PreK-Grade 3: What features define high-quality learning environments? - Access related research titles from the ECS Research Studies Database. Links embedded in titles will take you to each study's major findings and recommendations....

Preschool: How prepared do teachers need to be? - Access related research titles from the ECS Research Studies Database. Links embedded in titles will take you to each study's major findings and recommendations....

VPK Teachers' Education Level Does Not Substantially Influence Kindergarten Readiness Scores; Program and Provider Differences Affect Readiness Rates - This report answers the following three questions with regards to Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) education Program: (1) Do VPK teachers with bachelor's degrees do a better job preparing children for kindergarten than other teachers?; (2) Is there a difference in kindergarten readiness depending on the type of VPK program children attend?; (3) Is there a difference in kindergarten readiness of children who completed the VPK School-Year Program in public versus private provider settings? (OPPAGA, February 2012)...

Watching Teachers Work: Using Observation Tools to Promote Effective Teaching in the Early Years and Early Grades - This report presents an argument for improving early education through third grade by watching teachers in action using innovative observation tools in combination with evaluation and training programs. With many states currently redesigning their teacher-evaluation systems, the authors offer 17 recommendations to policymakers at all levels of government, as well as to educators and teacher-preparation programs. Among them: Use valid and reliable observation tools to identify, promote and reward good teaching; harness the power of these tools to integrate professional development with formal evaluation; and use observation-based assessments to promote PreK-3rd reforms, providing teachers with a common language for describing good teaching across pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and elementary schools. (New America Foundation, Nov 2011) ...

Comparison of Mean Hourly Wages of Early Childhood Educators with Mean Hourly Wages of Other Teachers - This fact sheet on the hourly wages of child care workers and pre-k teachers, in comparison to kindergarten and elementary school teachers, shows that, the latter group earns almost four times as much as the average child care workers and more than twice as much as the pre-k teacher. The fact sheet also includes state-by-state data on hourly wages for early childhood staff. (American Federation of Teachers) ...

Staff Preparation, Reward, and Support - This brief examines the extent to which QRIS provide incentives to increase or improve four critical elements: staff qualifications, professional development, compensation and benefits and workplace environment. They found that QRIS tend to put more emphasis on the first two issues than the others. Also, while most QRIS require some structural components that create a supportive workplace (e.g., staff meetings, professional development plans, etc.), only five require programs to provide paid time for inservice training and only three require opportunities for collaborative planning with colleagues. (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, 2011)...

Degrees in Context - Instead of asking whether a bachelor’s degree “matters” for quality instruction, this brief argues that it may be more important to examine whether teacher education programs and early learning work environments support high-quality practices. The authors discuss concerns about the curricular content of bachelor degree programs that prepare pre-k teachers, the quality of student teaching experiences and faculty members’ capacity to teach early education content. The brief also highlights the limited supports (e.g., professional development, compensation and benefits) that pre-k teachers receive after they attain their degrees. (National Institute for Early Education Research, April 2011)...

Degrees in Context: Asking the Right Questions About Preparing Skilled and Effective Teachers of Young Children - In this brief, the authors argue that too much attention has been given to debating the baseline qualifications required of preschool teachers – AA vs. BA. They contend that it is just as necessary to take into account the nature of the education teachers receive on route to a degree, supports for ongoing learning, and the effects of the workplace environment on teaching practice. (National Institute for Early Education Research, April 2011)...

Workforce Information: A Critical Component of Coordinated State Early Care and Education Data Systems - An examination of the early care and education workforce data landscape across the states, focusing on the three main workforce data systems operating across the states. This report also examines the challenges and efforts to align these systems. (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, March 2011)...

Getting in Sync: Revamping Licensure and Preparation for Teachers in Pre-K Kindergarten and the Early Grades - Many teachers in the early grades come from K-5 or K-6 degree programs. The courses taught in educator preparation programs show a lack of focused attention on the recent research on emergent literacy in young children. The analysis of research conducted for this report show many examples of where the current system for training and licensing teachers is out of sync with what research and practice indicates is best for young children. (New America Foundation, March 2011)...

