Equitable Access to Professional Support for the ECE (Early Childhood Education) Workforce: Exploring Racial/Ethnic Intersectionality

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Investigations of Early Childhood Teacher Contexts and Identities (Table 38)

Abstract

Children and families benefit from a supported ECE workforce that is diverse and stable. The support, diversity, and stability of the workforce is threatened due to high turnover that results from low and inequitable pay, inequitable access to higher education, and administrative inefficiencies. The relationship between these factors and race/ethnicity has been documented in part, but there are still gaps in our understanding. This paper relies upon a national survey of the ECE workforce to explore intersectionality between race/ethnicity and other respondent characteristics. The intersectional lens is then applied to projections about staying in the ECE field, program funding, engagement with accreditation, professional membership, professional development, and opportunities to connect with peers.

Authors

• Meghan A. Salas Atwell, National Association for the Education of Young Children

• Alissa Mwenelupembe, National Association for the Education of Young Children

• Annie Moses, National Association for the Education of Young Children

• Ashley Watts, Marymount University