Advancing the Illinois Early Childhood Education Workforce: A Model College and Career Pathway (2017-3) Stephanie A. Bernoteit, Janet K. Holt, & Amber Kirchhoff e ABOUT THE AUTHORS c r o kf r Stephanie A. Bernoteit, EdD, is the Senior Associate Director for Academic Affairs at the Illinois Board of Higher o W n Education. o ti ca Janet K. Holt, PhD, is the Executive Director at the Illinois Education Research Council and Professor of Educational u Ed Leadership at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. d o ho Amber Kirchhoff is a consultant with the Illinois Education Research Council. d hil C y ACKNOWLEDGMENTS rl a E ois The Illinois early childhood educator pathway model described in this report builds on the work of many early childhood n Illi experts in Illinois who had the foresight and passion to create the Gateways to Opportunity Credentials with leadership from the e Illinois Professional Development Advisory Council. The authors want to particularly acknowledge the early childhood faculty h t g who, through the 2015–2016 state technical assistance project, developed the foundational thinking for the early childhood n ci educator pathway model: Diane Christianson (Illinois Valley Community College), Johnna Darragh Ernst (Heartland n a dv Community College), Nancy Latham (Illinois State University), and Wendy Mertes (Harper College). The technical assistance A project supported the alignment of ECE programs across the state to competencies, the embedding of credentials within these degree programs, and seamless opportunities for transfer. Additionally, we thank our reviewers, Johnna Darragh Ernst (Heartland Community College), Nancy Latham (Illinois State University), Catherine Main (University of Illinois Chicago), Joni Scritchlow (Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Association), Kathy Stohr (Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development), and Cynthia Tate (Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development) for their insightful feedback and comments. We thank IERC Research Associate, Jennifer Barnhart, who provided expert design and layout assistance for the report and the firm of McKnight Kurland, who brought our infographic design to life. We also thank SIUE Assistant Research Professor, Carol Colaninno and IERC Associate Director Bradford White for their feedback and editorial assistance. This policy brief was funded by the Illinois Board of Higher Education through Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge funding coordinated by the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development and the Illinois State Board of Education. SUGGESTED CITATION: Bernoteit, S. A., Holt, J. K., & Kirchhoff, A. (2017). Advancing the Illinois early childhood education workforce: A model college and career pathway (IERC 2017-3). Edwardsville, IL: Illinois Education Research Council at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 2 Introduction A d v a n c in g t h e I llin o is E a r ly C h ild h o o d E d u c a t io n W o r k fo r c e T his policy brief proposes a postsecondary education well-defined route to furthering their competence and and career pathway model for Illinois early education that sequences and articulates coursework across childhood educators. This pathway model is grounded institutions and improves time to degree. Finally, the in recommendations for the early childhood educator proposed pathway creates new options for innovation in profession from both the National Academy of Medicine the field to systematically develop, assess, and recognize key and the National Association for the Education of Young professional competencies. This policy brief delineates the Children, as well as work from the federal Race to the Top- proposed pathway within the Illinois context, describes the Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant awarded to underlying rationale for its development, and concludes Illinois in 2013–2017. This proposed pathway model, the with recommendations for Illinois policymakers and Illinois Early Childhood Educator Preparation Pathway, state agencies, as well as higher education, to advance full provides clarity about competencies and qualifications for implementation of the pathway and support the realization various levels of employment in early childhood education. of attendant benefits to the early childhood education The proposed pathway also draws from best practices profession, children and families, and the state. in career pathway development by aligning stackable credentials to two- and four-year degree programs. Background As a result, the Illinois Early Childhood Educator Preparation In their earliest years, young children grow rapidly, Pathway model offers resolutions to widely varying continuously learning from their environments. During requirements for training, education, and employment this time, they develop the foundation for their linguistic, across different settings which are perennial challenges cognitive, social, and emotional capacities, making the first in this field. It also offers those working in the field a years of a child’s life