Six state policy steps to support early educator preparation, paired with adequate compensation and retention policies¶

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

Description¶

The report recommends states: build higher education capacity for a diverse workforce; support high-quality clinical practice such as "apprenticeships, lab schools, and paid practicum experiences"; develop clear 2-year to 4-year transfer pathways; fund specialized advising and academic supports; offer financial assistance for permits, degrees, and credentials; and set clear, high expectations through an early childhood-specific teaching credential like New Jersey's P-3. It stresses that "compensation increases must accompany increases in qualification requirements or taxpayers will be filling a leaky bucket."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• State funding and technical assistance, plus data collection on the ECE workforce to understand educator pathways, completion, barriers, and wages

Constraints¶

• The report warns that raising qualification requirements without supports may harm workforce adequacy, stability, and diversity and cause educator shortages

Target Learners¶

• Current and future early educators of children birth to age 5, particularly students of color and low-income students

Target Learning Goals¶

• Attainment of early childhood credentials and degrees and effective, developmentally grounded teaching practice

Claims¶

• Low compensation and inconsistent qualification requirements undermine recruitment and retention of California's ECE workforce [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Federal strategy to develop and support a well-qualified ECE workforce through compensation, career-ladder scholarships, preparation programs, and coaching
• Four-part state policy agenda: coherent administration, universal affordability, a well-qualified workforce, and quality improvement for all programs
• Build high-retention, supportive pathways into teaching for candidates of color
• Six state policy recommendations to stabilize, support, and expand the early childhood workforce and build diverse TK pathways
• Six common features of promising early educator preparation models — the programme features the policy steps would support

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Gardner, M., Melnick, H., Meloy, B., & Barajas, J. (2019). Promising models for preparing a diverse, high-quality early childhood workforce. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/preparing-diverse-high-quality-early-childhood-workforce