National P-3 Institute: FAQs

Q:  What are the dates and location for the 2022 National P-3 Institute?

A:  The Institute will be held October 17-20 in San Diego, California.


Q:  What makes the National P-3 Institute unique?

A:  These Institutes provide intentional, in-depth time for teams to examine ways to strengthen their approaches to supporting the continuum of learning from pre-school (birth) through 3rd grade. Guest speakers and team time focus on improving organizational and systems strategies in ways that meaningfully support young children’s learning and development. Enrollment is limited to 100 people. Locations for the Institute are selected to provide a retreat-like setting, encouraging teams to invest in relationship-building, sustained strategic planning, and time to reflect on their shared work.


Q:  Can I attend as an individual?

A:  No, only teams may attend.


Q:  Is team membership limited to 8?

A:  Yes. Overall Institute enrollment is limited to 100 people, which means we accept 13-14 teams. We’ve found that a team size of 6-8 people is big enough to ensure broad representation of diverse perspectives, but not so big that the team becomes unwieldy and unproductive.


Q:  We are a very small, rural school district. Should we apply?

A:  Yes.  We accept teams that represent all kinds of different scopes and scale of P-3 work.


Q:  How does the competitive review process work?

A:  We usually receive 2-3 times as many applications as we are able to accept. All applications received by the due date will be reviewed by a set of reviewers who independently review each application against a rubric that aligns with the questions in the application. The review group then meets to compare ratings and to discuss the full slate of applications. In addition to accepting teams that are rated most highly, the reviewers also strive to ensure that there are “pods” of teams who share certain characteristics and will be able to learn from one another. For example, we usually accept 3-4 state-level teams; 3-4 large district teams; 3-4 small district teams; and 3-4 regional/multi-district teams.


Q:  Is it OK for a team member to attend only a portion of the 4-day Institute?

A:  No. We request that all team members be able to attend the entire Institute. The Institute is designed to be an intensive professional learning and strategic planning experience. In the past, participant evaluations have highlighted how invaluable and critical the intentional, extended, and semi-structured team strategic planning time was.


Q:  We’d like to invite people to join our team who we haven’t worked with before. Is this appropriate?

A:  Yes. Part of the team application – and the review process – requires outlining how the team has both a history and a future of working together on P-3 alignment. If you include new partners on your team, please be sure to describe how they will be integrally involved in your future P-3 efforts.


Q:  Is it appropriate for our entire team to come from just one agency/district?

A:  Yes, but only if multiple sectors/programs are represented. We know that cross-sector work can be necessary within a single agency/district, for example, when PreK is governed by completely separate standards and managed by an entirely different department on the org chart than are the K-3 grades. The application review team will be looking to ensure that there is meaningful attention to bridging traditionally disparate programs and sectors.


Q:  What is the application timeline?

A:  Applications will open on Monday, May 23, 2022 and will be due Friday, July 1. Accepted teams will be notified by July 15.


Q:  What are the costs to bring a team?
A:  There is an $850/person registration fee (this includes all meals, except one dinner on-your-own, and all Institute materials). Teams are responsible for paying for their own travel and hotel costs. A hotel room block at government per diem rates has been secured.


Q:  Where can I find the application?

A:  Applications for the 2022 National P-3 Institute are now closed.


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