1 Educator and Provider Support Procurement Fiscal Year 2011

Moving Educator and Provider Support Forward Guiding the Work: EEC Boards Strategic Plan EECs Workforce Development Plan Steps Forward, MA Early Education and Care and Out-of- School Time Workforce Development Task Force Outcomes for Workforce Development: Better alignment across early education and care and elementary/secondary education Professional development for different settings, educators, and children Continued progress in key areas (competencies, pathways, orientation) Help position EEC for the Early Learning Challenge funds 2

Background: EEC currently purchases: 3 FY2010 Desired outcomes Building Careers Colleges 21 grants$923,776 Support educators working in early education and out of school time with college courses, academic advising, and career counseling. Increase the number of well trained practitioners by providing appropriate learning experiences and resources needed to achieve a related credentials and degrees. CPC Program and Provider Supports 94 grants$1,985,914 Increase the number of programs which are accredited by NAEYC, NAFCC, or COA. Increase the number of well trained practitioners by providing appropriate learning experiences and resources needed to achieve a related credentials and degrees. CCRRs Professional Development 15 contracts $703,589 Support the new child care regulations with professional development that helps programs meet new requirements (curriculum, inclusion, interactions, oral health, literacy, etc); Increase the number of well trained practitioners by providing appropriate learning experiences and resources needed to achieve a related credentials and degrees. Total $3,613,279

Focus Resources EEC intends to focus its remaining resources by: Combining this funding into a single procurement for FY11 that addresses common goals across these programs; Purchasing professional development that supports both individual educators on a pathway and programs efforts to attain higher levels of quality through QRIS. EECs goals for: Educators: Address two primary pathways, both with mentoring, coaching and other supports, to: move educators towards degrees in early education or a related field and increase educator competency as evidenced in the attainment of CDAs and other certifications. Programs: Support providers in developing their staff, moving up QRIS scale, and obtaining accreditation. 4

Achieving these goals To achieve these goals EEC will focus resources on three areas: 1. Career and Provider Planning individual educators and programs, and/or program leadership training to support career planning for their individual staff. 2. Coaching and Mentoring support the academic success of individual educators in higher education, implement a career plan for educators to attain specific skills, knowledge and abilities, and/or Support improvements by programs that result in achieving a higher level on QRIS or accreditation. 3. Competency Development attain an associates, bachelors or masters degree in early childhood education or a related field; attainment of specific competencies by educators; attainment of increasing levels on QRIS by programs. 5

Criteria for Professional Development Professional Development: 1. Must be evidenced-based and aligned with EECs 8 core competency areas. 2. Must leverage resources across public and private agencies to provide state-wide coverage in all required topics. 3. Is a shared responsibility between educators and the programs that employ them: Increasing the competency of educators also helps the programs they work in attain increasingly higher levels of quality. 4. Must meet the needs of the early education and out of school time workforce. 5. Must be targeted and intentional to meet the needs of all children. 6. Must present a partnership to cover all three core functions to deliver professional development. 6