For the first time ever, early childhood educators (ECEs) have collectively and clearly defined the standards, qualifications, roles, supports, and compensation for members of their profession working with children birth through age 8. They simultaneously call for significant increases in federal and state investments to ensure young children, families, businesses, and the economy are well-served by an effective, equitable, diverse, well-prepared, and well-compensated profession.
In an unprecedented show of unity, the Unifying Framework for the Early Childhood EducationProfession (PowerToTheProfession.org) was developed over the last three years by a task force of 15 leading national organizations, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which facilitated this collective effort. Together, these organizations, which represent members of the early childhood field working across states, settings, and age bands, partnered with a diverse range of stakeholders and more than 11,000 individuals to produce the Unifying Framework.
The framework is clear that, as policymakers respond to the complex science of early learning by raising expectations and educational requirements for early childhood educators, the United States must simultaneously fund necessary supports, establish realistic timelines, and provide increased compensation that reflects the value, importance, and return on investment generated by early childhood educators’ highly skilled work.
There are real challenges in our current system. As a result of the nation’s failure to adequately invest in high-quality child care and early learning over the years, children are not getting what they need; families are paying more for child care than for housing, if and when they can access that care; and the workforce is paid so little that nearly half live in families that depend on public assistance. To address these challenges, and provide clarity for the road ahead, the Unifying Framework offers recommendations in four key areas:
A clearly defined profession, with distinct roles and responsibilities To respond to the existing cacophony of labels (from provider to worker to teacher) that vary within and across states, sectors, and settings, the profession will create three distinct and meaningful designations — Early Childhood Educator I, II, and III. Each designation has an associated scope of practice, expected level of professional preparation, and expected level of mastery of the newly revised and agreed-upon Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators.
Aligned professional preparation, pathways, and licensureTo respond to the current structure of preparation programs that offer uneven quality with little accountability or alignment while disproportionately harming those without power or privilege, the profession will focus on three primary professional preparation pathways — early childhood education professional certificate/credential programs, associate degree programs, and bachelor’s degree/initial master’s degree programs. These programs will prepare participating ECEs for professional licensure, which individuals can obtain by earning a credential from an accredited or recognized professional preparation program; demonstrating evidence of field experiences; and passing an assessment of competencies. Assessments must have multiple measures; be affordable; and not reinforce cultural, gender, racial, or linguistic biases.
Professional compensation To respond to the untenable situation of low compensation that is undermining quality and driving early childhood educators out of the field, the profession establishes recommendations in which compensation for early childhood educators with comparable qualifications, experience, and job responsibilities will be at least comparable to public school salaries and comparable across all settings; include an adequate benefits package; not be differentiated on the basis of ages of children served; and increase commensurate with increased preparation and competency.
Supportive infrastructure and shared accountability In keeping with other established professions, the Unifying Framework lays out the expectations, responsibilities, structures, and supports for each part of the system that advances the profession, including preparation programs, employers/owners, professional organizations and governance bodies, and state and federal governments and agencies.
The National Power to the Profession Task Force was chaired by early childhood education expert Karen Ponder, and included leadership from: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; American Federation of Teachers; Associate Degree Early Childhood Teacher Educators; Child Care Aware of America; Council for Professional Recognition; Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children; Early Care and Education Consortium; National Association for Family Child Care; National Association for the Education of Young Children; National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators; National Association of Elementary School Principals; National Education Association; National Head Start Association; Service Employees International Union; and ZERO TO THREE. Quotes from select Task Force member organizations are below.
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