Explore My SPARK Learning Lab
What is My SPARK Learning Lab? An online portal that provides Indiana educators the ability to complete the Program Growth Tool, access SPARK’s Knowledge Center, and engage with the SPARK Learning Lab Support Team.
Login to your I-LEAD account, and click the green “My SPARK Learning Lab” button to get started.
Don’t have an account? Head to ilead.in.gov to create your free account and explore what My SPARK Learning Lab has to offer!
What are the benefits for your program?
- Easily search and find resources when you need them-
Search for resources in our SPARK Knowledge or explore featured topics and trending articles. - More options to receive assistance from our support team-
In addition to calling the SPARK Help Desk My Spark Learning Lab will allow users to submit a support ticket or chat live with one of our helpful representatives. - Program level assessment intended for program leaders-
The Program Growth Tool provides program leaders the ability to complete a program level assessment to identify areas of improvement and develop a customized support plan with SPARK.
FAQs:
Yes – SPARK will continue to add training (on-demand, live webinar and face to face) to Indiana Learning Paths, as well as resources. However, additional resources and job aids will be available within My SPARK Learning Lab’s Knowledge Center.
All I-LEAD users are able to view and access My SPARK Learning Lab. The intended audience for the Program Growth Tool is program leaders, but any staff person can access the Program Growth Tool and utilize the Knowledge Center and support options.
Training articles included in the Knowledge Center can be accessed using the information listed under the “Item Location” listed in the article.
The Indiana Program Growth Tool is a program-level assessment for early childhood education and care programs in the state of Indiana. The Program Growth Tool is a tool that programs use to assess their own needs for TA support.
SPARK uses results to help make decisions on providing support.
The Program Growth Tool comprises seven (7) standards with a total of 50 quality items utilizing a rubric-based developmental continuum that offers a roadmap for advancing program quality from “Not Yet Started” to “Excelling”. The Program Growth Tool quality continuum includes specific behaviors, benchmarks, and ultimately a scope and sequence a program can utilize to create a plan to improve quality.
There are four (4) versions of the Program Growth Tool, one for each program type (Center-Based, Family Child Care Homes, Ministries, School-Based) with questions tailored for each.
The Program Growth Tool is designed to be completed by the leader or leaders of a program.
The Program Growth Tool is designed to support programs along their quality improvement journey, including participation in Paths to QUALITY. To ensure program leaders are assessing using the most relevant indicators of quality, the Program Growth Tool embeds the following Indiana-recognized quality systems and assessments:
- NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice Position Statement
- Nationally recognized and research-based best practices in early childhood education
- Indiana Core Knowledge Competencies (CKC’s)
- Indiana Early Learning Foundations
- Indiana Health and Safety Regulations for Child Care providers
- Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ)
- National Accreditation
The Program Growth Tool is not intended to replace the Paths to QUALITY standards.
After completing the Program Growth Tool, program leaders have the opportunity to reflect on the assessment data, identify relevant areas of development and access SPARK Learning Lab’s Knowledge Center to assist the program in achieving quality improvement goals.
Within a week of submitting the Program Growth Tool, programs are contacted by SPARK Learning Lab to discuss and jointly agree upon an identified area of development.
The Program Growth Tool can be used to assess an early childhood education and care program as often and as many times as the program leader(s) deem necessary.
