The vision of establishing comprehensive early childhood programs aligned with all 13 of its elementary schools is now reality and a calling card for the Independence, MO, school district. The district worked for the past three decades to move systematically toward a stronger PK-3 level for students, balancing leadership from the top levels of the district with autonomy at each site. As schools introduced new programs, the district aligned its early childhood services that culminate in PK with expectations and learning in grades K-3 and beyond. The district also succeeded in sustaining community involvement and, in what it sees as its greatest achievement, merging the many early childhood initiatives designed at the federal and state levels into an interwoven tapestry of services available to all PK-3 students in every school.

The district launched its PK efforts late in the 1970s to serve working families while boosting school readiness. Early in its history, Head Start was offered in a separate building while PK programs grew in elementary schools. Frustration over running similar services in different places spurred Independence officials toward the current system that "braids" funding from a variety of early childhood programs into a single system while maintaining accountability systems for the many initiatives involved. "We took a step back and asked what we wanted to achieve for families," says Jennifer Walker, the district's Director of Youth Development and Education. The answer was an expanded version of elementary school-with each neighborhood school delivering an array of PK offerings that are fully aligned with K-3 learning goals. Now, program and funding agreements mean Head Start funds flow to all 13 schools and help provide services like hearing and vision screenings for all children. "We've managed to bring programs together and make the money work for our mission," Walker says. The result is a network of elementary schools that exemplify alignment of PK-3 services and learning experiences that point students toward meeting state standards.

District leadership sparked the Independence schools' PK-3 efforts and still serves as an umbrella overseeing and supporting all of the schools. But principals and teachers take ownership at each school, tailoring the menu of services to neighborhood needs. The program becomes part of the overall culture and identity of a local school. Teachers in the PK classrooms work extensively with colleagues in grades K-2 to align classroom expectations and discuss student skills. In keeping with the idea of a single, coordinated system, teams of teachers and administrators developed assessment options and learning experiences that meet Head Start standards and also connect with state school accountability goals in K-3. "We make sure our PK staff knows they're a part of the building in which they're working. Collaboration happens very intentionally," says Superintendent Jim Hinson.