1ECAC Professional Development Assessment Final

Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) Needs Assessment
Part 1-Early Childhood Education Workforce Development
Submitted to the Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs
in compliance with H.R. 1429-49
This report was compiled by the Alabama Partnership for Children
with input and oversight provided by the
ECAC Assessment and Analysis Committee
Report Submitted October 30, 2011
Please contact the Alabama Partnership for Children at 1-866-711-4025 or email Robin
Mackey at [email protected] with questions or comments.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Introduction
Alabama’s Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) was established in 2010 by
Governor’s Executive Order Number 53. A part of the Council’s mission is to develop a
process for a statewide bi-annual needs assessment. This first ECAC Needs
Assessment (2011) has been coordinated by the Department of Children’s Affairs
(DCA) and developed by the Alabama Partnership for Children (APC), with oversight
and guidance by the Assessment and Analysis Committee of the ECAC. Committee
members are: Dawn Ellis, Alabama Department of Public Health/Early Childhood
Comprehensive Systems Coordinator; Kay Emfinger, Associate Professor of Early
Education, UAB; Jan Hume, Alabama School Readiness Alliance; Margaret Morton,
Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement; Gail Piggott and Robin Mackey, Alabama
Partnership for Children; and Carol Tingle, Assistant Professor of Human Development
and Family Studies, University of Alabama, with support from Lori Frazier, DCA Early
Childhood Advisory Council.
Overview
(H.R. 1429 11.b.1.D.i.VI) The State Advisory Council shall, in addition to any
responsibilities assigned to the Council by the Governor of the State: assess the
capacity and effectiveness of 2- and 4-year public and private institutions of higher
education in the State toward supporting the development of early childhood educators,
including the extent to which such institutions have in place articulation agreements,
professional development and career advancement plans, and practice or internships
for students to spend time in a Head Start or
prekindergarten program.
The Case for Action
The Science of Early Childhood
This report will assess whether: 1) Early
Development
Childhood Educators (ECE) and personnel are
Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D.,
well-trained to meet the needs of young children
Director, Center on the
and their families; and 2) whether higher
Developing Child, Harvard
University
education meets the ECE workforce needs.
Early Childhood Education and Educators
(ECE) are defined as all out-of-home group
programs including Head Start, state PreKindergarten (Pre-K), child care and preschool,
including public and private programs serving
children from birth to age five.
Key Priorities for Effective
Policies:
Build an appropriately skilled
early childhood workforce
whose expertise matches the
needs of the children and
families it serves.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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The data used in writing this report include:
!
!
!
!
number of 2- and 4-year colleges with degrees/certificates available for ECE
number of articulation agreements
number of trainings/career advancement opportunities
number of ECE internships available among 2- and 4-year colleges
The report also includes consideration of barriers which prevent successful
achievement of the two outcomes identified above. These are:
!
!
!
!
current education level of the ECE workforce
access to education and professional development of the ECE workforce
compensation and benefit levels for the ECE workforce
turnover of the ECE workforce
Needs in Alabama
The most recent census data from 2010 shows that over 64% of children under six have
both parents in the workforce. During the critical development years from birth to age
five, a majority of children are in non-parental care at least part of the day.
The 2011 report Child Care in the State of Alabama cites 221,208 children under the
age of six needing child care as parents work. In the Ask Alabama Poll Results,
September 2009, on the list of “changes or improvements in jobs and employment” 90%
of women and 80% of men reported that child care was important to them.
We also know that high quality child care and early education programs are the best
and most effective investments to ensure readiness for school. Research in the past
decade has confirmed that high quality center-based programs for young children help
to level the playing field and can eliminate the gaps in achievement that are present
early in school.
Research also confirms that one of the key components in quality program delivery is
the effectiveness of the teacher or caregiver. There is still much to learn about the ideal
levels of professional development, but in general, teachers with more professional
preparation and those with specialized training in early education provide daily
experiences for young children that promote optimal development.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Capacity and Effectiveness of Education for the
ECE Workforce
This section includes information about ECE educational opportunities in Alabama,
including accessibility for the ECE
workforce and the quality of the ECE
National Conference of State Legislatures:
education programs as measured by
Five Ideas for Children Five and Under
accreditation, teacher preparation
assessment, and the number of
Build the Skill of Teachers and Caregivers
graduates. These factors do not
provide all the information needed to
measure the quality of teacher preparation programs, but they can serve as a
foundation from which the ECAC can continue to further define and gauge quality.
In assessing the effectiveness of community college education in Alabama, we
identified only one institution, Jefferson State Community College, which has achieved
quality accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC). Calhoun Community College is pursuing NAEYC accreditation and is
currently in the self-study process.
