Building ECE (Early Care and Education) Center Leaders’ Instructional Leadership to Improve Organizational Conditions

• In Event: The Role and Impact of Leadership Development, Well-Being, and Practice in Early Care and Education

Abstract

Early care and education (ECE) center leaders play a critical role as instructional leaders within their programs (Authors, 2021a). They can promote high-quality teaching and classroom practices by improving organizational conditions (Authors, 2023b; Authors, 2017). However, little is known about developing them as instructional leaders and potential impact on children’s achievement.

The present study investigated the implementation of an evidence-based instructional leadership (IL) program to advance center leaders’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions, aiming to improve their programs’ organizational conditions, instructional quality, and children’s learning. We examined distinct engagement patterns in the program and their associations with outcome measures of organizational conditions.

Theoretical Framework

We adapted the theory of change framework for ECE leadership for quality improvement (Authors, 2023a) to study ECE leaders’ PD engagement and its potential impact on organizational conditions. This framework underscores leaders’ knowledge, skills, and abilities as crucial for enhancing child, family, and teacher outcomes through improved organizational conditions. Building on this, we explored center leaders’ engagement in IL programs and its associations with organizational conditions.

Data Sources and Methods

This study utilized data collected from July 2022 to June 2023, spanning a two-year intervention period. Administrative data were drawn to measure leaders’ engagement in training, coaching, and peer learning communities (PLCs). The Early Education Essentials (EEE) surveys assessed six dimensions of organizational conditions: effective instructional leaders, collaborative teachers, involved families, supportive environment, ambitious instruction, and parent voice.

We examined center leaders’ hours of engagement in training, coaching, and PLCs, categorizing them into two subgroups. The first group had a balanced engagement pattern across all three PD types, whereas the second group exhibited an unbalanced engagement pattern, with limited engagement in some PD types. Next, we compared the two groups regarding the organizational conditions.

Results

During the study period, 24 ECE centers (license capacity M = 107.71, SD = 75.67) enrolled in ECSO, with leaders participating in training, coaching, and PLCs to enhance their competencies. Each year, leaders engaged in an average of 24.65 hours of training (SD = 8.65), 10.13 hours of coaching (SD = 1.74), and 9.63 hours of PLCs (SD = 9.63). Organizational condition mean scores were 56.43 (SD = 15.78) for the effective instructional leaders dimension, 47.08 (SD = 17.62) for the collaborative teachers dimension, 60.70 (SD = 18.51) for the involved families dimension, 45.32 (SD = 14.35) for the supportive environment dimension, 46.00 (SD = 14.84) for the ambitious instruction dimension, and 44.41 (SD = 21.63) for the parent voice dimension. Detailed results can be found in the full manuscript.

Scholarly Significance of the Study

Our work contributes to the understanding of leadership development programs' impact (Authors, 2022). The present study emphasizes the critical role of ECE center leaders as instructional leaders and their potential positive influence on organizational conditions, instructional quality, and children's learning. Additionally, we offer insights into potential applications for state efforts and funding to support this endeavor.

Authors

• Yujin Lee, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Anne Douglass, University of Massachusetts - Boston