Revamping Teacher Preparation in Pre-K, Kindergarten and the Early Grades - Teachers at all grade levels must be equipped with knowledge and skills that show a deep understanding of how children develop, but this is especially critical for Pre-K-3rd teachers. These instructors must learn about the science of early-childhood development (including a focus on social-emotional growth) and family engagement, as well as gain experience in how to provide effective instruction in subjects such as early science, early literacy and the building blocks of mathematics. (New America Foundation, March 2011)...

The Effects of Preschool Education: What We Know, How Public Is or Is Not Aligned With the Evidence Base, and What We Need to Know - This article discusses the gap between what we know about quality in early learning programs and the policies or practices in states and communities. Much of the discussion focuses on workforce issues, such as the need for evidence-based training approaches, standard expectations for teacher preparation and the alignment of learning objectives of teachers with expected child outcomes. (Association for Psychological Science, February 2011)...

Learning Together: A Study of Six B.A. Completion Cohort Programs in Early Care and Education - Part of a multi-year study, this report surveys the experiences of students who participated in “cohort programs” that support early childhood professionals pursuing bachelor’s degrees. Students, overall, were pleased with their experiences and felt that the program provided them with confidence in their workplace and boosted their morale. After a year, many expressed interest in pursuing additional degrees beyond the bachelor’s. For the university leaders and staff interviewed, the critical factor contributing to the success is the presence of a leader who has the ability to bring key players, such as the president of the university, faculty, and partners in the community, to create and maintain cohort groups. (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, 2011)...

Making Preschool More Productive: How Classroom Management Training Can Help Teachers - This report evaluates an intervention program that trains pre-k teachers on how to address children’s behavioral and emotional issues. Researchers have found that the program, Foundations of Learning, enabled teachers to better manage children’s behavioral challenges and increase the amount of instruction time. Students were more engaged and had fewer conflicts with adults or peers. The impact on teacher practice persisted into the year after completion of the intervention, while the impact on children’s behavior did not last through kindergarten. (MDRC, November 2010)...

Lifting Pre-K Quality: Caring and Effective Teachers - According to researchers, the initial boost felt by preschoolers in the Head Start program disappears by first grade. Concerned about the drop-off in preschool benefits, policy makers and early education advocates are shifting their attention to a general improvement of preschool quality, often tightening the already centralized regulation of neighborhood preschool programs. The researchers identified mentoring and training of preschool teachers as important tools to help them enrich their instructional activities in classrooms and boost the early language and preliteracy skills of 3- and 4-year olds. (UC Berkeley Institute of Human Development, October 2010)...

Lifting Pre-K Quality: Caring and Effective Teachers - This report analyzes the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM) and describes key components of both assessment models including observation tools, coaches for teachers, curricula attending to both cognitive and emotional development, and the use of children’s assessment data to improve practice. (University of California-Berkeley Institute of Human Development, 2010)...

Toward the Identification of Features of Effective Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators - This literature review, prepare by Child Trends, covers research findings on four targets of early childhood professional development: strengthening human or social capital; strengthening practices at institutions or organizations providing professional development; strengthening early educator practices related to specific child outcomes; and strengthening overall quality in classroom or group settings. (U.S. Department of Education, 2010) ...

Toward the Identification of Features of Effective Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Literature Review - Current strategies of professional development do not adequately prepare all educators for the array of responsibilities, knowledge and skills they are expected to demonstrate in their work with young children and their families. This review incorporates findings from research in four areas of early childhood professional development: (1) strengthening human or social capital; (2) strengthening practices at institutions or organizations providing professional development; (3) strengthening early educator practices related to specific child outcomes; and (4) strengthening overall quality in classroom settings. (U.S. Department of Education, August 2010)...

Maximizing Classroom Time to Promote Learning - To address the limited instruction that may happen in a classroom, studies covered in this brief suggest that teachers should find new opportunities to engage in sophisticated, two-way discussions with their students, even during routine activities. (Stacie Goffin,National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education, April 2010)...