among the most formative (National 3 e Research Council & Institute of Medicine, 2000). Institute of Medicine & National Research Council, 2015; c r o kf Importantly, high-quality, center-based early childhood Minervino, 2014; Schilder, 2016). Recommendations to r Wo education (ECE) supports this development, preparing better equip early education professionals across settings n students for success in kindergarten (Huang, 2017) and with the knowledge and skills necessary to support o ati later academic achievements contributing to larger societal the healthy development of young children, (Institute c u d and economic benefits (Dodge, Bai, Ladd, Muschkin, of Medicine & National Research Council) include E d 2016; Phillips, Gormley, Anderson, 2016; Peisner- (a) strengthening qualification requirements based o o h Feinberg, Garwood, & Mokrova, 2016). on knowledge and competencies, including a phased d hil transition to a minimum of a baccalaureate degree for C y lead educators; (b) improving higher rl a education and ongoing professional E A patchwork of funding streams and regulatory systems has resulted in ois a fragmented workforce with widely ranging preparation, qualifications, and learning; and (c) promoting evaluation n Illi compensation, often varying by setting. that leads to continuous improvements e in professional practices. h t g n ci A growing body of evidence (Bredekamp & Goffin, 2012; Moreover, the need for EC professionals and preschool n va Minervino, 2014; Schilder, 2016) suggests that well-trained, teachers is expected to grow by 14% and 17% respectively, d A highly-skilled practitioners are at the core of effective early adding to the urgency to strengthen early childhood childhood (EC) programs. However, the early childhood educator preparation and professional development workforce is disjointed and lacks shared knowledge or (Limardo, Sweeney, & Taylor, 2016; U.S. Bureau of Labor common set of competencies required for similar positions Statistics, 2014). Strengthening and expanding the EC (Institute of Medicine & National Research Council, educator workforce will require innovative, cross-system 2015). In Illinois (Lichtenberger, Klostermann, & Duffy, approaches allowing the field to overcome historic divides 2015; White, Mayconich Baron, Klostermann, & Duffy, and to develop clear and accessible EC career pathways. 2016), and across the nation (Institute of Medicine This report describes a collaborative pathway model & National Research Council, 2015), a patchwork of which partners postsecondary institutions responsible funding streams and regulatory systems has resulted in a for educator preparation, government regulatory and fragmented workforce with widely ranging preparation, oversight agencies, and workforce development entities to qualifications, and compensation, often varying by setting. design, advance, and support a pathway that builds upon Adding to the complexity of this professional landscape are an existing credentialing infrastructure in Illinois. This disconnects in credentialing and professional development pathway model systems. This makes it difficult for both preservice and in- service practitioners to navigate their way to the degrees (a) advances competency-based qualifications focused and credentials requisite for entering the workforce and on interdisciplinary core content knowledge and improving their earning potential (White et al., 2016). demonstrated skills; (b) prioritizes improved articulation agreements with streamlined and well- There has been a national call for better prepared early childhood educators coordinated transfer requirements that across ECE settings and a recognition of the importance of credential fit traditional and adult learners’ needs as attainment for both child and center outcomes. they progress along their pathways; and (c) establishes a singular and flexible To rectify this discordance in EC educator preparation and system, compatible with multiple sectors, with several ensure that all young learners have access to high quality, early entry and exit points aligned to stackable, industry-wide care, there has been a national call for better prepared early recognized degrees and credentials leading to a variety of childhood educators across ECE settings and a recognition career pathway options. of the importance of credential attainment for both child and center outcomes (Bredekamp & Goffin, 2012; 4 Challenges for Preparing an Early Childhood Workforce A d v a n c in g Supporting Working Adults to Degree and statewide system for supporting student transfer, called the t h e Credential Completion Illinois Articulation Initiative, which has proven to be highly I T successful in supporting completion of two- and four-year llin o he pathway model describes how learners can enter and degrees as evidenced by National Student Clearinghouse is E exit the early childhood workforce at various points in a their career. This presupposes that many of the persons data (Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2015-16). rly C entering the EC educator pipeline will be nontraditional Education and skills development systems