National Association for the Education of Young Children A Broad Overview of Power to the Profession Affiliate Leadership Day November 2, 2016 National Association for the Education of Young Children

Our Shared Vision ECE Professionals Across All Settings Are: Effective Accountable Diverse Respected Comparably Compensated

This is Not a New Vision and Conversation Decades of advocacy efforts State, local, and federal solutions were developed to address this issue Today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions

Old Conversation, New Fertile Context Solid Research Leadership and Prioritization across Multiple Organizations and Governance Entities Increased Public Support and Interest

Ready or Not…ECE is In the Spotlight! Educators’ work is critical Educators’ work requires complex thinking Educators’ work requires specialized training and education Investments must be made to support the profession

Get Ready to Seize this Moment More Ready to Invest Public and voters Public officials Funders Researchers Economists As advocates, we need to be able to answer questions

Get Ready to Seize this Moment Are WE Ready? Who gets the investments? Why? What do investors get in return? As advocates, we need to be able to answer questions

Difficult Conversations Ahead What does it take to become an early childhood educator? What do they do? What are they accountable for?

Unifying Identity Matters To Have EC Educators Across All Settings That Are We Must Have Agreed Upon and Unifying We Must Eliminate Effective Accountable Diverse Respected Comparably Compensated Scope of Practice Competencies Qualifications Pathways Quality Assurance Customized Supports Policy and Advocacy Agenda Funding requests, mechanisms, and strategies Significant variation across funding streams/programs Significant variation across and within states Unfunded pathways Lack of clarity about who IS and IS NOT a “recognized” EC educator Conflicting and isolated policy and advocacy agendas Ambiguous funding proposals

Power to the Profession

Structure Task Force Stakeholders Affiliates 15 National Organizations who represent and engage with large groups of early childhood professionals Meeting quarterly 2017-2018 Stakeholders 30 national organizations with system-level influence Affiliates Bring the voices of the field into the national conversation and process

We Need Your Leadership and Expertise!

What to Expect? Multiple opportunities and platforms for collaborative decision-making Consensus on historically polarizing issues Leveraging strengths and lessons-learned Use of research to inform decisions Keen focus on implementation Increased capacity for joint public policy and advocacy Deep dive in states

Role for Affiliates Mini-Grants Deliverables Key informant interviews Focus Groups Community Forums Mirror and inform the national conversation Lay the groundwork for a policy agenda

Role for Affiliates All Affiliates Promote NAEYC-produced surveys to members Newsletters and communications Hold Community Forums Make part of conferences

Discussion What excites you about this initiative? What do we need to make sure we keep in mind? What do you need to move this conversation forward?

It’s Going to be Tough…

…But the Rewards are Worth It

Stay Connected Website: http://www.naeyc.org/profession Primary Point of Contact: Katherine Kempe   Senior Director, Professional Recognition and Advancement Phone: (202) 350-8867 Email: kkempe@naeyc.org

National Association for the Education of Young Children