Six state policy recommendations to stabilize, support, and expand the early childhood workforce and build diverse TK pathways¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The report recommends six steps for state policymakers: (1) clearly map out and communicate career pathways into TK and other ECE programs; (2) develop high-quality pathways tailored to experienced early educators, where "the state should therefore consider ways to evaluate and give credit for knowledge and skills candidates already have as they work toward a credential"; (3) provide grants to institutions of higher education for new preschool-to-3rd-grade credentialing programs; (4) set appropriate requirements for assistant TK teachers, such as 12 units of ECE coursework or the equivalent; (5) make new investments in the broader early educator workforce beyond TK, coupled with competitive wages; and (6) collect new data to monitor ECE workforce needs.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• State agencies must clarify requirements and financial supports; counties must coordinate their own workforce development pathways
• Institutions of higher education need up-front investments in staff, curriculum, and candidate recruitment

Constraints¶

• The 10:1 ratio requirement is contingent on funding availability
• Policymaking should consider the whole ECE workforce, since early educators leaving for TK may affect staffing and quality in the programs they leave

Target Learners¶

• experienced early childhood educators
• assistant TK teachers
• teacher candidates in high-need schools

Target Learning Goals¶

• TK and ECE teacher preparation
• credential completion
• workforce retention and diversity

Claims¶

• Approximately four fifths of LEAs reported not having enough qualified staff to teach TK [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Six state policy steps to support early educator preparation, paired with adequate compensation and retention policies
• Federal strategy to develop and support a well-qualified ECE workforce through compensation, career-ladder scholarships, preparation programs, and coaching
• Build high-retention, supportive pathways into teaching for candidates of color
• Use local resources to serve children birth through age 3 to stabilize community providers as 4-year-olds move into TK
• Eight policy and practice actions for scaling early childhood coaching systems, from dedicated funding to data collection

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Melnick, H., García, E., & Leung-Gagné, M. (2022). Building a well-qualified transitional kindergarten workforce in California: Needs and opportunities. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/826.674