intended to hild or adult learners; therefore, consideration should be made serve the adult learner population—adult basic education, ho o for the special circumstances of adult learners, which is workforce development programs, and community and d E detailed in this section. technical colleges—often were not designed with a goal of du c readying adults returning to education from the workforce at Adult learners are prevalent and on the rise on college io campuses as more students are accessing postsecondary for college and postsecondary attainment. As a result, n W many postsecondary institutions were ill-equipped to meet o education after entering the workforce, raising a family, rk their needs and effectively advance their education and fo and/or other life events. Recent data from the National rc positioning in the labor market (Roberts & Price, 2015). e Center of Education Statistics (NCES) indicate that nationally 74% of undergraduates possess at least one Meeting the needs of adult learners requires flexibility in characteristic of a nontraditional student1 (Radford, course scheduling, such as evening, weekend, and distance Cominole & Skomsvold, 2015). Having more pressures on learning options, and course offerings at convenient their time due to family and work, adult students typically satellite locations. State-of-the-art adult learner services take longer to get a degree compared to traditional students. include child care options, financial aid for adult learners, Although, the enrolled time does not differ much from advisement and financial aid services with evening and traditional-aged students, the number of calendar years weekend hours, transitions programs, accelerated and to complete a degree was 1.8 years longer for an associate personalized course formats, and prior learning assessment degree and 3.1 years longer for a bachelor degree (Shapiro and credit (American Association of State Colleges and et al., 2016) for adult learners. The long time to degree is Universities, 2006; Ross-Gordon, 2011). even more accentuated in the ECE field due to low earning An innovation to improve time to degree for all learners is potential even with a postsecondary degree and previous the guided pathways model (Complete College America, lack of aligned educational opportunities. 2014). An essential component of guided pathways is pre- Along with this trend toward more adult learners, we developed whole programs of study with accompanying also find that the frequency in which students transfer course sequences. These pre-structured pathways avoid institutions is on the rise—more than 67% of bachelor- unused course credits and keep the student on track for degree earners transferred colleges at least once (Shapiro an on-time graduation. Another key component of the et al., 2016). Unfortunately, this longer time to degree guided pathways model is intrusive, on-time advising, in and more prevalent transfer patterns affect credit loss. On which an early warning system alerts advisors if a student average students lose 13 credits with their first transfer. is at-risk of academic trouble so the advisors can intervene Although, about 39% of transfer students have no credit before students make decisions that derail their path to transfer (Simone, 2014). This loss of transfer credit has graduation. These and other features of guided pathways motivated the design of structured pathways for student help students make more informed and beneficial choices enrollment and stackable credentials, in which institutions and increase transparency about degree pathways. In transfer credentials and degrees intact toward a higher several examples of implementation, graduation rates have credential or degree, to help to facilitate college completion. dramatically increased and led to improved time to degree The Illinois model draws on the strengths of an existing (Complete College America, 2014). ____________________ 1 These characteristics include being financially independent, having one or more dependents, being a single caregiver, not having a traditional high school diploma, delaying postsecondary enrollment, attending school part-time, and being employed full-time (NCES, 2015). 5 e Concomitantly, early childhood c r o kf Ultimately, the goal is to transform the ECE workforce to ensure that educators may re-enter the postsecondary r Wo postsecondary institutions properly prepare practitioners to help young system not only with varied credentials, n children thrive at each stage of their development. but also with varying degrees. Common o ati degrees for EC educators include the c u d The proposed Illinois pathway model will require Associate of Applied Science degree, the E d overcoming these disconnects, improving coordination, Associate of Arts degree, and the Bachelor of Arts degree. o ho and updating program offerings and policies in order to Because four-year institutions expect the transfer of general d hil achieve the cross-system alignment necessary for guiding education courses from the associate degree programs, yet C y adult learners along the early childhood professional the two-year