1. Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D. NAEYC Washington, DC
Promoting Quality Early Childhood Education Programs: The Challenges and Opportunities of Preparing ALL Children for a Successful Future
Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D.
NAEYC
Washington, DC

2. Introduction and Goals
NAEYC – brief overview and introduction
Critical view that the “early years are learning years” – a “mantra” for the field and advocates for children
Quality Matters – Key predictors of quality
Description of the recent update by NAEYC of “developmentally appropriate practice”
Accreditation and Related Initiatives
Evolving critical issues in early childhood education
Discussion

4. NAEYC: Who and What We Are
Largest early childhood professional organization in the world – nearly 90,000 members
Professional development and resources for early childhood educators
Advocacy, policy development and “position statements” about critical issues
Accreditation of center-based early care and education programs and higher education
Focus on development and education of ALL young children and families

5. “The Early Years are Learning Years”
“Early Care
IS (and must be)
Education”

6. ECE Today: Key and Critical Issues that Predict Quality
Focus on quality – an aspiration and a goal --
Availability, accessibility and affordability of services
Teacher and staff qualifications and workforce challenges
Administration and management of ECE
Group size and ratio issues
Cultural and linguistic diversity and associated challenges
Attention to children with “challenging behaviors” and “special needs”
Accountability and assessment
Linkages of: ECE – School – Family – Community
Research to Practice to Policy (and back again)
Fragile economics for the ECE field (and the nation and world)
Impact on ECE programs
Impact on ECE training and professional development
Impact on research

8. Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) (Revision in Fall 2008)

9. Young children are born learners
Young children are born learners. Although individual differences are present at birth, most set out to explore their world with unbridled eagerness and curiosity. Perhaps, more than any other time of life, early childhood is a period of never ending possibilities. (Copple & Bredekamp, 2008)

10. The Context for Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)
Historically important construct for the ECE field
Recent advances in understanding of human development and neuroscience (brain science)
Practice rooted in child development theory
Evolution and development of the ECE field with advances in understanding of and practice of DAP
Historic commitment to young children and families, and an affirmation about the importance of the early years

11. Historically Critical Concepts
Appreciating early childhood as a unique and valuable stage of the life cycle
Emphasis on child development research
Importance of the partnership with the family
Recognition of the importance of understanding the child in the context of the family, community, culture and society
Group size and ratio issues important in a practical sense for optimal learning and linkage with quality

12. 2008 Statement – Builds on Earlier Statements (1986 & 1997)
Core Themes of the 2008 Revision:
Excellence and Equity
Intentionality and Effectiveness
Continuity and Change
Joy and Learning

14. The purpose of DAP is to … “… promote excellence in early childhood education…”

15. DAP Requires:
Meeting young children where they are – enabling children to reach goals that are challenging & achievable
Applies teaching practices that are age and developmentally attuned to children and responsive to social & cultural contexts
Best practices based on knowledge and evidence about curricula and teaching

16. Comprehensive & Effective Curricula
Focus on ALL domains of development
Interrelationships of and sequence of ideas
Scaffolding of ideas and concepts
Knowing that the rate & pattern of learning is different among children
Learning experiences are “aligned” across the early childhood period
Linkage between ECE and Elementary School programs
Individual, family, school and community development

17. Effective Curriculum Multiple teaching strategies
Focus is on multiple domains
Coherent and sequential
Emphasis on teacher capability and pedagogy
Assessment driven curriculum based on needs and challenges of each child
Resources available to all children – there is no one curriculum that is best of ALL children

18. Improving Teaching & Learning
Teacher behavior is critical & essential
Teachers are INTENTIONAL (critical for learning)
Curriculum is planned, strategic & evidence based
Teachers are well trained and participate in continuing professional development
BOTH teacher-guided AND child-guided experiences are vital
Play in service of learning across multiple spheres of development
External generalization essential at home and in the community

19. Ready Schools
School readiness is as much about helping schools be READY for CHIDREN than it is about helping CHILDREN be READY for School

20. 21’St Century Learning 21’st Century Students
21’st Century Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
21’st Century Pedagogy
21’st Century Teacher Training
21’st Century Success

21. “…The 10 most frequent jobs of 2015 haven’t yet been invented…” Daniels School of Business, University of Denver

22. The seed of success are sewn early

24. Important Domains for Success
Relationships
Development
Innovation
Context

26. NAEYC Program Accreditation: The Right Choice for Kids

27. NAEYC Program Accreditation
Established in 1985
Differentiated from higher education accreditation
Program to assure quality in center-based early care and education programs
Standards, criteria and program review processes
Currently, more than 9,000 accredited programs in US, with nearly 10,000 in “self-study” serving 1,000,000+ children
Many accredited and applicant programs in GA
265 in state, 75 in ATL area
Many more programs in process
Steps toward accreditation
Enrollment
Candidacy – meeting certain benchmarks
Application – self-study process
On-Site Visit
Annual Reporting and random and interim visits
Re-Accreditation process
Reinvention of program in 2006
Review and revision of process
Newly revised standard and criteria

