Current Issues in Professional Development

1. Current Issues in Professional Development May 12, 2010

2. Welcome • Debra Torrence • NC Institute for Child Development Professionals • director@ncicdp.org • Khari Garvin • NC Head Start Collaboration Office • Khari.Garvin@ncpublicschools.gov • Jani Kozlowski • NC Division of Child Development • Jani.kozlowski@dhhs.nc.gov • Leigh Poole • NC Partnership for Children • LPoole@ncsmartstart.org • Erin Speer Smith • NC Community College System • smithe@nccommunitycolleges.edu

3. NC Head Start & Early Head Start Expansion • American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009 • $1B for Head Start • NC rec’d ~ 480 new slots • $1.1B for Early Head Start • NC rec’d ~ 1,556 new slots (more than doubled!) • EHS services for the first time in the following counties: Catawba Johnston/Lee Sampson Durham Onslow Wake • 3 new grantees: 1 school system & 3 local Partnerships

4. TheNEWNational CDA Credential:NC Community College Track

5. CDA:NCCC Track Purpose & Benefits The Child Development Associate credential is... • Recognized by Head Start • All EHS teachers nationwide must minimally have an I/T CDA credential by September 30, 2010 • All Head Start teaching assistants must minimally have a CDA credential (or be enrolled in a CDA program) & subsequently be working towards an associate or baccalaureate degree by September 30, 2013 • Recognized by More At Four • All teacher assistants in More At Four classrooms must minimally have or be working towards a CDA credential

6. Purpose & Benefits (cont.) BA/BS Early Childhood Ed AAS Early Childhood Ed CDA : NC Track • Prepares EC staff to meet higher credentialing requirements • The CDA: NC Community College Track leads directly to the AAS degree (satisfying about 25% of the requirements)

7. CDA:NCCC Track Eligibility Just like the national CDA credential… 18 yrs. of age or older High school diploma/GED 480 hours of experience working with children within the past five years Able to speak/read/write well enough to fulfill the responsibilities of a CDA candidate Sign a statement of ethical conduct that the CDA Council provides (in application packet)

8. CDA:NCCC Track Coursework via NCCCS A. Preschool CDA Coursework • Courses include: EDU 119, EDU 131, EDU 145 (or PSY 245), EDU 146, EDU 153, EDU 184 (Total credit hours: 18 SHC) B. Infant/Toddler CDA Coursework • Courses include: EDU 119, EDU 131, EDU 144 (or PSY 244), EDU 234, EDU 153, EDU 184 or EDU 234A (Total credit hours: 17-18 SHC)

9. State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education & Care • Advisory Council Membership shall include: • DCD Representative • DPI Representative • LEA Representative • IHE Representative • Local CC Provider • Representative from HS Agencies • HS Collaboration Office Director • IDEA, Sec 619 Representative • DPH Representative • Other • Federal ARRA funds are available to support Councils; States must apply by 8/1/10 • 19 States currently have Councils • 30 States are in varying stages of development (including NC) • Authorized in federal legislation (Head Start Act, 2007) • Requires Governors to designate or establish a council charged with the following tasks: • Conduct statewide needs assessments concerning the quality & availability of ECE programs • Identify opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration among federally– and State-funded child development programs • Develop recommendations for the establishment of a unified data collection system; statewide PD plans for ECE educators • Assessing the capacity of IHEs to support ECE educators • Other

10. Task Force On The Consolidation Of Early Childhood Education And Care http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/DocumentSites/browseDocSite.asp?nID=62&sFolderName=\Final%20Report

11. Committee Findings & Recommendations Early Childhood Programs Should Eventually Be Administered Under a Single Entity DPI Should Restructure MAF Payments DCD Should Partner with Other Entities to Implement a Consolidated EBT System DPI and NCHHS Should Consolidate the Regulatory Oversight of MAF Services Provided in a Private Sector Setting DPI and NCHHS Should Consolidate the Transcript Evaluation of Early Childhood Educators Smart Start and DCD Should Leverage Additional Federal Funding for Child Care Health Consultants An Annual Consolidated Report for All Major Early Childhood Programs Should be Created The G.A. Should Create a Joint Legislative Study Committee of ECE and Care The Legislative Study Committee… Should Closely Coordinate its Activities with the ECAC

