Transcript FY15 Educator and Provider Support Grant

Educator and Provider
Support Grant
Policy and Research Committee
EEC Board
October 6, 2014
1
Charge:
2

Build a comprehensive professional
development system through an effective
educator and provider support network.

Provide intentional professional development
that is evidenced-based, aligned with EEC
licensing regulations, EEC Core
Competencies, Quality Rating and
Improvement System (QRIS) standards, and
MA Curriculum Frameworks, and targeted to
meet the needs of the workforce.

Continually assess the changing professional
development needs of the workforce.
Key Principles:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3
Professional development is intended to transform
practice.
Professional development is a shared
responsibility between educators and the
providers.
Professional development must meet the needs
and address the diversity of the early education
and care and out of school time workforce across
EEC’s mixed delivery system.
Services provided through the grant should
empower educators and providers to make
informed and appropriate educational choices that
advance professional growth and program quality.
Providers should receive guidance that will assist
them to make informed, intentional, and
appropriate decisions linked to increased program
quality.
What the Research Says about a
Professional Development System*

PD for early childhood educators is most effective
when:

Specific PD objectives are articulated

Practice is an explicit focus of the PD
• Attention is given to linking the focus on early
educator knowledge and practice.
4

Teachers from the same classrooms or schools
collectively participate

Intensity and duration is matched to the content

Educators are prepared to conduct child
assessments and interpret results for ongoing
monitoring of the PD

PD is aligned with QRIS and licensing standards
and tailored to the community
*Provided by CEELO for EPS Leadership Retreat, September 2014
Educator and Provider Pathways:





5
Develop and implement professional development
pathways for educators and providers in EEC’s
mixed delivery system regardless of setting, age
group, and position level.
Plan professional development opportunities across
the entire fiscal year (July - June).
Provide equal access to professional development
opportunities and resources across the grantee’s
region/service delivery area and across the mixed
delivery system.
Support educators to attain degrees, certificates,
and/or credentials in ECE or otherwise develop
competency.
Support providers to achieve/maintain accreditation,
meet QRIS standards, and make upward progress
on the QRIS system.
What the Research Says about
Coaching and Mentoring*
Coaching and mentoring is most effective when:
6

Details about the coaching model, activities and
sequencing of activities are articulated clearly
and aligned with objectives and outcomes

Coaches receive supervision and are provided
with guidance regarding documentation,
observation, and feedback

Intensity and duration is matched to the desired
outcomes

Coaches receive clear guidance (ideally through
coaching manual) that supports fidelity of
implementation

Coaches reflect on data to support ongoing
improvements and tailoring of strategies
*Provided by CEELO for EPS Leadership Retreat, September 2014
Coaching and Mentoring:




7
Create a system of coaching and mentoring that
supports educators and providers in the mixed
delivery system.
Provide academic advising and career counseling
that meets the needs and schedules of educators
and providers in the mixed delivery system.
Ensure educators and providers participating in
coaching and mentoring services have an
Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP)
or Program Professional Development Plan.
Ensure that coaches and mentors are qualified
and appropriate.
What the Research Says about PD to
Support Competency Development

8
Professional development for competency development is most
effective when:

A framework that employs common language, definitions,
terms and expectations articulated across agencies,
institutions, programs, and organizations

All providers within a system employ similar guidelines for
developing, tracking, supporting, and promoting staff
qualifications, curricula, distance learning and professional
development tools and resources for practitioners in
multiple early care and education systems and settings

All providers within a system recognize the significance of
the early care and education profession, inform
accountability systems, and guide training, education,
articulation agreements between institutions, and
interagency agreements

Professional development takes into account both the core
competency content and the disposition of participating
practitioners
*Provided by CEELO for EPS Leadership Retreat, September 2014
Competency Development




9
Ensure educators and providers (programs) are
gaining skills and knowledge that increase individual
competency, enhance program quality, and improve
outcomes for children
Offer practice-based professional development that
addresses theory, specific implementation
strategies, and the use of reflection to increase
competency and support effective practices.
Offer professional development for early education
and out of school time educators at all levels, adult
basic education/developmental coursework through
master's degree work.
Offer professional development to educators working
at all levels in the mixed delivery system, assistant
teacher/assistant group leader through director/site
coordinator and family child care provider.
Measures of Success




10
Educators and providers know where
and how to access professional
development
Professional development opportunities
are intentional, evidenced-based, and
taught by qualified instructors
Educators are earning credentials,
certificates, and degrees in ECE
Providers receive technical assistance
support through mentoring and coaching
to increase quality through to achieve
accreditation and upward movement on
QRIS
Successes from the EPS Grant




11
Data and Evaluation is captured
consistently from PD opportunities
offered through the grant
Coaching and Mentoring has become
more targeted and resources were
developed to support the field in a more
comprehensive way
A system was created to offer intentional
opportunities for professional
development for the early childhood field
Targeted PD opportunities are offered
across the state
Major Themes and Challenges facing
the Early Childhood Field
Financial constraints
 Coaching and Mentoring opportunities
 Leadership Development: supporting
directors to support staff
 QRIS
 Degree Attainment (and turnover)
 Staff time to attend professional
development opportunities.
 Length of time it takes to obtain a
college degree

12
Major Themes and Challenges
Identified from EPS Retreat






13
Data and Evaluation
Trainer Registry
Coaching and Mentoring
Leadership Development: supporting
directors to support staff
QRIS
Degree Attainment (and turnover)
Data and Evaluation
Data from EPS grantees is collected through individual
Excel data files; currently each EPS grantee has their
own mechanism for collecting information on
individual educators and providers. EEC is looking into
an external data system to support EPS.
 EPS data does not currently connect to PQR or other
EEC data systems. It is essential for reporting that
these data elements are better connected.
 Are we asking the right questions? What is the data
we are collecting telling us?

Trainer Registry
MA does not have a registry for trainers.
 Currently there are minimum qualifications set by
MassAEYC and EEC regarding instructors, consultants,
coaches and mentors
 A statewide registry for trainers is an essential
component to a comprehensive statewide system.

14
Coaching and Mentoring
More and more research is speaking to the benefits of
coaching and mentoring
 Each year EEC has further defined EPS coaching and
mentoring services and we continue to learn
 In FY15 EPS coaches will be required to complete the
self assessment of the Technical Assistance Manual
 Information from the Peer Assistance and Coaching
initiative and the self assessment will help continue to
shape services

Leadership Development: supporting directors to
support staff
Resources and supports are required to foster
leadership development including coursework and
degree tracks focused on leadership
 Directors need to be supported and comprehend the
new system as they are the conduits of information
for their staff

15
QRIS
The connection to workforce and professional
development is fundamental
 EPS have been involved since the beginning of QRIS participating on working groups, hosting information
sessions, aligning coursework, and providing coaching
and mentoring supports
 Revisions to QRIS and the requirement of specific
professional development opportunities requires great
alignment between QRIS and workforce.

Degree Attainment
A competent and well trained workforce is vital and
what is necessary
 It takes time, money, and energy to earn a college
degree
 Current teacher prep programs prepare educators to
work in the public schools.
 Compensation and turnover continue to play a roll

16
Questions?
17