degrees, particularly the Associate of Applied rl a pathway. Ultimately, the goal is to transform the ECE Science, include many early childhood courses, transfer to E ois workforce to ensure that postsecondary institutions four-year programs has been problematic and can result in n Illi properly prepare practitioners to help young children much credit loss for EC educator transfer students. e thrive at each stage of their development. To enable and h g t sustain these systemic changes requires institutional Given the fractured nature of this workforce’s preparation n nci leaders and the governing and funding entities to develop and development, a great deal of variation in education, dva a shared vision, commitment, and understanding of each certification, and professional learning exists among early A childhood professionals. To unify the workforce and move other’s roles so that programming, policies (e.g., credit it in the direction of evidence-based practice, a National transfer, credentialing, quality standards and metrics), Research Council (NRC) and Institute of Medicine and investments align to support the common goal of (IOM) report (National Research Council & Institute of strengthening the early childhood workforce (Roberts & Medicine, 2000) makes a number of recommendations Price, 2015). regarding preparation programs and ongoing professional development. Among these recommendations is a A Fractured Early Childhood Workforce call for high-quality training programs designed for Employment workforce requirements for early childhood specific professional roles centered around a core set of educators are wide ranging. Some aspiring assistant interdisciplinary coursework and field experiences so teachers may only need a high school diploma in licensed that those in similar positions, regardless of the setting, care centers, whereas teachers in early childhood centers operate from a comparable foundation of knowledge and associated with K-12 schools need a baccalaureate degree, competencies. with varied requirements in between for other positions. It National recommendations also encourage greater is not surprising, then, that EC educators enter or re-enter coherence around professional learning supports and the postsecondary system with a range of credentials and easing access to appropriate, high-quality professional degrees. Currently, the credential and degree requirements development resources for both preservice and in- for Illinois EC educators are varied, determined by where service practitioners (National Research Council & the teacher is working, if that setting is licensed, and how Institute of Medicine, 2000). Commensurate with these that setting is funded. This complexity makes it difficult for recommendations, this report also suggests that the EC educators to navigate the education system to advance entities responsible for regulating and overseeing early in their profession or choose to work in another type of childhood settings strengthen and align competency-based setting. qualification requirements across the workforce. More specifically, this report calls for a tiered, multi-year preparation The credential and degree requirements for Illinois EC educators are pathway aimed at equipping all lead wide-ranging and varied, determined by where the teacher is working, if that educators with at least a bachelor setting is licensed, and how that setting is funded. degree with specialized knowledge and competencies in child development, ECE knowledge, and educational practices—a move consistent with child development and early learning science. 6 Initiative to Redesign Illinois’ Early Childhood Educator Programs A d v a n c in g In alignment with the core content areas, Level 1 gives t h e some training in health, safety, and other related topics I at the secondary level. Level 2 prepares EC educators to llin o work as assistant teachers and requires postsecondary is E a education and practical experience in human growth and r ly development, and health, safety, and well-being, and other C h areas of early childhood knowledge and skills. Level 3 ild h prepares educators to work as entry-level EC teachers and o o d requires additional postsecondary education in each of the E d seven ECE content areas as well as documented hours of u c a experience in EC settings. Level 4 prepares EC educators tio n to become EC teachers. This level requires an associate W o degree and additional coursework in the ECE content r k areas, as well as additional experience in EC settings. fo r c e Level 5 prepares competent early childhood classroom lead T he proposed Illinois pathway model fits within the teachers with leadership and advocacy knowledge and skills, existing credentialing and postsecondary system with and possible educator licensure through the Illinois State some redesign. The Illinois early childhood credentialing Board of Education (ISBE). This level requires a bachelor system has existed since 2001, developed by the degree, additional postsecondary hours in the ECE content Professional Development Advisory Council and the areas and additional documented EC experience. This Illinois Department