The State Department of Education’s Teacher Preparation Program Performance
Profile for 2008-2009 shows that teachers in Early Childhood and Elementary Education
have a 100% pass rate on the Basic Skills Assessments and Praxis II Assessments,
and 98.09% also score at benchmark on the Professional Education Personnel
Evaluation.
Regarding access, in the past ten years, coursework at community colleges has
expanded to include evening and weekend course offerings. Three 4-year institutions,
the University of Alabama (UA), University of West Alabama, and Jacksonville State
University, now offer early childhood and/or child development programs which are
entirely accessible online. Though access has expanded, costs have risen and are a
barrier.
Many teachers currently working in early education programs qualify for Pell grants.
Additionally, the Department of Human Resources has provided funding for
scholarships for the existing workforce to attend college through the Leadership
Scholarship program at the Department of Post-Secondary Education, and the
T.E.A.C.H. Alabama Scholarship program through the Alabama Partnership for
Children. The Office of School Readiness (OSR) has also invested in T.E.A.C.H.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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scholarships for bachelor’s degrees to support the requirement of the state’s First Class
Pre-K program.
Number of 2- and 4-Year Colleges with
Degrees/Certification Available for ECE
(Much of the data-gathering on ECE program access and numbers of graduates was
done by the Alabama School Readiness Alliance and the T.E.A.C.H. Alabama
Scholarship program and shared for this report. Information on teacher certification can
be found at the Alabama State Department of Education website. The Alabama
Department of Human Resource’s Pathways Professional Development Lattice also
provides comprehensive information about access and availability).
For purposes of this report, early childhood certification programs at 4-year institutions
refers to programs (usually in the College of Education) through which ECE degrees are
earned that satisfy the requirements for Alabama Teachers Certification required for
teachers in public schools. Non-certification programs are ECE degrees that do not
satisfy requirements for Alabama Teachers’ Certification required for teachers in public
schools.
From the Alabama Department of Education website, certification in early childhood is
as follows:
BIRTH THROUGH KINDERGARTEN
Early Childhood Multiple Abilities Certificate (Grades birth - kindergarten) endorsed in
early childhood education (0BK), or
Interim Certificate (Grades birth - kindergarten) endorsed in early childhood education
(0BK)
KINDERGARTEN
Early Childhood Multiple Abilities Certificate (Grades birth - kindergarten) endorsed in
early childhood education (0BK), or
Elementary Multiple Abilities Certificate (Grades K-6) endorsed in early childhood
education (00K), or
Elementary Certificate (Grades K-6), or Interim Certificate (Grades K-6) endorsed in
early childhood education (00K), or
Interim Certificate (Grades birth - kindergarten) endorsed in early childhood education
PRIMARY GRADES
Early Childhood Certificate, or Special Alternative Certificate (Grades P-3) endorsed in
early childhood education (0H5), or
Interim Certificate (Grades P-3) endorsed in early childhood education (0H5)
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Note: “Early childhood education” can refer to preschool and school primary
grades when referenced by the education field (certification areas above). In the
preschool and child care fields, “early childhood education” refers to programs
for children birth to age five.
Access to Higher Education in ECE
There are eighteen 4-year institutions offering early childhood certification programs,
and there are ten 4-year institutions offering a non-certification program. The most
recent data available (2008-2009) indicates that collectively 4-year institutions
graduated more students in the certification programs (384) than in non-certification
programs (168).
Details about the programs are included in Table 1 on the following page which was
compiled by Dr. Ruth Ash, former Assistant Superintendent of Education and consultant
for the Alabama School Readiness Alliance. The assessment was done to determine if
there are an adequate number of qualified teachers available for expanding the state’s
Pre-K program which requires that teachers have bachelor’s degrees. Currently, funding
is available to serve fewer than 6% of the state’s four-year olds, and assessing the
capacity and cost of expansion requires us to examine the availability of teachers to
staff new programs.
Field Experiences and
Internships
Research that documents
what teachers do in their
classrooms via observation
(i.e., instruction and
interactions with students)
is a step closer to student
outcomes than a distal and
not well-validated construct
such as teacher education
and certification.
Teacher Education and PK
Outcomes: Are We Asking the
Right Questions?
According to the Alabama Teacher Education
Rules Pertaining to Field Experiences and
Internships, every candidate for teacher
certification must participate in field experiences
or internships. Specifically experiences required
through the internship field experience/internship
process include:
! Experience with students with
exceptionalities
! Use of information technology to support
teaching and learning
! Candidate for Class B or Alternative Class A certification must have 150 hours of
field experience prior to the internship
! For early childhood programs, the internship shall include a pre-school or
kindergarten placement unless substantial field experiences were completed at
those levels
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Table 1: Bachelor’s Degree Preparation Programs in ECE, information provided by the
Alabama School Readiness Alliance (www.alabamaschoolreadiness.org).
