---
title: Teachstone's Comments to the Office of Head Start
description: Read Teachstone's official comments to the Office of Head Start that discusses improving the implementation of CLASS in observation monitoring and more.
image: https://info.teachstone.com/hubfs/DSC_9006.jpg
---

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- The CLASS Framework
  
    - [What is CLASS](https://teachstone.com/class/)
    - [CLASS 2nd Edition](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition/)
    - [For Leaders](https://teachstone.com/leaders/)
    - [For Observers](https://teachstone.com/for-observers/)
    - [For Coaches](https://teachstone.com/for-coaches/)
    - [For Educators](https://teachstone.com/for-educators/)
    - [For CLASS Affiliates](https://teachstone.com/for-class-affiliates/)
    - [For Head Start](https://teachstone.com/headstart/)
    - [Research](https://teachstone.com/research/)
- Products and Trainings
  
    - [Getting Started with CLASS](https://teachstone.com/getting-started-with-class/)
      
          - [CLASS® 2nd Edition Infant-Toddler](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition-infant-toddler/)
          - [CLASS® 2nd Edition Pre-K-3rd](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition-pre-k-3rd/)
          - [CLASS Overview for Leaders](https://teachstone.com/a-class-overview-for-leaders/)
          - [CLASS 2nd Edition Intro to Interactions for Educators](https://teachstone.com/intro-to-interactions-for-educators/)
    - [CLASS Environment](https://teachstone.com/class-environment/)
      
          - [CLASS Environment Observer Training](https://teachstone.com/class-environment/#environment-observer-training)
          - [CLASS Environment Overview for Educators](https://teachstone.com/class-environment/#environment-educator-training)
    - Observer Training & Certification
      
          - [CLASS Train-the-Trainer Affiliate Program](https://teachstone.com/class-train-the-trainer/)
          - [CLASS Affiliate Trainer Recertification](https://store.teachstone.com/trainer-recertification-new/)
          - [CLASS 2nd Edition Measurement Trainer Program](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-measurement-trainer/)
          - [CLASS Observer Recertification](https://store.teachstone.com/observer-recertification-new/?showHidden=true)
          - [CLASS Observation Certification Training](https://teachstone.com/class-observation-training/)
    - [Transition Supports](https://teachstone.com/class-observer-supports/)
      
          - [CLASS Group Coaching Transition Training](https://teachstone.com/class-group-coaching-transition-training/)
          - [CLASS 2nd Edition Observer Transition Training](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-observer-transition-training/)
          - [CLASS 2nd Edition Trainer Transition Training](https://teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition-trainer-transition-training/)
          - [CLASS Trainer Add-Ons](https://teachstone.com/trainer-add-ons/)
    - [Program Services & Support](https://teachstone.com/program-services-support/)
      
          - [CLASS Coding Support](https://teachstone.com/coding-support/)
          - [CLASS Quality Improvement Subscription **New!**](https://teachstone.com/myteachstone/)
          - [CLASS Observation Services](https://teachstone.com/class-observation-services/)
          - [Custom Events by Teachstone](https://teachstone.com/custom-events/)
          - [Meaningful Interactions at Home](https://teachstone.com/meaningful-interactions-at-home/)
    - Coach Trainings & Certification
      
          - [CLASS Group Coaching](https://teachstone.com/class-group-coaching/)
          - [1-1 Video Coaching](https://teachstone.com/1-1-video-coaching/)
          - [Instructional Support for Coaches](https://teachstone.com/coach-feedback/)
          - [Interaction Essentials Trainer Program](https://teachstone.com/interaction-essentials-trainer-program/)
    - [Professional Development for Educators](https://teachstone.com/professional-development-for-educators/)
      