28. NAEYC Accreditation: A Standard for Quality
NAEYC accredited programs have demonstrated a commitment to providing a high quality program for young children and their families
Emphasis is on the quality of interaction among teachers and children, the experiences of children and on the developmental appropriateness of the curriculum

29. CHILDREN TEACHERS ADMINISTRATION PARTNERSHIPS Relationships Curriculum
Teaching
Health
Assessment of Child Progress
TEACHERS
ADMINISTRATION
Leadership & Management
Teaching Staff
PARTNERSHIPS
Physical Environment
Families
Community Relationships

31. Strategies and Tactics
Use of governmental programs to incent quality
QRIS
16 of 18 link with NAEYC Accreditation
20+ additional state QRIS in development
Tax Credits
Arkansas and Maine link a tax credit to sending children to NAEYC Accredited programs
LA has tax credits linked to QRIS

32. Strategies and Tactics
TEACH and other scholarship and workforce development programs
Grants, loans and financial aid
Professional development programs and incentives
Professional development systems
College of Education
Other community linkages and partnerships
Birth-to-five incentive grants coordinated with state early learning councils
Linkages and strengthened relationships with public schools and school systems
Workforce credentialing systems
Teachers
Administrators
State early learning standards

34. A New Administration: New Opportunities and Challenges
ECE, and education more generally, are priorities of the new Obama Administration – economic issues, energy and health care are primary goals
Economic Recovery & Stimulus
CCDBG and Head Start Funding Increases ($4.1B)
Quality
Birth to 5 Incentive Grants
State-Level QRIS and related quality incentive programs
Training and professional development
Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
Nutrition – Child and Adult Food Program
Re-authorization of NCLB and other federal programs
Workforce
Higher education loan forgiveness
TEACH
Higher Education Opportunity Act
Credentialing issues
Coordination among agencies and with states
National Commission on Early Childhood Development & Learning and new Office of Early Learning
FMLA

35. Call to Action
Reap national economic benefits by helping children & families thrive
Head Start, Early Head Start, CCDBG
Make the dependent tax credit refundable
Prevent gap from birth
Expand early head start
Better infant & toddler care
Expand FMLA
Expand Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Part C
Help families afford and programs provide high quality development & learning
Double the # of children receiving subsidies
Improve child care subsidies by requiring states to pay at no less than 75% of market rate
Develop statewide quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS)
Improve professional development systems

36. Call to Action (Continued)
Make EVERY SCHOOL a READY SCHOOL
Enhance & strengthen professional development systems for teachers, administrators & staff
More widely available developmental screening
Expand child & adult care food program
Build a high quality ECE system
Create a birth – 5 incentive system and QRIS
Currently 18 state QRIS with 27 more in development
Linkage of ECE with P(K) – 12 systems
Fund state early learning advisory councils
Reinstate Child Care Bureau = Head Start in the US HHS
Establish and interagency coordination workgroup leading to a National Council on Early Development & Learning

37. Call to Action (continued)
Attract, educate and retain a high quality ECE workforce
Expand Higher Education Opportunity Act program
Programs for increased compensation & benefits for ECE staff
Focus on workforce
Expand our knowledge and apply it
Maintain a research center on ECE
Make research a component of the National Council on Development & Learning
Continue EC longitudinal study
Fund National Academy of Science study on the costs of quality ECE
Require school districts to provide more data, especially on Title 1 programs re . Comprehensiveness of programs, enrollment data and demographics of children served

39. Evolving Critical Issues in ECE
ECE Workforce – and enhancing knowledge, skills & abilities
Teacher training and pedagogical practice
Credentialing
Research to and connected with practice
Curricula
Technology
Culture, language and related issues
Inclusion & special education
Early literacy and mathematics – (STEM)
Social & emotional learning and issues re. “challenging behavior”
Standards, performance based assessment and accountability issues
Systemic linkages

40. Challenges to an effective system of ECE
“Workforce Matters” – preparation & professional development, comp & benefits, prestige & respect, retention & career advancement
Program Management – “principal” metaphor
Links with public schools
Evolution of “P – 12”
Quality versus quantity
Community engagement and context
Resources – facilities, teaching tools
Health and safety issues
Financing – the central issue – high quality and accessible ECE for ALL children is costly – yet a good investment
Principle of “social arbitrage”

41. A National Consensus Importance of education, generally
Impact of our past economic growth and current economic downturn
World events and changing priorities
“Hurdling” toward a consensus about the integral role of ECE – public will
Racing toward the finish line (urgency) with hurdles (barriers) to traverse
Need for responsible advocacy and public engagement
Rhetoric needs to match actions
Change is upon us
We must be the WIND
We must create momentum for the SAIL

42. NAEYC Web Site www.naeyc.org

43. Summary and Discussion