An asterisk (*) indicates that an internship is required.
University
Alabama
A&M
University
Early Childhood Certification
20082009
Graduates
0
25
None
0
26
None
Not an academic Child Dev.
Program. Has a Child Dev.
Ctr; contact is Ms. Jannette
Baggett (director) at
[email protected]
*Undergrad program in
College of Human Sciences.
Contact is Joe Pittman at:
334-844-4151;
[email protected]
0
Athens State
University
Auburn
Univ.
Montgomery
*Yes; contact is Dr. Lynne
Mills; [email protected]
71
*Class B, A & AA; contact is Dr.
Edna Brabham at 334-8446793; [email protected]
63
Auburn
University
Birmingham
Southern
College
Concordia
College
Faulkner
University
Huntingdon
College
Jacksonville
State
University
Judson
College
Miles
College
Lou Anne Jacobs is contact,
[email protected]
*Yes; contact is Betty Hubbard
at
334-874-5700, ext 19788;
[email protected]
20082009
Graduates
*In Dept. of Family &
Consumer Sciences; contact
is Dr. Cynthia Smith at
256-372-5419;
[email protected]
*Yes; contact is Dr. Rena Lott
at 256-372-5504;
[email protected]
*Yes; contact is Dr. Parichart
Thornton at
334-229-4485;
[email protected]
*Class B; contact is Debbie
Ferguson at
256-216-6627;
[email protected]
Alabama
State
University
Non-certification
programs
0
84
67
0
None
0
0
*Only offer an Associate at
present. Contact is Betty
Hubbard at 334-874-5700,
ext 19788
0
None
0
None
0
None
0
None
0
*Yes; contact is Dr. Debra
Goodwin at 256-782-5053;
[email protected]
8
0
None
0
0
None
0
*Yes; Contact is Dr. Slenda
Haynes at 256-782-5093;
[email protected]
None
*Contact is Dr. Rosalind
Pijeaux-Hale, Chair.
27
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
8
University
Oakwood
University
Samford
University
Spring Hill
College
Stillman
Talladega
College
The Univ. of
AL at B’ham
The
University
of Alabama
The Univ. of
West
Alabama
Troy
University
Tuskegee
University
University
of Mobile
University
of
Montevallo
University
of North
Alabama
Early Childhood Certification
None
*Yes; contact is Betsy Rogers
205-726-7172
*Yes; contact is Dr. Ann Adams
at 251-380-3479;
[email protected]
None
20082009
Graduates
0
40
Non-certification
programs
20082009
Graduates
*Yes; in dept. of Family &
Consumer Sciences; contact
is Marta Sovyanhadi at 256726-7228:
[email protected]
*Yes; Family Studies.
Contact is Kristie Chandler;
[email protected]
4
1
5
0
None
None
0
0
None
0
None
0
None
0
None
*Housed in College of
Human Environmental
Sciences; contact is Dr.
Carroll Tingle at 205-3489277; [email protected]
*Also includes Early Childhood
Special Ed; contact is Dr. Jim
Siders at
[email protected]
*Yes; contact is Dr. Kathy
Chandler at
[email protected]; 205-6523421
*At the Dothan campus;
contact is Sherry Taylor at 334983-6556; [email protected]
None
*Undergrad & graduate;
contact is Dr. Peter Kingsford
at 251-442-2355;
[email protected]
Shannon Lee;
[email protected]
*Class B only; must be
completed as dual certification
w/Elementary Ed; contact is Dr.
Linda Armstrong at 256-7654251; [email protected]
6
282
88
74
None
0
0
None
0
0
None
0
None
In the Child & Family
Studies program; contact is
Dr. Laura Bloom at
205-665-6385;
[email protected]
Undergrad concentration in
Human Environmental
Sciences; contact is Ms.
Jane Wilson at 256-7654313; [email protected]
0
16
5
25
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
0
0
9
University
University
of South
Alabama
Total per
Program
Total
Graduates
Early Childhood Certification
*Yes; Elementary Ed contact is
Dr. Leah Kinniburgh; Lead
faculty for Early Childhood Ed
is Dr. Karyn Tunks
20082009
Graduates
2
Non-certification
programs
20082009
Graduates
None
0
292
467
759
Community College Access to Early Education
Alabama has an expansive community college system, with few residents living more
than 200 miles from a community college or branch campus. In the past several years,
the number of Alabama community colleges that offer ECE programs has expanded to
19 out of a total of 26. But not all provide for an associate degree or certificate: 16 offer
the short certificate program, 14 offer the associate of applied science, and 9 have the
certificate program. Nine of the 2-year colleges also offer online courses, making it
easier for the ECE workforce to access coursework. All 19 of the schools with ECE
programs offer classes in the summer, and 13 offer classes at night. Additionally, most
community colleges have embedded in their ECE programs the training and education
requirements for the Child Development Associate credential, a national credential that
is considered the baseline of professional development for child care and ECE
professionals. Additional information about each of the schools can be found in
Appendix A.