          - [Banking Time: Investing in Relationships](https://teachstone.com/banking-time/)
          - [CDA with CLASS](https://teachstone.com/cda-programs/)
          - [Instructional Support Essentials for Teachers](https://teachstone.com/instructional-support-essentials-for-teachers/)
          - [Interaction Essentials for Educators](https://teachstone.com/interaction-essentials-for-educators/)
    - [CLASS Supplies](https://teachstone.com/class-supplies/)
      
          - [CLASS Dictionary](https://store.teachstone.com/class-dictionary/)
          - [CLASS Interactions Dimension Guide](https://store.teachstone.com/class-dimensions-guide/)
          - [CLASS Manuals](https://store.teachstone.com/class-2nd-edition-pre-k-3-manual-options/)
          - [CLASS Observation Score Sheets](https://store.teachstone.com/score-sheets/)
          - [CLASS Strategy Cards](https://store.teachstone.com/class-strategy-cards/)
          - [CLASS Support Kits](https://teachstone.com/class-support-kits/)
- Resources
  
    - [Resource Library](https://teachstone.com/resources/)
    - [Blog](https://info.teachstone.com/blog)
      
          - [Blog (Spanish)](https://info.teachstone.com/blog-en-esp?hsLang=en-us)
          - [Blog (French)](https://casiope.org/categorie/class/)
    - [Upcoming Events](https://teachstone.com/upcoming-events/)
    - [Community](https://community.teachstone.com/home)
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# Teachstone's Comments to the Office of Head Start

 February 6 2018 by [Amy Stephens Cubbage](https://info.teachstone.com/blog/author/amy-stephens-cubbage)

- [Head Start](https://info.teachstone.com/blog/topic/head-start)
- [Announcements](https://info.teachstone.com/blog/topic/announcements)

![](https://info.teachstone.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DSC_9006.jpg?width=519&height=300&name=DSC_9006.jpg)

Greetings! One of my New Year’s resolutions is to blog more than last year. While I’m not the most prolific, when I do post, please know it comes from the heart. And, there’s nothing I’m more passionate about than Head Start and its mission to support young children and families through a program of comprehensive services that can move mountains for our most vulnerable young children.

When I was a National Head Start Fellow, I got to know the then staff serving at the Head Start Bureau (now the Office of Head Start, or OHS) in DC. I found out OHS was filled with dedicated child advocates who shared my lifelong passion to ensure all young children have the opportunities to thrive and succeed in this wonderful yet challenging world. It's a world that is undeniably more challenging for some more than others, especially young children starting life in poverty. While the staff may have changed a bit, the commitment from OHS to give young children the best “head start” in life continues.

We applaud OHS for its recent [request for information](http://hsicc.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/j/AD840E919E96ADB92540EF23F30FEDED/09CAA9DF7E6C2F27775FA7C4C6318CD9), proposing changes and asking for feedback and fresh ideas on how to redesign and strengthen the Designation Renewal System (DRS) to improve transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness. I’m pleased to share our comments (attached) submitted to OHS on the proposed changes to the use of CLASS® in Head Start monitoring and in the DRS.

Some key recommendations in our comments:

- Strengthen the support of CLASS observers to improve reliability and fidelity to observation protocol
- Improve implementation of the CLASS in monitoring, including recommendations for a pre-observation survey; additional training for observing in programs serving distinct populations, including training to understand cultural and linguistic appropriateness; and implementation of an appeals process
- Maintain and strengthen minimum thresholds of quality and better align with the current CLASS averages in Head Start programs
- Eliminate the bottom 10% rule and encourage continuous quality improvement (CQI) with a 3-tiered approach, including a quality improvement condition, maintaining individual domain scores to help with CQI and professional development, and institute interim CLASS observations, as needed
- Include Infant and Toddler CLASS in the monitoring of Early Head Start programs as all grants move to serving birth to five and focus on providing high-quality teacher-child interactions aligned across the birth to five continuum

Please [review our comments](https://info.teachstone.com/hubfs/TS%20Comments%20to%20OHS%20020618.pdf?hsLang=en-us) and share your thoughts/questions with me. I look forward to hearing from you.

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