of Human Services and enacted in integration of credentialing and postsecondary degrees in Illinois statute in 2009. Illinois EC educators can obtain a seamless pathway is essential to the advancement of early a series of leveled industry-recognized credentials through childhood educators. the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral The connections between the credentialing system and the Association (INCCRRA)’s professional development state’s colleges and universities were further strengthened as system, known as Gateways to Opportunity. These leveled part of the state’s Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge. credentials allow EC educators to gain the knowledge and Under the auspices of this federal initiative, the Illinois skills necessary for a variety of ECE workforce positions in Board of Higher Education (IBHE) along with other varied settings, beginning with Level 1 training designed to stakeholder partners including the Illinois Community supplement high school education and Levels 2 through 5 College Board (ICCB) and INCCRRA launched a series attained through a combination of postsecondary of higher education initiatives to advance the preparation education and experience. The credentialing system is of the state’s early childhood workforce. These initiatives built upon a comprehensive set of 347 benchmarks of included a grant program to support two-year and four-year Gateways Levels 2 through 5 that map onto seven core institutions in collaboratively redesigning their EC educator content areas: human growth and development (HGD); preparation programs to support transfer and articulation, health, safety, and well-being (HSW); observation and as well options for attaining Gateways credentials as part assessment (OA); curriculum or program design (CPD); of the candidate’s work within their degree programs. One interactions, relationships, and environments (IRE); family of the grant partnerships investigated questions about how and community relationships (FCR); and personal and they would jointly determine candidate attainment of professional development (PPD). desired knowledge and skills as represented by the sequence 7 ILLINOIS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR PREPARATION PATHWAY FURTHER GRADUATE EDUCATION GATEWAYS ECE ADDITIONAL AND GATEWAYS LEVEL 6 CREDENTIALS* POSTSECONDARY COMPETENCIES POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION PREPARATION ENTRY TO EMPLOYMENT LEVEL Lead Teacher (Level 5): Completion of additional ECE coursework, Prepares competent early 5 • Human Growth and Development (HGD5, HGD6) supervised experience, and possible childhood classroom lead • Health Safety and Well-Being (HSW7, HSW8) specialization in teachers with leadership and • Observation and Assessment (OA7, OA8) • Infant/Toddler advocacy knowledge and • Curriculum or Program Design (CPD10) • ESL/ Bilingual skills, and possible educator • Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (IRE6, IRE7) • Early Childhood Special Education. licensure through ISBE. • Family and Community Relationships (FCR7) BACHELOR DEGREE • Personal and Professional Development (PPD7, PPD8, PPD9, PPD10) LEVEL Teacher (Level 4): Completion of general education, 3 Prepares competent early 4 • Human Growth and Development (HGD4) additional hours of ECE, and child childhood classroom • Health Safety and Well-Being (HSW6) development practicum teachers with profi cient • Observation and Assessment (OA4, OA5, OA6) knowledge and skills. • Curriculum or Program Design (CPD4, CPD5, CPD6, CPD7, ASSOCIATE DEGREE CPD8, CPD9) • Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (IRE5) • Personal and Professional Development (PPD5, PPD6) LEVEL Entry-Level Teacher (Level 3): Completion of 3 hours each of English, Prepares competent 3 • Health Safety & Well-Being (HSW3, HSW4, HSW5) math, and general education entry-level early • Observation and Assessment (OA1, OA2, OA3) childhood classroom • Curriculum or Program Design (CPD1, CPD2, CPD3) teachers with basic • Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (IRE3, IRE4) knowledge and skills. • Family and Community Relationships (FCR4, FCR5, FCR6) • Personal and Professional Development (PPD3, PPD4) LEVEL Assistant Teacher (Level 2): Completion of 2 additional hours Prepares competent 2 • Human Growth and Development (HGD1, HGD2, HGD3) early childhood • Health Safety and Well-Being (HSW1, HSW2) assistant teachers with • Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (IRE1, IRE2) foundational knowledge • Family and Community Relationships (FCR1, FCR2, FCR3) and skills. • Personal and Professional Development (PPD1, PPD2) HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR GED LEVEL 1 A series of basic trainings on health, safety, and other topics aligned with the Illinois Department Credit for assistance with competency-based pathway to Diane Christianson, of Human Services requirements that may be used to supplement high school education. Johnna Darragh Ernst, Nancy Latham, & Wendy Mertes, faculty consultants. Illinois ECE Technical Assistance Project, 2015 – 16. *Gateways to Opportunity http://www.ilgateways.com