Articulation Agreements in Alabama
The Statewide Transfer and Articulation Reporting System (STARS) is in place to assist
students transferring from 2-year to 4-year institutions in Alabama. STARS allows
students attending public 2-year institutions in Alabama to obtain a Transfer
Guide/Agreement for their major and serves as a guide for students through the first two
years of coursework to prevent loss of credit when transferring to a 4-year institution.
The Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee (AGSC) serves the purpose
of simplifying the process of transferring course credit between public institutions of
higher learning. The AGSC also serves as the monitoring committee for the state’s
articulation program (STARS) and works to resolve student appeals for transfer of
coursework relating to articulation issues.
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Institutions with Active Articulation Agreements
According to results from a phone survey of Alabama institutions with ECE programs,
thirteen 2-year colleges have one or more articulation agreements with 4-year colleges.
When students enroll in one of these thirteen schools and complete a 2-year degree,
they find it easier to transfer to a 4-year institution because their applicable coursework
transfers as well.
The University of Alabama The University of Alabama’s (UA) College of Human
Environmental Sciences has developed a degree program specifically for Head Start
Teachers to obtain their bachelor’s degrees. Through this degree program, transfer
students who hold an associate degree in Child Development from an Alabama
community college will be allowed to transfer 24 hours of Child Development (CHD)
work towards a bachelor’s degree in ECE with a concentration in Early Childhood
Development from UA. UA has an articulation process available to all 2-year institutions
in Alabama.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham The University of Alabama at Birmingham
(UAB) School of Education also has a degree program designed for Head Start
Teachers who are pursuing a non-certification bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood
Education. Students can transfer 21 hours of specified child development coursework
into UAB’s program if they hold an associate’s in Child Development from an Alabama
community college. UAB also has an articulation process available to all 2-year colleges
in Alabama.
Jefferson State Community College Jefferson State Community College works
closely with UA to assist Jefferson State students transferring to UA. All but three CHD
classes that are required by Jefferson State transfer to UA’s College of Human
Environmental Science curriculum. These classes are not required by UA’s program;
students must take an additional three required classes.
Jefferson State also has a 2+2 partnership with UAB in which child development
coursework at Jefferson State transfers to UAB’s College of Education. Upon earning
their associate degree, students can enroll in UAB’s bachelor courses which are offered
on Jefferson State’s campus. This partnership allows for a seamless transition from 2to 4-year institution.
Athens State University Athens State University offers third and fouth year classes for
transfer students to obtain a bachelor’s degree in their field of study. Students with an
associate degree in Child Development are able to transfer into the Early Childhood
Education program. They must take ER 460/461/462 Practicum in ECE in addition to
junior and senior level classes.
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Table 3: 2011 Articulation Agreements in Place According to Phone Survey Responses
2-year Schools
4-year Schools
Bevill State Community College
Athens State University, UA, UAB
Bishop State Community College
Athens State University, UA, UAB
Calhoun Community College
UA
Central Alabama Community College
UA
Enterprise-Ozark Community College
Athens State University, UAB
Gadsden State Community College
Athens State University, Jacksonville State, UA, UAB
Jefferson Davis Community College
Jefferson State Community College
Lawson State Community College
UA
Athens State University, UA, UAB
UA
Lurleen B Wallace Community College
Athens State University, UA, UAB
Northeast Alabama Community College
UA, UAB
Northwest-Shoals Community College
Athens State University, UA, UNA, UAB
Reid State Community College
Athens State University, UNA, UAB
Shelton State Community College
UA
Snead State Community College
All 4-year colleges in the state
Southern Union State Community College
UA
Trenholm State Technical College
UA, UAB
Wallace Community College
Athens State University, UA, UAB
Wallace State Community College
Athens State University, UA, UAB
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Training Opportunities and Challenges for the
ECE Workforce
The quality of staff is the most important indicator of a high quality early learning
program. Research has found that the teachers’ level of formal education and
specialized training in early childhood education is directly related to positive outcomes
for children’s social, language, and cognitive development. For the existing workforce,
access to college coursework has expanded in recent years, but completion of the
degree program takes an average of five years for those working at least thirty hours
per week. Scholarships, incentives, and higher requirements for Head Start and Pre-K
teachers have helped increase the number of existing teachers and caregivers pursuing
college degrees.
