Author: Contributor

Governance, as a term applied to the field of early learning, is somewhat ambiguous. To whom or what are we referring when we say “governance of P-3 systems?” The State Education Agency? Local Education Agencies? Human Service Agencies? State Early Childhood Advisory Councils? Governance is composed of three principal dimensions: form, function, and durability. Form refers to the structure(s) in which governance functions are carried out. Functions include, for example, policymaking, the authorization and allocation of funds and services, and mechanisms for holding programs accountable for how those services are delivered/

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Entering its 13th year, the Yearbook reports valuable information on access to, quality of, and resources for state pre-K programs, allowing administrators and policymakers to keep pace with current developments and trends over time. The Yearbook has served as a useful, perhaps indispensable, resource as state-supported pre-K has expanded over the decade, rightfully cited as the “go to” resource on state policies and practices. Still, a wealth of information within the Yearbook remains untapped.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

It’s back to school time! Those words usually invoke thoughts of children who attend kindergarten through 12th grade—but it also applies to many of the 11 million children enrolled in child care or preschool every day.

As families drop off their children for these important early learning experiences, many are unaware that only about 30 percent of children nationwide are enrolled in a high quality program. Well qualified staff is at the top of the list of the specific research-based factors that ensure safe, nurturing, and stimulating environments for young children.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

PreschoolToday recently received this Tweet, “I really appreciate the efforts being made to change the face of #ECE. Please let us teachers know what we can do to help!” My first reaction, as an early education teacher of 20 years, was to be annoyed that teachers have to ask what they can do. Then I realized that this highlights the extent to which we have shut down teacher voices, especially those in early childhood education.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Legendary businessman, Jack Welch of General Electric pushed GE to new heights through his idea of a “boundary-less organization.” This means that everyone is free to brainstorm and think of ideas–instead of waiting for someone “higher up” in the bureaucracy to think of them first. He wanted his team turned loose, and he promised to listen to ideas from anyone in the company. And he did. Everyone from the lowest line workers to senior managers got his attention–if they had something to say or a new idea that might make the company better. It wasn’t just talk, and it didn’t take his team long to figure that out.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

In his May 29, 2014 NIEER blog, Jim Squires asked, “Is early education and care a profession or not?” The answer to his straightforward question, he concluded, was “no.” Because of the nature of ECE’s work, few would question that ECE ought to be profession. Yet as John Goodlad reminded us, “A vocation (occupation) is not a profession just because those in it choose to call it one. It must be recognized as such.”

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

The past 10 years have seen unprecedented federal, state and local attention to the education and healthy development of young children. Government resources have been targeted to support such efforts as home visiting programs, high-quality preschool, research on the effectiveness of early learning and development programs, and teacher professional development. Yet there remains wide variability in the funding levels for these programs, the program components, and the competencies required of the early care and education professionals who are charged with program implementation.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Carl R. Rogers wrote that we are all ‘becoming human’. Every day and every experience influences our growth toward ‘becoming a person’ and finding our sense of self. This also reflects the conscience of our profession: to ensure that every child has the most supportive environment in which to ‘become’ a loving, informed, healthy and decent human being.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Recently, many educational leaders from across the country attended the Early Childhood Roundtable, an annual convergence of CEELO, ECE SCASS, and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (aka, the “Specialists”) meetings. Dr. Steve Tozer, UIC, Center for Urban Education Leadership, expounded upon school leadership. He said, “School leadership is second only to classroom instruction in making a difference in wall-to-wall school learning and outcomes.” Steve hit home that socio-economic issues may be predominant, but should not become an excuse for poor learning outcomes.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Research shows that leadership is the second most important influence on student learning in schools. Further, as Steve Tozer points out, leadership is critical to improving the most important factor—teaching. It is hard to imagine improving teaching and learning throughout an entire school or early childhood center without good leadership.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.