Where We Started

In Elevating the Early Childhood Workforce, we seek to improve the skills and well-being of Nebraska’s early childhood workforce and to ensure that their work is widely recognized as essential to the social and economic future of our children, families, communities, state, and nation. In the Institute’s first years, we focused on learning more about the opportunities and challenges facing the workforce—we inventoried the state’s higher education programs about how they prepared early childhood educators, convened higher education faculty and state agency partners, surveyed Nebraska’s early childhood workforce, and developed a theory of change to guide our work.

Early Childhood Higher Education Inventory

One of the first questions we asked ourselves as we began implementing this signature program was how does higher education prepare those who want to work with or for the benefit of young children? What do we expect them to know and be able to do? During the 2014–15 academic year, the Institute commissioned the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at the University of California, Berkeley to conduct a survey—the Early Childhood Higher Education Inventory. The Inventory consists of three modules: (1) a mapping of the population of higher education programs within a state; (2) an online program survey completed by the degree program leader; and (3) an online faculty survey completed by individual faculty members. The sample consisted of 30 preparation programs—nine associate, 15 bachelor’s, and six master’s. The faculty sample consisted of 109 participants. They included 26 community college faculty, 45 bachelor’s, 26 master’s, and 12 doctoral degree faculty members.39

Reflecting the lack of uniformity prevalent in the service-delivery sector, the Inventory uncovered considerable differences in both curricula and degree requirements among higher education programs. Infant and toddler content, for example, varied by topic and degree level; it was also less likely to be offered than preschool or elementary content. Associate and master’s degree programs were more likely than bachelor’s degree programs to offer their programs in formats other than, or in addition to, a traditional on-campus, inperson program.

More than half of associate and one-third of master’s degree programs offered an online/ remote learning degree program, as did a quarter of bachelor’s degree programs. More than three-quarters of associate and master’s degree programs offered a blended degree program. Although all degree programs required at least one supervised practicum, the hours of the practica varied widely from as few as nine to as many as 150. Nearly all bachelor’s degree programs require a student teaching experience, and all also require at least one practicum. In contrast, only one-third of associate and less than one-quarter of master’s degree programs required student teaching, although both types of degree programs required at least one practicum.

Four general recommendations emerged from the Inventory data. The recommendations included the need to unify pathways and expectations across institutions, strengthen content and equity across the early childhood age span, build a leadership pipeline, and increase support for faculty. Within Nebraska at the time, we were compiling evidence of the need to address fragmentation in early childhood education overall. We identified fragmentation in the regulatory oversight of early childhood settings as well as in required teacher qualifications across settings. The Inventory data provided evidence that early childhood teacher preparation in Nebraska was fragmented as well. The Inventory recommendations were presented to the early childhood higher education community and discussed at a two-day conference, entitled Transforming the Early Childhood Workforce in Nebraska, held in Lincoln in October 2015. The recommendations were also shared in a written report to the Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Commission after it was convened in 2017 (see p. 97).

Transforming the Early Childhood Workforce in Nebraska

In addition to considering the Inventory recommendations, the Transforming the Early Childhood Workforce in Nebraska conference also included presentations and discussions about a report, Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation. Released in 2015 by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, this report offers guidance for systems change intended to improve professional learning and workforce development for early childhood professionals.35 The Transforming report contained 13 recommendations for local, state, and federal action, which, if adopted, could have a significant impact on the field.

Nearly all the state’s higher education institutions that offered elementary or early childhood education programs (22 of 24) were represented at the conference, along with members of Nebraska’s Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and other agencies. National consultants joined state experts to discuss strategies to ensure that all children will be served by highly trained early childhood educators.

The Institute facilitated follow-up conversations through focused think tank sessions conducted in the spring of 2016. Shortly afterward, Nebraska convened a statewide team of practitioners, administrators, and policymakers that accepted an invitation to participate in the National Academy of Medicine’s Innovation to Incubation Program. The team reviewed the recommendations in the Transforming report for their relevance to Nebraska and their potential for implementation. The team also compiled successful strategies used in other states, evaluating their applicability within the Nebraska context, and assembling information and tools to share with colleagues across the state.

TRANSFORMING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE IN NEBRASKA

Conference held in Lincoln, Oct. 5-6, 2015

Speakers included:

• Hank Bounds, president, University of Nebraska

• Samuel J. Meisels, founding executive director, Buffett Early Childhood Institute

• Jacqueline Jones, president and CEO, Foundation for Child Development

• Marcy Whitebook, co-director, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at the University of California, Berkeley

• Susan Sarver, director of workforce planning and development, Buffett Early Childhood Institute

• Matt Blomstedt, commissioner of education, Nebraska Department of Education

• Marjorie Kostelnik, dean, College of Education and Human Sciences, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Survey