For many, the scholarship programs offer the first opportunity to pursue higher
education, and the counseling component that provides support, release time, and
guidance is necessary. For nontraditional students who are often working full time in a
demanding profession while attending college, both financial and counseling support is
necessary.
Child Care Workforce Study
In 2002, the Alabama Partnership for Children conducted the first-ever Alabama Child
Care Workforce Study in preparation for the implementation of the T.E.A.C.H.
scholarship program in Alabama. The data collected served as the baseline data for
monitoring the program effectiveness of T.E.A.C.H. and other professional supports for
the child care community.
APC then conducted a 2005 Child Care Workforce Study using slightly modified survey
instruments that accounted both for new T.E.A.C.H. scholarship models and knowledge
gained from the first study. In 2008, the survey instruments were reviewed, evaluated,
and adapted again to gather useful data for the child care community and advocates.
These follow-up studies play an important role in measuring progress over the years.
The Department of Human Resources provided funding for the research which was
conducted by the Alabama Technology Network at Auburn University (ATN-AU).
For the initial study, child care center teachers, directors, and family day care home
providers from 19 counties in Alabama were asked to complete a survey. These same
counties were surveyed again in 2005 and 2008 along with four additional counties. The
additional counties were selected in order to maintain consistency with the prior
research, and to expand accessibility of education services.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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The surveys confirmed that the child care workforce in Alabama is overwhelmingly
female and typically works full-time in a for-profit child care program. However, the level
of education within the workforce varies widely. While is it difficult to define what a
“quality” child care staff person is, it is widely recognized that the effectiveness of staff is
the most important component of a high quality early learning program.
Table 4 provides information about the education levels of the directors, teachers, and
family day care home providers surveyed. Additional information from the most recent
workforce study can be found at the APC website at www.smartstartalabama.org.
Table 4: General Education Level (All fields of study included)
Education Level
Center Teachers
Family Home
Providers
Center Directors
High School Diploma
or GED
68%
70%
23%
Certificate from
Community College
9%
N/A
21%
AA (2-year) Degree
12%
22%
7%
Bachelor’s Degree
11%
6%
30%
<1%
2%
19%
Master’s Degree or
higher
ECE Workforce Wages
Many who work in the early childhood field earn low wages and have few (if any)
benefits. This leads to high turnover in the field and the inability of programs to attract
qualified professionals.
Teachers in early care and education (ECE) typically work for much lower wages than
teachers in grades K-12, and formal pay scales are rare; the main exceptions are public
school-based ECE and Pre-K programs. Compensation varies by funding source, often
carrying little or no reward for education or ongoing professional development
According to the Center for the Child Care Workforce, less than half of our states have
wage incentives in place for the early care and education workforce. As of April 2009,
the number of states with compensation initiatives was dwindling due to a loss of
funding. Although some teachers begin their careers with high rates of job satisfaction,
this contentment begins to wane as they begin to view their pay as unfair.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Inadequate compensation in the form of wages and benefits often leads teachers to
lose motivation and turn to other sources of income to support themselves. High job
stress can contribute to lowered motivation and likely makes the decision to leave a lowpaying job that much easier. Professional development and administrative support are
critical to retention.
Low compensation in early care and education contributes to the cycle of poverty for
many women. Due to the high demand for teachers, entry-level early care and
education jobs are easily attainable by people with limited training. Such positions offer
less compensation than positions that require more training. It is precisely these betterpaying positions that are least likely to turn over.
Earnings
The wages of the child care workforce in Alabama continue to remain low. Forty-three
percent of the family home providers reported making a net income of less than $15,000
during 2008, compared to 50% in 2005. In addition, 65% reported caring for children ten
or more hours a day in 2008, compared to 54% in 2005. As reported by directors, the
percentage of full-time teaching staff earning between $7.01 -$10.00 per hour remained
at 36% from 2005 to 2008. In 2008, the average starting pay for a center teacher was
$6.91 compared to $6.25 in 2005.
Table 5: 2007 Alabama Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Occupation
Average Hourly Wage
Average Salary
Hairdressers,
Cosmetologists
$13.52
$26,760
Refuse and Recyclable
Material Collectors
$10.87
$22,600
Non-farm Animal Caretakers
$9.10
$20,110
Preschool Teachers
$10.40
$21,630
State Pre-K Teachers*
N/A
$31,310
Child Care Workers
$7.53
$15,670
*Data for state Pre-K teachers is provided by the Alabama State Office of School
Readiness. The amount is the minimum salary for lead Pre-K teachers with a bachelor’s
degree in the field, and follows the state salary schedule for classroom teachers in K-12.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Benefits
Benefits are also lacking for the early childhood workforce. Some improvement has
occurred as the percent of teaching staff receiving fully paid health insurance increased
from 1% in 2005 to 5% in 2008. The percent of centers paying at least half of the health
insurance for their staff has also increased (8% in 2005 to 10% in 2008).
