| Name of Grant
Program: Exploring the Options for Children with Autism Fund
Code:263 |
ADVANCING THE FIELD:
Developing Careers in Early Care and Education
MA Dept. of Education, Program Coordinator, Joni Block (781)
338-6376
SSC Program Director, Diane Edwards, diane.edwards@salemstate.edu
Program Mentor, Leila Cooper
|
| Introduction: |
| Advancing the Field (ATF) is designed
to engage institutions of higher education and others involved in
professional development in the development and implementation of
an early care and education training system. The project began in
1999 and is administered by Early Learning Services at the Massachusetts
Department of Education. The system supports early childhood personnel
as they progress along a professional and educational ladder. The
project is funded with $1.2 million dollars of federal special education
funds annually and prepares teachers to work with young children with
and without disabilities in order to increase the quality and availability
of teachers who can work with infants/toddlers, preschool, and school-aged
children in inclusive settings. |
| Components: |
- Support for teachers working with children with and without
disabilities and their families in child care centers, Head Start
programs, and family child care programs;
- Creation of a career ladder for early care and education teachers
that allows them to build upon their existing training/degree
to obtain either an Associate's or Bachelor's degree, including
preparation for the Department of Education's Early Childhood
Education certificate;
- Development of a system that provides college credits for the
Child Development Associate credential and for courses specific
to school age child care that results in achieving a college degree
as part of a career ladder; and
- & Provision of scholarships to teachers currently teaching
in childcare and Head Start programs for their enrollment in college
degree programs.
|
| Participants: |
| The program has supported approximately
seven hundred teachers in early childhood settings in working to obtain
a college degree. Of the past participants who have completed or nearly
completed their course of study, 33% are between 30 and 39 years old,
38% are minority, 16% have a first language other than English, and
95% are women. |
| Outcomes: |
- There are 15 community colleges (all of the community colleges
in MA with early childhood programs), 4 four-year institutions,
5 community agencies, and the Department of Education collaborating
to support early childhood teachers obtaining degrees.
- Seven institutions of higher education currently provide credit
for achieving the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential
and/or credit for prior learning.
- Six institutions of higher education have developed or are working
on the development of articulation agreements between their two
and four year programs.
- Over 700 early childhood teachers have received training to
work with children with and without disabilities in inclusive
classrooms.
- Student attrition rate for first year students is low, 12% compared
to the national attrition rate of 45% for two-year colleges.
- 32% of participants received increases in salaries as a result
of their additional training.
- Community Partnerships for Children programs are sponsoring
college courses and career counseling as a result of programs
in their community participating in the Advancing the Field program.
One of the Partnerships documented lower turnover rates in centers
where teachers have participated in Advancing the Field.
- Institutions of higher education have developed flexible courses,
schedules, and formats for adult learners.
|
|
The collaborating programs include the Department
of Education and:
Community Colleges |
- Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield
- Bristol Community College, Fall River
- Bunker Hill Community College, Charlestown
- Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable
- Greenfield Community College, Greenfield
- Holyoke Community College, Holyoke
- Massachusetts Bay Community College, Framingham
- Massasoit Community College, Brockton
- Middlesex Community College, Lowell
- Mount Wachusett Community College, Gardner
- North Shore Community College, Danvers
- Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill
- Quinsigamond Community College, Worcester
- Roxbury Community College, Boston
- Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield
|
| Four-Year Colleges |
- Becker College, Worcester
- Elms College, Springfield
- Lesley University, Cambridge
- Salem State College, Salem
|
| Non-Profit Agencies in Collaboration
with Colleges |
- Child Care Connection, Worcester
- Child Care Resource Center, Cambridge
- Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Lawrence
- Parents United for Child Care, Boston, with the Achieving Program
Excellence Project (APEX)
- Preschool Enrichment Team, Springfield
|
