The SEFEL (Social Emotional Foundations of Early Learning) Pyramid Model for Social Emotional competence in Young Children is a developmentally appropriate, evidence framework designed to promote social and emotional competence in young children ages birth to 5.
This article describes the CSEFEL Pyramid Model and its research base.
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is a national resource center focuses on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5. Learn more about CSEFEL.
The role of Birth to 3 (doc) in Pyramid Model implementation.
The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) focuses on promoting practices that improve the social emotional outcomes for young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities. Learn more about TACSEI.
Wisconsin was awarded a 3 year training and technical assistance grant from the national Center on the Social Emotional Foundations of Early Learning to develop the capacity to implement the Pyramid Model program wide.
What do we mean when we say program-wide Pyramid Model implementation?
View a PowerPoint presentation for Wisconsin by Lise Fox. The presentation includes audio and provides an overview of implementing the Pyramid Model program-wide. The overview includes information on the linkages to School Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS), Response to Intervention (RtI), program readiness indicators, critical elements of implementation, and data based decision making.
For more information on understanding program-wide adoption, go to the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention (TACSE) Web site.
What has Wisconsin accomplished in developing the capacity to support program wide implementation of the Pyramid Model?
In partnership with CSEFEL faculty, a cross sector state leadership team is guiding the implementation process. Leadership team members:
Wisconsin Social Emotional Foundations of Early Learning (SEFEL) Pyramid Model Leadership Team:
- Teressa Pellet, Children’s Trust Fund
- Julie Betchkal, CESA 11- Wisconsin SEFEL training coordinator
- Kath Mc Gurk, Department of Children and Families
- Dana Romary, Department of Health Services/B-3
- Jill Haglund, Department of Public Instruction
- Patty Caro, Higher Education
- Suzy Rodriguez, Parents Plus
- Lilly Irvin-Vitela, Supporting Families Together Association
- Jere Walden, The Registry Pence Revington, UW-Extension
- Linda Tuchman, Waisman Center
- Lana Nenide, Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health- Wisconsin SEFEL Planning Facilitator
- Gaye Tylka, Wisconsin Division for Early Childhood
- Andrea Murray, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association
- Linda Leonhart, Wisconsin Head Start State Collaboration Office
- Jen Bailey, Wisconsin State-Based Training and Technical Assistance Office
- Ann Ramminger, State Personnel Development Grant
Three demonstration sites have been selected to implement the Pyramid Model deeply and with fidelity across their program. In the next year and a half, these sites will be ready to host visitors so that programs can see program-wide Pyramid Model implementation in action. The Wisconsin SEFEL Leadership team is pleased to announce Wisconsin's SEFEL demonstration sites. The sites are:
- Chippewa Falls - The Chippewa Falls demonstration site encompasses two locations. One location will be at the CESA 11 Head Start program. This program contains Early Head Start and Building Bridges 4 Children (BB4C) classrooms/programs. The second location is Kids USA Learning Center. This center serves children from six weeks of age to children of school age. The center has infant/toddler, preschool and BB4C classrooms.
- Kenosha - A Child's Place in Kenosha is a state-licensed facility serving children age birth through 12 years, of parents who are using Job Center programs and services while they seek employment, attend training activities or appointments, and maintain employment. The center provides no fee short term and drop-off care for children with families who are participating in W-2 related Job Center programs and activities as well as fee for service long term care for Kenosha Human Service Building participants, employees and the community.
- Wausau - All 4K classrooms and community based agencies hosting 4K programs in Wausau will implement the CSEFEL Pyramid Model. This will involve 40 classrooms serving children from 6 weeks to 5 years in 9 community based programs representing Head Start, childcare and private preschool as well as 12-4K classrooms in 7 of Wausau's public schools.
How were the demonstration sites selected?
Sites were invited to apply based on their prior professional development experience with CSEFEL Pyramid Model training and materials, geographic location in the state, and ability and commitment to shoulder the additional requirements of demonstration site status. Many of the invited sites were involved in supporting the writing of Wisconsin's application to become a CSEFEL Pyramid Model implementation state.
Invited sites submitted a written application that included self-assessment information, assurance of staff buy-in for implementation, and commitment to organize and support a program leadership team, as well as funding and role definition of an internal coach(es). The programs were selected after application review by the selection committee, completion of site visits and interview with the leadership team, and submission of signed administrative commitment to the expectations and requirements of demonstration site status.
The selected demonstration sites will receive ongoing training and technical assistance as well as mini-grant funding.
In exchange, they will be required to submit data for each child and teacher involved in program-wide implementation to both CSEFEL/Vanderbilt University, as well as the SEFEL Leadership team.
Demonstration site work in 2010 will focus on training leadership team members, coaches and staff in Pyramid model implementation. Sites will begin their program-wide implementation in Fall, 2010.
Wisconsin is in the process of developing a cadre of Approved Trainers and Coaches who will support programs in implemention.