In 2008, 70% of family home providers reported having health insurance for themselves.
The 2005 study showed that only 20% of family home providers reported having
medical insurance. Insurance benefits as well as other benefits reported by the survey
respondents are summarized in Table 6.
Table 6: Comparison of Benefits Offered
Benefits
2008
2005
2002
Free meals and snacks
62%
61%
68%
Comp time/pay for training
56%
63%
57%
Free training/scholarships
49%
54%
52%
Paid holidays (5+ per year)
44%
34%
40%
Daily planning time (1/2 hr.
+)
40%
42%
49%
Child care fees (at least ½)
27%
52%
29%
Family health insurance
available
18%
14%
23%
ECE Workforce Job Satisfaction and Retention
! More than 52% of both teachers and directors report they are “very satisfied” with
their current jobs.
! 82% of family home providers plan to stay in business many more years.
! However, according to the 2008 Center Director surveys, 22.6% of full-time
teachers left their jobs in the last 12 months.
! According to the director’s survey results, 75% of child care center directors have
worked in the child care field over 15 years and 18% stated 9-15 years. In
addition, 21% reported having worked as a director over 20 years, 34% stated
11-20 years, and 26% stated 4-10 years.
! 46% of the teaching staff surveyed reported having worked at their current job
four or more years versus 45% in 2005 and 36% in 2002.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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! 80% of family home providers reported having been in business at least nine
years or more compared to 56% in 2005.
! Since the implementation of the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship program in Alabama,
retention rates for participants have been above 97%.
ECE Workforce Education Levels
From the 2008 Workforce Study, we learn that a high school diploma or GED is the
highest education level for a majority of ECE teachers and family home providers, and
nearly one-third of directors have a bachelor’s degree. The chart below shows the
education levels of the Alabama ECE workforce broken down by directors, teachers,
and family home providers (FHP) as reported by participants in the most recent Child
Care Workforce Study.
Table 7: Highest Level of Education Attained by the Child Care Workforce
Education
Director
Teacher
FHP
High School Diploma
or GED
23%
67%
70%
Certificate from
Comm. College
21%
9%
N/A
Associate Degree
7%
12%
22%
Bachelor’s Degree
30%
11%
6%
Master’s Degree or
Higher
19%
1%
2%
When ECE workforce education levels are compared over time, it is evident that there
has been a slight trend upward in education levels from 2002 to 2008 for center
directors, with the largest increase in directors with a bachelor’s degree. As shown in
Table 8, there has been a considerable increase in the number of teachers and family
home providers with associate degrees in ECE, more than doubling from 2002-2005.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Table 8: Comparison of Education Levels in 2002, 2005 and 2008
Center Teachers
Family Home Providers
Center
Directors
Highest
Education
Completed
in field
2002
2005
2008
2002
2005
2008
2005
2008
CDA
Credential
14.8%
18%
17%
18%
12%
16%
18%
20%
Child Care
Certificate
11.4%
8%
5%
9%
7%
6%
14%
18%
Associate
Degree in
ECE/CD*
4.8%
11%
8%
4%
10%
9%
14%
14%
Bachelor’s
Degree in
ECE/CD*
4.7%
6%
5%
1%
2%
3%
12%
18%
Master’s
Degree in
ECE/CD*
1.1%
1%
0%
0%
0%
2%
8%
11%
AL Teacher’s
Certificate
3%
2%
1%
1%
0%
0%
9%
11%
*ECE/CD = Early Care and Education and/or Child Development
Training and Professional Development
Requirements
Some programs, such as Head Start and the Alabama State Office of School Readiness
First Class Pre-K program, have higher education and training requirements, providing
strong opportunities for their respective workforces to increase professional
development levels. In fact, OSR requires a bachelor’s degree for teachers, and a
minimum of 30 training hours per year. Head Start has a federal mandate to increase
the number of teachers with associate or bachelor’s degrees in ECE.
Head Start has carefully evaluated its partnerships in professional development.
Specifically, according to the State of Alabama Head Start Needs Assessment Report,
77.5 % of survey respondents ranked their professional development relationship with
4-year institutions of higher education at either “Coordination” (45.2%) or “Collaboration”
(32.3%). When asked to rank their professional development relationship with
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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institutions of higher education of less than 4 years, their overall ranking was even
higher at 83.8% combined. This includes 41.9% who described the relationships as
“Coordination” and another 41.9% who described it as “Collaboration”. The other two
choices on the ranking scale are “No Working Relationship” and “Cooperation”.