Improving the Skills and Credentials of Migrant, Seasonal and American Indian/Alaska Native Head Start Teachers: Building From Within - Head Start teachers working with some of the program's most vulnerable populations face major obstacles in attempting to pursue college degrees and training, despite federal expectations that they obtain new academic credentials. This paper examines the barriers to migrant, seasonal and AI/AN teachers securing college degrees and offers policy recommendations to help them. It encourages innovations in curriculum, instruction, course delivery, financial aid and other areas, within Head Start programs and at the community college level. (Sean Cavanagh, Arati Singh and Pamela Levine, Academy for Educational Development, February 2010)...

Learning How Much Quality is Necessary to Get to Good Results for Children - According to this brief, research suggests that early education only makes a difference in children’s cognitive and social and emotional development if programs reach the moderate-to-high quality range. So in order to reap public returns on investment, the author suggests that policy makers should be strategic in their quality enhancements investments. (Stacie Goffin, National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education, February 2010)...

Promoting Children’s School Readiness: Rethinking the Levers for Change - This brief discusses argues that while improving teacher-child interactions is an important factor in promoting school readiness, structural quality standards (teacher credentials, class size, child-adult ratio) can also play a role by influencing the impact of these interactions. (Stacie Goffin, National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education, February 2010)...

Building an Early Childhood Professional Development System - By addressing four challenges, this brief provides guidance for states building an early childhood professional development system. These challenges include: inconsistent policies for teachers who may have equivalent job descriptions but work with different early learning programs, disparate standards for professional development, inadequate access to opportunities for further education, and lack of data on state’s early childhood workforce and the quantity and quality of professional development opportunities. (National Governors Association, 2010)...

Can Teacher Training in Classroom Management Make a Difference for Children's Experiences in Preschool? - A preview of findings from the Foundations of Learning Demonstration. (MDRC, September 2009)...

Covering the Pre-K Landscape: New Investments in Our Littlest Learners - Publication includes pieces on pre-kindergarten pedagogy, measuring quality in preschool classrooms, evaluating research on preschool and a discussion of whether preschool teachers need college degrees with specializations in early childhood. It also explores the history of Head Start and the potential effect of ARRA funds being pumped into the program. (Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media, July 2009)...

Using Developmental Science to Transform Children’s Early School Experiences - This brief describes seven ways teaching practices would change if schools employed a pre-k to 3 approach. For instance, in addition to addressing content knowledge (e.g., reading, math), pre-k and elementary school teachers would more intentionally develop children's thinking skills, such as self-regulation and memory. They would also use different activities, such as play and experimentation, as well as direct instruction. (FirstSchool, 2009)...

Preparing Teachers of Young Children: The Current State of Knowledge and a Blueprint for the Future - This report reviews what is already known about professional development opportunities, particularly analyzing those found in the K-12 system, to present research questions to further improve programs. Two guiding principles are outlined as a basis for future research: teacher effectiveness is a result of many elements, the interaction of which should be examined thoroughly and that the impact of teacher-education and professional-development programs on teacher practice and children’s learning and development warrants more attention....

The Dynamic Relationship between Child Care Work Environments and Learning Environments - This brief discusses a study that makes a connection between the quality of the working environment and the quality of the learning environment. The implication for those considering ways to improve program quality is that one should consider how factors such as “organizational climate” and “leadership management practices” influence classroom quality. (McCormick Tribune Center for Early Childhood Leadership, National-Louis University, Winter 2008)...

Who’s Caring for the Kids?: The Status of the Early Childhood Workforce in Illinois – 2008 - This report documents the changes and trends of the Illinois early childhood workforce since the state was called to make improvements in 2001. The report finds that diversity of the workforce hasn’t changed, education attainment among lead teachers in community-based programs has increased, teacher compensation is still correlated with program location as well as type of center, and alternative certification programs and new workforce policies have emerged that helped increase the supply of early childhood teachers. Finally the report presents several recommendations to further strengthen the workforce. (McCormick Tribune Center for Early Childhood Leadership, 2008)...

