCSD Chief Academic Officer, WCSD Superintendent, NWRPDP Director, WCSD Administrator, NCSD administrator, UNR faculty member, and WCSD Board of Trustee member. The team identified the following 4 priority areas to guide this work forward in Nevada as the Pillars of the P-3 Promise:

1. Name the priority,
2. Transitional Kindergarten (TK) programs;
3. Professional learning series; and
4. P-3 light houses or model classrooms.

Early Educator of the Year Award

• The Early Educator of the Year award is open to teachers working with infants through preschool (age 5) students. Take a moment to nominate an exceptional teacher by using the form here.