12. Leigh Poole NC Partnership for Children

13. Lead Teacher Education – Minimum Standard (EDU10)

14. Education Points • >Lead Teacher education points • >Administrator education points • >Family Child Care Provider education points

15. Lead Teacher Education – High Performing Standard (EDU10)

16. Administrator Education – Minimum Standard (EDU20)

17. Administrator Education – High Performing Standard (EDU20)

18. Family Child Care Provider Education Minimum Standard (EDU30)

19. Family Child Care Provider Education High Performing Standard (EDU30)

20. Jani Kozlowski NC Division of Child Development

21. Updates from DCD The North Carolina Quality Rating and Improvement System Advisory Committee • Over ten years have passed since the rollout of the star rated license system • Now is the time to think toward the future for an even stronger Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)! • Focus on systems-level quality improvements as well as efforts to further support quality child care and informed decision-making for families.  • The mission of the QRIS Advisory Committee is to review the current system, provide a vision for the future of the QRIS, and make recommendations for short and long-term changes that will lead the state toward that vision.  • These recommendations will include suggestions for policy revisions and initiatives that will improve and enhance our current system.  • A diverse group of individuals, including for-profit, non-profit, and government sponsored child care providers, as well as state and community partners will provide input for the recommendations • The Advisory Committee work will culminate with a report of all recommendations that will be shared with the Child Care Commission and other key early care and education system partners.

22. Updates from DCD Regional Professional Development Planning Project • Funded by DCD with partners NC CCR&R Council & Institute for Child Development Professionals • Year-long process with stakeholder teams in the 18 CCR&R regions • Professional development-related strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges scanned, goals and priorities discussed • This effort will serve to inform the Child Care & Development Fund required professional development plan for NC and other efforts • A final report with recommendations from the project will be available in early fall

23. Updates from DCD Child Care Commission approves proposed rules • At the April 29th Commission meeting, child care rules were approved related to: • Developmental day centers • Staff/child interactions • Outdoor play time for children • Limits on “screen time” for children • Breastfeeding support for mothers with children in child care

24. Federal Budget Forecast • President Obama’s budget includes a 1.6 billion dollar increase in child care funding nationwide • Estimates are that NC would receive approx. 60 million in new funding if this passes • Some concern that a portion of the funds would only be available through competitive grants (Early Learning Challenge Fund) • Advocates are working hard to let Congress know about the need for additional funding for child care subsidy and quality initiatives

25. Erin Speer Smith NC Community College System

26. NC Community College Early Childhood Program Survey2007-2008 Data Collected: May 2009

27. 07/08 Survey Response Rate Response Rate: 79.3% Collected May 2009 for 07/08 Fiscal Year is July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008 46/58 colleges responded 85 counties in service delivery area of respondents Online courses may expand counties covered

28. Overview • Degrees offered statewide • 58 Early Childhood Education AAS Degree Programs • 42 School Age Education Degree Programs approved to be offered • 40 offer Infant/Toddler Care certificate • Housed in over a dozen different divisions

29. New Options in 09/10 Degrees • Early Childhood Education AAS (A55220)= 39 colleges have updated their programs of study effective Fall 2009 (including CIP updates) • School Age Education AAS (A55440= 21 colleges have filed a program of study effective Fall 2009 for this program. • 3 plan to apply to offer a new degree that didn’t have the TA concentration Both of the above may include diploma options- D55220 & D55440 Certificates • Infant Toddler Care Certificate (C55290) • Early Childhood certificates (C55220)- could be school age, administration, special education, early childhood, etc. • School Age Education certificates (C55440** or C55220)= 22 colleges/ 47.8% • Population= school age child care providers and teacher assistants in public schools

30. 79 accredited in US (21 states) 12 NC accredited early childhood education degree programs in NC (www.naeyc.org/ecada/) No increase in number of programs accredited since 2008 Barriers reported: Time & Funding Current resources available: NC Net Perkins funds for professional development 10 programs working through self-study process May be extended for 2010-2011 DCD funded accreditation project 2010-2011 Funds for accreditation fees for three main phases (eligibility, self-study submission, or peer review team) NAEYC Accreditation for Associate Degree Programs