What Do We Mean by Professional Development in the Early Childhood Field - This report provides a framework to help trainers and decision-makers determine what is needed to create effective professional development experiences by outlining the “who” (the adult learners and their contexts, including their qualifications, personal backgrounds, and work environment), the “what” (the desired knowledge and skills for the learners to develop and how they are related to research, state policies, and expected child and family outcomes), and the “how” (best practices or research-based methods for professional development). National Professional Development Center on Inclusion, 2008)...

Workforce Designs: A Policy Blueprint for State Early Childhood Professional Development Systems - This report provides a blueprint to states seeking to build and improve their early childhood professional development systems, citing professional standards, career pathways, articulation, advisory structures, data, and financing as major components of a system. The report also asserts the importance of adhering to quality, integration with other policies and with all sectors of the early childhood field, diversity of programs and staff, and compensation parity – four core principles – as a means to create policies around each major component of a professional development system. (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2008)...

: Measures of Classroom Quality in Pre-Kindergarten and Children's Development of Academic, Language and Social Skills - This article discusses a study that demonstrates how structural quality benchmarks as tracked by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), environmental quality ratings as measured by the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS), and the quality of teacher-child interactions as measured by CLASS, are related to outcomes for children. The study finds that teacher-child interactions hold the strongest relationship with children’s cognitive and social-emotional outcomes. It is noted that structural quality standards may have an indirect relationship with a child’s development by creating classroom environments that are more conducive to quality teacher-child interactions. (Child Development, May 2008)...

Teacher Education and PK Outcomes: Are We Asking the Right Questions - This article examines why some studies find little or no relationship between teacher education and children’s outcomes in pre-k. Some reasons cited as possible factors influencing the findings include: variability of quality in teacher education programs, resources available to teachers, management of programs, and exclusion of non-academic outcomes in studies. (Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2008)...

Role, Relevance, Reinvention: Higher Education in the Field of Early Care and Education - This paper calls upon higher education leaders, policy makers, and members from the early childhood community to work together to create teacher preparation systems that reflect the expertise needed to work with young children. The paper discusses the need for a more diverse early childhood faculty, improved curriculum standards, providing financial aid and other academic supports to assist students complete their programs, and providing credit for previous coursework or related work experience. (Valora Washington, Aspire Institute, September 2008)...

Ensuring Effective Teaching in Early Childhood Education through Linked Professional Development Systems, Quality Rating Systems and State Competencies - This report highlights the lack of coordination among and ways to link early childhood professional development systems, QRIS initiatives, and states’ policies regarding core competencies for early childhood professionals. (National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education, 20080...

Early Childhood Educator Competencies: A Literature Review of Current Best Practices, And a Public Input Process on Next Steps for California - This report reviews eight of the most common ECE competencies in ten states. Capturing a range of opinions on the eight domains of competencies, the study also reveals some common themes, such as: states’ description of ECE competencies do not focus on working with diversity, competencies should apply to infants and toddlers as well as to pre-k children, assistance and resources needed to realize the competencies must be delivered to the educator, and descriptions of the competencies should be “living documents,” updated and reviewed in accordance with emerging research and knowledge. (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, 2008)...

The Impact of Teacher Education on Outcomes in Center-Based Early Childhood Education Programs: A Meta-analysis - This meta-analysis of 32 studies of early childhood education programs concludes that, on average, early childhood educators with bachelor’s degrees are associated with increased outcomes when compared with teachers without bachelor’s degrees. (National Institute for Early Education Research, 2007)...

Principles Into Practice: A Teacher’s Guide to Research Evidence on Teaching and Learning - This brief describes seven ingredients to effective teaching practices in the early years and emphasized the need for a highly educated and sophisticated staff. (Teaching & Learning Research Programme; Economic & Social Research Council, June 2007)...

EC E-Learning: A National Review of Early Childhood Education Distance Learning Programs - This report provides insight into distance learning programs and how they relate to early education professionals. About 73 programs were identified, typically housed in four-year colleges, to offer associate’s degrees, with some leading to bachelor’s and/or master’s. The report also outlined common challenges that these programs face when working with early education professionals: lack of basic academic skills and technological know-how, and work and family issues. Finally, a catalog of distance learning programs is also included. (Center for the Child Care Workforce, 2007)...