Examination of a new state-wide initiative to support ECE coaches

• In Event: Relationship-Based Professional Development Models That Support Teaching Practices in Early Care and Education

Abstract

Coaching as job-embedded professional development (PD) for early educators is effective in promoting children’s learning and development (Conroy et al., 2014; Hemmeter et al., 2021; Markussen-Brown et al., 2017). And yet, research is sparse on the PD and supports that coaches need, at scale, to implement coaching to early educators (see Schachner et el., 2024 for an exception). Schachner et al., (2024) indicate eight recommendations for policy and practice for coaching at scale, including development of coach competencies and providing a centralized place for coaching resources and supports. This study examines coaches’ progressive experience with a new state-level, competency-based system to support coaches in state-funded preschool programs.
In 2022, this state adopted coaching competencies, which promotes use of PBC, and created system-level supports for coaches; this study focuses on three of them: (1) coaching guidebook, (2) 1:1 meetings between coach and mentor coach and, (3) coach community of practice (CoP). Coaches participating in this initiative were invited by an external research team to participate in an ongoing evaluation of these supports. Online surveys were administered at three time points: T1 (summer ’22), T2 (Jan ’23), T3 (June ’23). At each of the three timepoints, participants (coaches) responded to questions about their PD as well as PBC activities during coach-educator meetings. Surveys also asked about engagement in the state-level supports for coaching (e.g., coach CoP) and community-readiness (Wanless et al., 2014). Participating coaches were also invited to participate in interviews (summer ’22 [n = 19] and fall ’23 [n = 5]); these interviews inquired about coaches’ experiences with the new system in particular their experience with key tenants in the coaching framework (e.g., culturally responsive, trauma-informed).

Participants were largely employed by a CCR&R or a Head Start program, had been a coach for 2.52 years, and had an average of 10.72 coach:coachee partnerships. Initial analyses indicate differences in report of PD engagement and coaching practices, such as an increase in ‘equity and inclusion practices as it relates to coaching’ and ‘provide strength-based feedback to early educator’. Coaches also show an increase in satisfaction in 1:1 meetings and CoPs across the year. The interview data highlighted the importance of peer learning within the CoPs, as well as a few areas of growth (e.g., language access). Future analyses will incorporate time 3 and other relevant characteristics (e.g., dosage and satisfaction, readiness) to further examine what predicts improvements in coaching behaviors; interview data will be employed to extend the results.

Our initial results provide preliminary support that a state-system to support coaches, which includes evidence-based PD models (e.g., CoPs; Graf et al., 2022), improves coach engagement in relevant PD. Further, coaches show an increase in coaching practices that are aligned with the coaching competencies and PBC. Overall, these findings contribute to understanding how state-systems are implemented to support coaches who serve early educators at scale, within a competency-based system that values equity, cultural responsiveness, and inclusion.

Authors

• Bridget E Hatfield, Oregon State University

• Hillary R. Lewis, Oregon State University

• Katherine C Pears, Oregon Social Learning Center

• Jiyeon Lee, Ball State University

• Maya Johnson, Oregon State University