EEC Board: Policy and Research Committee

1. EEC Board: Policy and Research Committee Workforce Update March 3, 2014

2. Statutory Requirement for Workforce Development EEC is charged with providing opportunities of workforce and professional development and training programs to early educators in Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Law Chapter 15D, sec. 12: (p) facilitate the development of the early education and care workforce, and, when appropriate, provide for training programs and professional development for persons offering early education and care programs and services; (t) subject to appropriation, provide consultation services and workforce development to meet the behavioral health needs of children in early education and care programs, giving preference to those services designed to prevent expulsions and suspensions. Special Commission Presentation ~ November 25, 2014

3. National Landscape of Early Education and Care Workforce “Number and Characteristics of Early Care and Education Teachers and Caregivers: Initial Findings from the National Survey of Early Care and Education” (October 2013): • Educational attainment was higher than reported in past studies • 53% of center-based and 30% of home-based early educators reported having college degrees. Athird of all respondents reported having at least a BA. • Median hourly wages of center-based early educators (for 0 to 5 years) • High school degree only = $9/hr • Associates degree only = $11/hr • Bachelor’s or higher = $14.70/hr • All educators = $10.60/hr Special Commission Presentation ~ November 25, 2014

4. National Educational Attainment of Center-Based Educators Special Commission Presentation ~ November 25, 2014 * Findings from Strategies for Children

5. EEC’s Strategic Plan • Create and implement a system to improve and support quality statewide; • Increase and promote family support, access, and affordability; • Create a workforce system that maintains worker diversity and provides resources, supports, expectations, and core competencies that lead to the outcomes we want for children; • Create and implement an external and internal communications strategy that advocates for and conveys the value of early education and care to all stakeholders and the general public; and • Build the internal infrastructure to support achieving the vision.

6. Workforce and Professional Development • Educator Provider Support and Readiness Center Grantees serve as EEC’s professional development hubs • Grantees serve as conduits of information to the field and EEC • Both are included in other EEC initiatives to support the development of a comprehensive professional development system, for example: • QRIS Measurement Tools Grant • Assessment Grant • CCR&R Contract • MA Kindergarten Entry Assessment

7. MA Early Education Workforce Characteristics • Early Educators in Massachusetts (2012) • Number of early educators (including center-based teachers, Head Start, family child care providers, public school preschool): 10,823 • Average salary, preschool teacher: $33,220 • Average salary, child care worker: $26,200 • The MA early education and care workforce turnover rate is almost double that of the average national K-12 teacher turnover rate (29% and 15.5% respectively**) • Top reasons for early education and care workforce turnover: • Other position • Moved • Better pay outside of early childhood field • Returned to school • Moved to a public school job*** Special Commission Presentation ~ November 25, 2014 * Findings from Strategies for Children **Finding from National Center for Education Statistics *** Finding from EEC’s 2012 Child Care Market Rate Survey

8. EEC Certification Then and Now

9. MA Early Education Workforce: Highest Level of Education Estimate 6% of educators earned their bachelor’s degree prior to working in the field. Data Source: PQR February 2014

10. MA Early Education Workforce: Highest Level of Education FCC and Center-based Data Source: PQR February 2014

11. Educator and Provider Support - EPS Grant • Implemented in July 2010, there are 5 regionally-based Educator/Provider Support (EPS) grantees across the state • The EPS grant provides professional development opportunities and support services for individual goals and alignment with QRIS standards • Resources are focused to: • Helps educators attain degrees and develop competency • Helps providers achieve accreditation, meet QRIS standards, and make upward progress on the QRIS system

12. EPS Grant Priorities • Professional development efforts must be evidence-based and aligned with EEC’s 8 Core Competency Areas, • Professional development activities must leverage resources across public and private agencies, including in-kind resources to provide statewide coverage in all required topics. • Professional development is a shared responsibility between educators and the providers that employ them, since increasing the competency of educators’ increases the level of quality of the programs in which they work. • Professional development must meet the needs of the early education and care and out of school time workforce in all settings. • Professional development must be targeted and intentional to meet the needs of specific age groups and unique populations.

13. FY2014 EPS Grantees

14. Since July 2013 EPS grantees have worked with 1177 educators to complete or update an existing Individual Professional Development Plan. Forty-one percent of educators have a goal of degree attainment.

15. EPS grantees have provided more than 2000 educators with formal for-credit professional development opportunities in FY14.

16. EPS grantees work with providers towards accreditation and upward movement on QRIS. A total of 343 providers completed a program professional development plan; nearly 50% of providers have a goal of level 2 QRIS.

17. EPS grantees provided coaching and mentoring supports to 2225 educators and 647 providers between July and December 2013. EPS grantees are required to allocate at least 25% of funds to coaching and mentoring.

18. Readiness Center Activities Grant • There are 6 Regional Readiness Centers created by EOE in 2009. • The primary role of the Readiness Centers is to coordinate professional development and increase communication. • Through RTTT EEC has allocated funds in four key areas • Academic advising and career counseling • QRIS Professional Development • MKEA • Data Management

19. Early Childhood Educators Scholarship • The ECE Scholarship program is jointly administered by EEC and the Office of Student Financial Assistance at the Department of Higher Education • The purpose is to provide financial assistance to educators working in the early education and care field and out-of-school time field in MA to earn an associate's or bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field • The ECE Scholarship is supported with state funding, approximately $3.2M (individual award amounts vary, dependent on factors such as number of credits) • For FY2014: • 1,410 educators applied • 1,214 educators received the scholarship • Recipients were limited to 6 credits for the fall semester and 3 credits for the spring semester

20. Other Workforce Related Initiatives • Post Masters Certificate Program • Peer Assistance and Coaching • Core Knowledge and Competency for Preschool and Out of School Time Consultants Guide • Preschool Science, Technology and Engineer Standards • Early English Language Development Standards • Special Education professional development with ESE • Early Educator Fellowship Institute • Online Coursework (Core Competencies, Guidelines, OST) • STEM Initiatives (Curriculum Grant, Summit, Post Conference) • License Plate Grants • Health and Safety Professional Development • QRIS Professional Development Standards Working Group