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Strengthening the Diversity and Quality of the Early Care and Education Workforce
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Foundation for Child Development Grants in Action
In October, the Urban Institute and Child Trends released its Strengthening the Diversity and Quality of the Early Care and Education Workforce paper series authored by researchers from our Young Scholar Program (YSP). YSP supports policy and practice relevant research that examines the preparation, competency, compensation, well-being, and on-going professional learning of the early care and education (ECE) workforce. The YSP research highlighted in this paper series investigates relationships among preschool classroom quality and/or teacher well-being, professional development supports, and instructional approach.
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The Young Scholars who contributed to this paper series are:
Anna Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Georgetown University
Associations between Early Care and Education Teacher Characteristics and Observed Classroom Processes
Michelle Maier, Ph.D., Research Associate, MDRC
Professional Development Supports and Teacher Practice in Low-Income Pre-K Programs
Carola Oliva-Olson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, California State University Channel Islands
Dos Métodos: Two Classroom Language Models in Head Start
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Key findings of the reports suggest that:
- Teachers who reported high levels of teamwork among colleagues and those who reported more wellness supports in the workplace had classrooms that scored higher on observed quality; teachers who reported more depressive symptoms scored lower on observed classroom quality.
- Ongoing coaching is a key form of professional development for supporting classroom quality; common planning time is a promising professional development support for teachers; programs may need to consider teachers’ experience when planning professional development versus engaging a one-size fits all approach.
- Students in dual language model classrooms showed significantly greater average gains in English and Spanish oral proficiency than did students in classrooms using the English with home language support model. Findings suggest the need for in-depth professional development regarding language models to ensure quality and consistency in classroom practice and instruction.
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ABOUT US Research, policy and practice—we connect these pieces to help build early childhood systems that enable children to reach their full potential. Founded in 1900, the Foundation for Child Development identifies needs, fills gaps and integrates knowledge for successful implementation and continuous improvement. Learn more about our focus areas and download resources by clicking these links:
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