| In NC, the early childhood professional development system is composed of many partners working together to weave a network of services based on identified needs and funding criterion.
An Emerging Overview of NC’s Approach to Professional Development for Early Care and Education and School Age Professionals
Four landmark North Carolina publications about the importance of and elements of an ecpd system have led to the NC ecpd regional planning process, which will begin in January 2010.
In 2001, the NC Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development, NC Partnership for Children and NC Division of Child Development collaborated on the development of a guide to best practices and resources in planning for professional Development in Child Care. This would be one of the first publications in the state to promote dialogue and planning around workforce professional development needs and supports.
Planning for the Professional Development of Early Educators
In 2005, a study of the early childhood systems was conducted that created a roadmap for improvements in the professional development and compensation of the early childhood workforce. The report assessed six policy areas:
- Quality Early Care and Education Settings
- Professional and Workforce Development
- Informed Families, Informed Public
- Governance and Coordination
- Accountability and Results Orientation
- Adequate Early Childhood Financing
Implications of the study for the early childhood workforce include recommendations to:
- Require business training for all child care center directors.
- Require each center to have an Instructional Leader with a 4-year degree in Early Childhood Education.
- Require center-based teachers to have an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education.
- Implement a single statewide salary supplement with a local option to enhance the amounts of the supplements.
- Build on the existing child care resource and referral system to cover the entire state with effective services and information for parents, child care programs, and communities.
NC Early Childhood Systems Study
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In 2007, the Early Childhood Leadership & Policy Network released a policy paper to inform constituents about the role of early childhood professional development (education and training) in enhancing child care quality, to share national and state trends and provide policy recommendations made. This brief supports the creation of a professional development plan for North Carolina that pieces together the many initiatives that support the quality of early learning environments as well as the many efforts made by teachers to improve their practices. Policy and research directions outlined in the paper include:
- Examination of teacher education programs in relation to early learning standards.
- Supportive policies for teachers to access education and training.
- Improved articulation between 2– and 4-year institutions of higher education.
- Supportive work environments as well as salary and benefits tied to teacher qualifications.
- A continued focus on increasing the required level of pre-service education.
- Examination of the measurement of teacher performance.
Early Childhood Professional Development: Creating a Plan to Support Child Care Quality
In 2008, the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Workforce Systems Initiative released a policy blueprint for state early childhood professional development systems. The policy paper and support materials were created because qualified and well-compensated professionals are essential to ensuring high-quality early childhood education programs and state policies and financing of the professional development system have a significant impact on the recruitment, quality, and retention of early childhood professionals.The essential policy areas include: professional standards, career pathways, articulation, advisory structure, data and financing. The following four principles are recommended for use in reflecting prior to the creation or change of a policy:
- Does this policy increase integration among the sectors?
- Does it include quality assurances?
- Does it support diversity, inclusion, and access?
- Does it increase compensation parity?
NAEYC Policy Blueprint Brief
Resources
Economic Impact of Early Childhood in North Carolina
Early Childhood Professional Development: Creating a Plan to Support Child Care Quality (Spring 2008, Policy Paper, Early Childhood Leadership Policy Network)
PD Research Forum (2008)
A Legacy of Similarities & Differences
NAEYC Early Childhood Workforce Systems Initiative
Building Early Childhood Systems in a Multi-ethnic Society
NCICC Early Childhood Professional Development Systems Toolkit |
