Debra Torrence, Institute Director
The NC Institute for Child Development Professionals provides both free and fee-based services. The Institute
- Defines and educates others about early childhood professional development system elements and strategies
- Certifies Early Educators who work directly with, on the behalf of or intend to work with children ages birth to twelve
- Provides consultation services on professional development strategies, systems development and grant development
- Produces tools, publications, research and reports and collects and disseminates data about the NC Early Educator workforce
- Builds and supplies high quality training opportunities for Early Educators on professional development planning for individuals, organizations and systems
- Creates access to resources and the latest research on workforce issues through its partner network and learning community and via its website
- Supports the provision of professional development services through trainings, networking opportunities and resources
- Offers networking opportunities for Early Educators through in-person and virtual events
Why is a strong early childhood professional development system important? Over the last two decades there has been increasing interest in learning about the experiences of children in early care and education settings: what settings are good and how early care and education influences later school performance and behavioral patterns. In particular, we have learned a great deal in recent years about the benefits and cost of high-quality early care and education services, and how to improve programs to meet the needs of all children. This has increased the need to shift from scattershot training to intentional forms of professional development to build and retain a high qualified workforce. Today, like other occupations, education is the currency with which the early childhood professional development system is being constructed.
Professional development refers to a combination of education, training and continuing education. Well-designed professional development includes a broad range of activities and audiences:
- ♣ it benefits providers in all settings;
- ♣ it responds to the needs of Early Educators at all levels, from entry-level assistants to multi-site administrators;
- ♣ it spans a continuum of information and format, from short-term workshop-style training
to college-level education to continuing education.
- ♣ It is focused on services that are provided to children ages birth to twelve in early care and education and school age settings.
Defining an Early Educator Professional Development System
An Early Educator professional development system is a comprehensive approach to providing professional development opportunities. When an effective ecpd system has been built:
Vision exists to serve all those working with children in all settings serving children birth to twelve.
Core knowledge is delineated, a set of information and skills that all providers need to know is developed, and education and training is offered to make sure that this entire body of knowledge is transmitted.
Requirements and incentives for providers to pursue professional development opportunities are clear.
A continuum of education and training for all providers, from entry-level to experienced, exists.
A system is in place to make sure that the education and training are of high quality.
A process is developed to assess what education and training providers in a community need;
Information about education and training opportunities is widely available.
Information about what opportunities providers have already pursued is available for monitoring and planning purposes.
Education and training opportunities are offered at times, in places and in languages and formats providers can successfully access.
Increased knowledge and competence are assessed and rewarded by increasing compensation.
Education and training are well-funded so that providers are able to attend, regardless of personal financial situations.
In addition, a well-drawn system builds on base education and articulates prior learning (education and training) into the professional development pathway for the individual; supporting forward progress toward personal education goals without redundancy and continuing education is provided by highly qualified staff. |
Collaboration & Planning
Ongoing and grant-funded efforts are underway in North Carolina at the state level within agencies and organizations as well as efforts focused specifically on professional development, but are not limited to:
NC Institute for Child Development Professionals
The Institute is composed of stakeholders who work directly with children or on the behalf of children in a variety of settings. Teachers, family child care home providers, administrators, schoolage group leaders, faculty, education coordinators, agency and program directors, consultants, specialists, researchers and more work together to build and strengthen NC’s approach to professional development; striving for a comprehensive professional development system for all Early Educators. The ongoing work of the Institute is conducted through a task group and committee structure.
NC Early Childhood Regional Planning Project
The NC Early Childhood Regional Planning Project is a time-limited project being funded by the NC Division of Child Development and implemented by the NC Child Care Resource and Referral Council in partnership with the NC Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development. The project is designed to engage stakeholders in developing regional early childhood professional development plans. North Carolina Head Start Collaboration Office
The NC Head Start Collaboration Office is housed in the NC Office of School Readiness through a grant from the federal Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Head Start supports collaboration through grants to states to create a visible partnership at the state level to support the development of multi-agency and public/private partnerships that will enhance early childhood services for children and families. Head Start Training & Technical Assistance Plan
The state’s Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Plan is managed by STG International as of August 2009. This work is conducted via a cadre of content and technical assistance specialists in state-based offices and regional Head Start locations across the country. In addition to conducting individual and cluster trainings, STG experts routinely help grantees meet Federal regulations; implement monitoring and self-assessment processes; and foster collaboration between the Office of Head Start, state-based early childhood partners, and other training and technical assistance (T/TA) professionals. North Carolina Interagency Coordinating Council (NCICC)
The NCICC is a state mandated body with members appointed by the governor to advise and guide the NC Departments of Health and Human Services and Public Instruction and other agencies regarding services for children with special needs birth through 5 years old. The NCICC includes a subcommittee which focuses on professional education. This committee created a crosswalk of professional qualifications for personnel working with children birth to 5 which is included in the notebook and can be found here. National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (NPDCI)
NCPDCI is a grant-funded project based at the UNC-Chapel Hill’s FPG Institute. Center staff work with states to ensure that early childhood teachers are prepared to educate and care for young children with disabilities in settings with their typically developing peers. North Carolina is being served with these resources through a community of practice model. NC Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC)
Early Childhood Advisory Councils are being set up across the nation. The Councils are required by Section 642B of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, which mandates that the Governor of the State shall designate or establish a council to serve as the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care for children from birth to school entry.
On July 14, 2010 the North Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council met for the first time. The Council is one of many forming across the nation as part of the Head Start Act and in NC as one of the “Ready” components of the Governor’s Ready, Set, Go initiative. North Carolina’s proposal will be submitted by July 31, 2010. If successful, North Carolina will receive over $3 million from the federal government matched with $7 million from the state to support the work of the ECAC over the next three years. Watch for coming opportunities to share your thoughts on how the Council can support education, compensation and recognition of the workforce.
North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs Professional Development Work Group
NCCAP seeks to influence policy and serve as a catalyst, convener, and clearinghouse for afterschool programs through advocacy, professional development, and quality improvement. A professional development workgroup was formed in 2008 to draft competencies and continues to work to grow professional development opportunities and resources for those working with school age children.
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