The majority of ECE teachers work in other child care and early learning programs
where teacher qualifications are not as high. Neither program directors nor teachers are
required by state standards to have degrees or certification. Teachers must be at least
19 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, and must have 12 clock hours of
training in child development within 30 days of employment.
The National Association of Childcare Resource & Referral Agencies’ (NACCRRA’s)
report on child care licensing in the 2011 update of We Can Do Better ranks Alabama
45th of 50 states in overall score, and half of the recommendations for improvement
involve staff development. Specifically, they recommend requiring program directors to
have a bachelor’s degree and that teachers have at least a CDA credential or associate
degree in early childhood
T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and
Compensation Helps)
In 1990, Child Care Services Association created the
Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H.)
Early Childhood® Project to address the issues of undereducation, poor compensation, and high turnover within the
early care and education workforce. Available today in
numerous states, the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Project
gives scholarships to early care and education teachers to
complete coursework in the field and to increase their compensation.
All T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® scholarships link continuing education with increased
compensation and require that recipients and their sponsoring employer share costs.
T.E.A.C.H Early Childhood® Alabama through APC provides the conduit for the
Alabama ECE workforce to access T.E.A.C.H. scholarship dollars. The scholarship
funds are provided by the Alabama Department of Human Resources, the Alabama
Office of School Readiness, and private funding developed by the APC. T.E.A.C.H. staff
manages the program, maintains a national license, utilizes an extensive database for
accountability and program management, and provides the unique counseling
component that is critical to recipients. In 2010-2011 there were 344 T.E.A.C.H.
scholarships awarded to recipients in 40 counties. There is additional need for
T.E.A.C.H. scholarships as evidenced by the T.E.A.C.H. waiting list, which includes 28
applications for the Associate Degree program and 32 for the Bachelor degree program.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Programs such as T.E.A.C.H. have begun to address the educational and financial
needs of the ECE workforce while helping to reduce staff turnover. Through T.E.A.C.H.
and other professional support programs, the child care workforce is given the
opportunity to learn appropriate practices and increase their professionalism.
Extensive promotion and outreach has not been done for T.E.A.C.H. Alabama due to
low funding levels. Even so, there is often a waiting list (especially for the bachelor’s
model). Center directors report that 24% of the child care programs surveyed in 2008
have received T.E.A.C.H. scholarships, compared to 19% in 2005. According to the
family home provider surveys received, 11% of respondents have received a T.E.A.C.H.
scholarship. Overall 74% of respondents have heard of T.E.A.C.H., as compared to
53% in 2002.
In 1994, CCSA created the Child Care WAGE$® Project to help address the above
workforce issues by providing education-based salary supplements to low paid
teachers, directors and family child care providers working with young children.
Supplements are tied to educational attainment and are designed to provide preschool
children more stable relationships with better-educated teachers by rewarding teacher
education and continuity of care. Alabama does not have the Child Care WAGE$®
Project, though there is an obvious need to increase education levels and compensation
levels for our ECE workforce to retain better educated teachers.
Linking education and compensation has been shown to address the need for a highly
educated early care and education workforce and reduce teacher turnover. The national
data from the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Projects
demonstrate the outcomes that are possible if states invest in proven strategies.
Several other critical factors also foster turnover including:
! Inadequate compensation
! Feeling devalued
! High job stress
! Lack of benefits
! Sense of isolation
The cost of early childhood workforce turnover is great, not only in terms of dollars, but
in terms of impact on workers, children and families. Turnover stresses children and
families and puts a strain on employers.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Summary
Institutions of higher education in Alabama are highly engaged in preparing the ECE
workforce in Alabama. It is evident that both 2-year and 4-year institutions are working
together and within the state to facilitate workforce access to coursework and to
scholarship funds. In assessing the capacity of higher education to produce the number
of degreed early education teachers necessary for state Pre-K expansion, the numbers
seem to be adequate. However, the primary challenges impeding our state’s progress
are policy issues which can only be solved by system-wide changes which make ECE
careers more appealing in terms of both
wages and benefits. Programs that
provide a comprehensive set of resources
Fresh thinking is beginning to
emerge on how college-level
and incentives have proven to be the most
training may help shape
effective in increasing the education levels
children’s development. Both
of the early childhood teachers and
the content of pre-service
keeping them in the field.
training and the character of
the
preschool as a workplace
Research confirms that even with a
likely play a role. The effects of
credential or college certificate or degree,
obtaining a 2- or 4-year degree
teachers are more effective when this is
may hold modest effects until
combined with specialized training in ECE.
the teacher’s workplace
For years, the Department of Human
nurtures and rewards effective
Resources has supported regional
practices.
agencies that provide training,
Policy Analysis for California
coursework, technical assistance, and
Education,
How to Expand and
other quality enhancement activities for
Improve Preschool in California:
local early childhood programs. The Office
Ideals, Evidence, and Policy
of School Readiness also provides
Options.
extensive training for teachers and other
employees in the state’s Pre-K program.