Throughout these discussions, one challenge repeatedly surfaced: how to accurately identify, quantify, and assess the needs of the early childhood workforce in Nebraska. Estimates of the number of early childhood professionals in Nebraska were based primarily on census data, Bureau of Labor Statistics, or national surveys—all of which had inherent problems, particularly for rural Nebraska areas. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics defines early childhood professionals as either child care workers, preschool teachers, or Kindergarten teachers. These roles not only overlap, but in many cases they omit home-based providers. Therefore, the Institute, in partnership with the Bureau of Sociological Research at UNL, conducted the largest, most comprehensive survey to date of the state’s early childhood workforce. Participants represented licensed home- and center-based child care programs, public PreK programs, and elementary schools serving children in Kindergarten through Grade 3.44

This survey of more than 1,600 respondents demonstrated that Nebraska’s early childhood professionals faced similar challenges to those in the national workforce. Poor compensation, lack of health and retirement benefits, uneven professional preparation, and stress were among the most common challenges early childhood educators faced (and still endure). For example, approximately 20% of PreK and K–3 teachers hold second jobs, and more than 13% of homeand center-based providers report that their own children qualify for free or reduced-price lunches at school.

Amid the challenges, however, the survey findings also pointed to areas of promise. Among teachers with degrees, most majored in education-related fields. And teachers of young children tend to have considerable experience—12 years or more on average. Under the circumstances, that length of service demonstrates a deep commitment to Nebraska’s children and families.

The Institute presented findings from the survey report, entitled Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Survey: A Focus on Providers and Teachers, 44 in September 2017 on the UNL campus before an audience of nearly 200 community and education leaders, public officials, early childhood professionals, and others; the event was also livestreamed to additional viewers across Nebraska. A statewide panel of members of the early childhood workforce brought additional richness to the data through a discussion of how the findings were representative of their lived experiences as early childhood professionals. Key findings included the following:

• Lack of Livable Wages and Benefits for Child Care Providers and Teachers. Homebased providers and center-based teachers earn a median wage of $11/hour, roughly half as much as PreK ($21/hour) and K–3 teachers ($23/hour.) Center-based teachers’ median annual salary of $18,706 is nearly $1,400 below the federal poverty line for a family of three and nearly $7,800 below the poverty line for a family of four. Less than half of all centerbased teachers receive health insurance, paid maternity leave, and retirement benefits.

• Reliance on Second Jobs and Public Assistance. In differing ways and to differing degrees, both child care providers and K–3 teachers were forced to supplement their salaries. Second jobs are more common among teachers, and public assistance occurs more frequently among child care providers. Approximately 20% of PreK and K–3 teachers hold second jobs, and 27% of home-based providers and 20% of center-based teachers use public assistance.

• Uneven and Often Insufficient Education and Preparation. Preparation to enter the workforce is uneven across settings. Nearly all PreK and K–3 teachers have bachelor’s degrees, but less than half of home-based providers and center-based teachers hold a bachelor’s degree. Teachers living in urban areas more commonly have advanced degrees than teachers in rural areas. Less than half of the K–3 teachers surveyed felt well-prepared to work with families at the start of their careers, and between 27% and 50% of teachers and child care providers did not feel well-prepared to teach at the beginning of their careers.

• Lack of Diversity. An overwhelming majority of Nebraska’s early childhood workforce is white. In contrast, classrooms on average are composed of 10% to 22% of students who are from other racial or ethnic groups.

• Stress and Well-Being. Between 8% and 11% of all early childhood educators report clinically significant depressive symptoms. Some teachers in all settings experience high levels of stress and low levels of support.

Institute researchers also released two research briefs based on analysis of the survey data— Early Childhood Teacher Turnover in Nebraska54 and Risk Factors for Depression Among Early Childhood Teachers 133

WORKFORCE SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED AT STATEWIDE EVENT Report presented in Lincoln, Sept. 6, 2017

Speakers included:

• Samuel J. Meisels, founding executive director, Buffett Early Childhood Institute

• Bill Fulton, founder and executive director, The Civic Canopy

• Jennifer Baumann, owner, Little Angel Day Care, Chadron

• Lisa Carlson, early elementary teacher, Norris Elementary School, Firth

• Lisa Mathewson, PreK teacher, Pawnee City Public Schools

• Thelma Sims, owner and director, Element Learning Center, Omaha

Blueprint for Transforming Nebraska’s Early Childhood Workforce

Drawing on the foundational work described above, knowledge of large-scale systems change, empirical research, and the input of experts and stakeholders over our first two years, the Institute developed a theory of change to guide the work of creating the early childhood workforce of tomorrow. This Blueprint for Transforming Nebraska’s Early Childhood Workforce was based on principles of equity, collaboration, evidence-based practice, responsiveness to local needs, and sustainability.

It reflected a commitment to ground the work in collaboration and engagement with stakeholders across four key sectors of the early childhood system, with a focus on addressing four essential components: (1) common definitions and specific skills and competencies tied to these definitions across all professional training programs and systems of certification or regulation, (2) alignment and integration of competencies within and across systems of practice and regulation, (3) a supportive professional environment that compensates workers fairly and offers career advancement opportunities, and (4) development of workforce professionals through induction, mentoring, and professional development programs—all intended to support a skilled, informed, and diverse workforce. Figure 9 illustrates this theory of change.

The foundational work represented by the Blueprint led to the formation of the Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Commission and subsequent initiatives.