Figure 1. Infographic of the proposed Illinois Early Childhood Educator Preparation Pathway. HGD = human growth and development; HSW = health, safety, and well-being; OA = observation and assessment; CPD = curriculum or program design; IRE = interactions, relationships, and environments; FCR = family and community relationships; and PPD = personal and professional development. ILLINOIS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR PREPARATION PATHWAY FURTHER GRADUATE EDUCATION GATEWAYS ECE ADDITIONAL AND GATEWAYS LEVEL 6 CREDENTIALS* POSTSECONDARY COMPETENCIES POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION PREPARATION ENTRY TO EMPLOYMENT LEVEL Lead Teacher (Level 5): Completion of additional ECE coursework, Prepares competent early 5 • Human Growth and Development (HGD5, HGD6) supervised experience, and possible childhood classroom lead • Health Safety and Well-Being (HSW7, HSW8) specialization in teachers with leadership and • Observation and Assessment (OA7, OA8) • Infant/Toddler advocacy knowledge and • Curriculum or Program Design (CPD10) • ESL/ Bilingual skills, and possible educator • Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (IRE6, IRE7) • Early Childhood Special Education. licensure through ISBE. • Family and Community Relationships (FCR7) BACHELOR DEGREE • Personal and Professional Development (PPD7, PPD8, PPD9, PPD10) LEVEL Teacher (Level 4): Completion of general education, 3 Prepares competent early 4 • Human Growth and Development (HGD4) additional hours of ECE, and child childhood classroom • Health Safety and Well-Being (HSW6) development practicum teachers with profi cient • Observation and Assessment (OA4, OA5, OA6) knowledge and skills. • Curriculum or Program Design (CPD4, CPD5, CPD6, CPD7, ASSOCIATE DEGREE CPD8, CPD9) • Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (IRE5) • Personal and Professional Development (PPD5, PPD6) LEVEL Entry-Level Teacher (Level 3): Completion of 3 hours each of English, Prepares competent 3 • Health Safety & Well-Being (HSW3, HSW4, HSW5) math, and general education entry-level early • Observation and Assessment (OA1, OA2, OA3) childhood classroom • Curriculum or Program Design (CPD1, CPD2, CPD3) teachers with basic • Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (IRE3, IRE4) knowledge and skills. • Family and Community Relationships (FCR4, FCR5, FCR6) • Personal and Professional Development (PPD3, PPD4) LEVEL Assistant Teacher (Level 2): Completion of 2 additional hours Prepares competent 2 • Human Growth and Development (HGD1, HGD2, HGD3) early childhood • Health Safety and Well-Being (HSW1, HSW2) assistant teachers with • Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (IRE1, IRE2) foundational knowledge • Family and Community Relationships (FCR1, FCR2, FCR3) and skills. • Personal and Professional Development (PPD1, PPD2) HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR GED LEVEL 1 A series of basic trainings on health, safety, and other topics aligned with the Illinois Department Credit for assistance with competency-based pathway to Diane Christianson, of Human Services requirements that may be used to supplement high school education. Johnna Darragh Ernst, Nancy Latham, & Wendy Mertes, faculty consultants. Illinois ECE Technical Assistance Project, 2015 – 16. *Gateways to Opportunity http://www.ilgateways.com ce of Gateways credentials, Levels 2–5. This investigation faculty at both two-year and four-year institutions were r o kf resulted in a comprehensive mapping of the 347 EC given expert peer consultation to support the alignment r Wo educator credential benchmarks to employment options of ECE coursework to competencies, thereby creating n and increasingly sophisticated expectations of knowledge coherent course sequences that further supported student o ati and skills. The higher education partnership’s resulting transfer and completion. Additional support was provided c u d work yielded a well-articulated set of 56 competencies in attaining institutional approvals for curriculum changes, E d from the EC educator credentials, clearly aligned with the and making refinements in marketing, admission, and o o h underlying benchmarks (Sanden et al., 2017; see Figure 1). advising systems to better highlight the career pathway. d hil This project also equipped institutions with competency- C y based assessment tools to align ISBE rl a requirements and Gateway credentials E ois The higher education partnership’s resulting work yielded a well- and set institutions on the course n Illi articulated set of 56 competencies from the EC educator credentials, clearly of developing coherent articulation e aligned with the underlying benchmarks. pathways for EC credentials and degrees. h t g n ci n va As the EC educator Gateways competencies were developed d A and shared with the wider ECE field, state leaders recognized opportunities for leveraging the competencies to reduce credit loss and improve attainment of credentials and degrees. The IBHE, along with INCCRRA and ICCB, launched two technical assistance projects spanning 2015– 2107. Through the technical assistance projects, ECE 10