Other specialized training is provided by diverse entities such as United Way Success
by 6, United Cerebral Palsy, Alabama’s Early Intervention System, Federation of Child
Care Centers of Alabama (FOCAL), Healthy Child Care Alabama, Alabama Association
of Licensed Early Care and Education, Help Me Grow Alabama, and through Family
Resource Centers. Additionally, the Department of Human Resources’ Alabama
Pathways to Quality Care and Education lists all professional development programs
and resources. Research indicates that investments in both college coursework and
specialized training in early education and child development are needed for improved
results.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Further study is needed to identify the core components of early childhood teacher
preparation that should be a part of every certificate or degree program, including
extensive classroom experiences. It is noted by the Foundation for Child Development
that a fundamental problem with associating teacher education and certification with
classroom quality and child outcomes is that teacher education programs vary greatly.
Given this variation, simply defining teacher preparation as earning a diploma or
achieving certification is not sufficient; training experiences prior to entering the
classroom are vital.
We also need to expand our efforts to increase education levels of the workforce to
include assessment of how our investments support better experiences for children. In
general, what we know about training/education and impact on behavior is that
coaching or mentoring support for teachers will help to ensure that the increased
professional development and education levels actually translate into better classroom
environments. These improved environments yield more positive interaction enhanced
outcomes for young children and their families.
The evidence suggests that simply increasing individual-level credentials might not
bring the desired outcomes, but that organization-wide program quality matters. This
supports the development and implementation of a Quality Rating and Improvement
System and other cross-system efforts to align standards and guidelines, assess and
reward research-based indicators of quality, and to provide resources and guidance for
continual quality enhancement.
The importance of organization-wide program quality indicates that we need to better
understand the educational levels and effectiveness of administrators and directors.
These staff members set the program tone, philosophy, curriculum, and other factors
that can enhance or impede improvements. Strong program leadership is needed to
maximize our investments in teacher professional development.
Alabama’s investments in developing a well-educated and competent early education
workforce continue to be a critical component in making sure young children have
access to high quality programs. When combined with other quality enhancements,
better qualified and educated teachers will work in environments where early childhood
investments translate into improved learning and experiences for children.
ECAC Needs Assessment 2011 – Professional Development
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Resources:
Alabama Department of Human Resources. (2011). Pathways to Quality Care and
Education. For more information: www.dhr.alabama.gov
Alabama Head Start State Collaboration Office. (2009). Alabama 2008-2009 Needs
Assessment Survey Results. Retrieved from:
http://children.alabama.gov/uploadedFiles/File/AHSNAReportFinal-FINAL.pdf
Alabama Partnership for Children. (2002, 2005, 2008). Child Care Workforce Study. For
more information: www.smartstartalabama.org
Alabama State Department of Education. (2011). Teacher Certification and Rules. For
more information: www.alsde.edu Alabama State Department of Education. (2009). Teacher Preparation Program
Performance Profile. For more information: www.alsde.edu American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation. (2009). Center for the Child
Care Workforce. For more information: http://www.ccw.org/
Ask Alabama Public Opinion Poll. (2009). Alabama Women Push for Flexible Work
Schedules and Childcare; Rising Female Employment Could Change Alabama
Workplaces. Retrieved from: http://www.askalabama.org/press_releases/summer
2009/press_release_6.html
Foundation for Child Development. (2007). Teacher Education and PK Outcomes: Are
We Asking the Right Questions?. Retrieved from: http://fcdus.org/resources/search?topic=0&authors=bogard&keywords=teacher+education
NACCRRA. (2011). Child Care in the State of Alabama. For more information:
www.naccrra.org
NACCRRA. (2011). We Can Do Better: Ranking of State Child Care Center Regulation
and Oversight. For more information: www.naccrra.org
National Conference of State Legislatures. (2008). 5 Ideas for Children Five Years and
Younger. Retrieved from: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=18621
Reisman, B., Green, M., and Coffman, J. (2008). Developing a Diverse and Skilled
Workforce: Lessons from the New Jersey Abbott Preschool Experience. Build
Initiative. Retrieved from:
www.buildinitiative.org/files/Abbott%20Diversity%20Briefing%2010-21-08_0.pdf Shonkoff, J.P. (2007). Center on the Developing Child. The Case for Action,The
Science of Early Childhood Development. Harvard University. Retrieved from:
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/resources/reports_and_working_paper
s/policy_framework/
U.S. Census. (2010). For more information: http://www.census.gov/
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