To ensure widespread use of evidence-based practices and the inclusion of typical peers in preschool classrooms, Utah adopted The Utah Early Childhood Technical Assistance Project: Reaching Potential through Recommended Practices (ECTA: RP2) initiative. The mission of the Utah ECTA State Leadership Team is to provide teachers with professional development through training and coaching to improve effective teaching practices that will have meaningful impact on student learning in school and community preschools statewide (State Leadership Team Annual Report, 2016). RP2 uses the State Benchmarks of Quality to assess progress and plan future actions so that selected evidence-based practices are available for providers and families statewide. The Benchmarks are grounded in implementation science, which bridges the gap between an evidence based practice and the high-fidelity implementation of that practice (Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center, May 2018). Wasatch County School District is beginning its third year of the RP2 initiative. Learn how Wasatch’s preschool teams have worked to improve family engagement, instruction, interaction, and environment, while supporting the MTSS framework and serving the whole child.