31. 16,861 students enrolled in ECE courses (58 colleges) *Average Age = 35.4 years *Gender Female = 97.6% Male = 2.4% *Enrollment Status Full Time (12+ sch) = 14% Part Time = 86% *Ethnicity Black, Non-Hispanic = 46% White, Non-Hispanic = 46% Hispanic = 1.9% Other/ Unknown/Multiple = 7.9% *Percentages based on Early Childhood Degree students (A55220) Student Demographics

32. ***AAS degree (15 gen ed & 49 semester hours in major courses/content) Note: School age degree data will be added in 08/09 survey Data provided by the NC Community College System

33. Increased Access Sessions • 8 week sessions 26/46 programs offer • Summer sessions 36/46 programs offer Delivery Strategies • Hybrid/Blended 69% plan to increase classes • Online 58% plan to increase classes • Seated/Face to Face 82% do not plan to increase classes • Off-site 73% do not plan to increase classes • Weekend/Saturday 20/46 programs offer • Evening 42/46 programs offer • 1 day a week/3 hr 39/46 programs offer • 3 days a week/1 hr 14/46 programs offer • 2 days a week/1½ hr 35/46 programs offer

34. Faculty Information Majority of faculty are… Female; White/European American; Hold Masters degrees; Working part time Advising Load 101 – 250 plus students 12 programs 51 – 100 students 20 programs 0 – 50 students 14 programs Typical advising time 55% of respondents report length is 1 – 3 hours 24% of respondents report length of session is more than 3 hours 85% report advising a student 2 – 4 times/yr Teaching Workload 42 programs reported faculty teach 18 sch or more 29 report faculty load of 18 sch 8 report faculty load of 21 sch 5 report faculty load of 24 sch

35. Debra TorrenceNC Institute for Child Development Professionals

36. What is Early Educator Certification? NC Early Educator Certification (EEC)is acknowledgement of an individual’s verified level of educational achievement, based on a standardized scale. *EEC is not permission to work in the field. 36

37. Institute Updates • Name change • Refreshed website • Mirroring websites for professionals • Planning ecpd approach • State plan under development • NC ECPD Regional Planning Project • http://www.ncicdp.org/projects • ECPD stakeholder Survey – wrapped up 5/10/10

38. Current EEC Numbers • Total • 8,367 (as of 4/1/10) • All 100 counties • Level (as of 4/1/10) • 4,150 (50%) are certified at gold levels – levels six and above

39. Current EEC Numbers cont. • Role(at time of application; as of 4/1/10) • 6,482 teaching (447 indicate some time with school age) • 656 administrative • 174 combined teaching/administrative (87 indicate some time with school age) • 900 small home providers (623 indicate some time with school age) • 155 on behalf, other, student or not yet employed in child care

40. Current EEC Numbers cont. • Auspice (as of 4/1/10) • Over 3,880 certified Early Educators work in over 1,160 for profit centers • Over 1,500 More at Four teachers/assistants • Over 1,150 Head Start

41. All can apply for EEC! At no charge…for a limited time! First come, first served Up to 9,000 individuals working in licensed child care facilities. Eligible positions include teacher, assistant teacher, floater, director, group leader, assistant director, education/program coordinator and home provider. Anytime! $50 fee All Early Educators working directly with, intending to work with (students, new to the state, etc.) and those working on the behalf of children ages birth to twelve (researchers, faculty, consultants, trainers, agency staff, and more) 41

42. Spread the Word! • Use EEC lists & numbers to target recruitment efforts • Free presentations by EEC staff available • Cumberland & Cleveland Counties held trainings recently • Offered training credit • Provided applications, materials & snacks/lunch • EEC gatherings to support completing applications • Recognition ceremonies, articles, newspaper photos • Team meetings to brainstorm can be scheduled • Share & grow EEC Rewards • EEC Raffle • Facebook page! *Visit www.ncicpd.org*