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Teaching Preschool Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Early Care and Education Centers and Staff Wellbeing are Affected

Fri, April 9, 2:45 to 4:15pm EDT (2:45 to 4:15pm EDT), Virtual

Abstract

Introduction: On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, beginning the lockdown of cities, states, and countries around the world, and with it, the shutdown of businesses, offices, schools, and early childcare centers. At this time, 53 early care and education centers (in Head Start and community-based childcare settings) in Columbus, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and St. Louis were participating in the ExCEL Quality randomized control trial study of two preschool curricula and professional development models. Program implementation was paused as centers worked to support their staff and families and to transition to remote schooling.
Study Description: The present study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the wellbeing of early care and education teachers and administrators, as well as whether and how centers adapted to remote schooling. The study answers the following research questions:
• How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the wellbeing of early care and education teachers and administrators participating in ExCEL Quality?
• How have early care and education centers participating in ExCEL Quality changed procedures to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Methods: To answer these research questions, surveys was administered electronically and over the phone from June through August 2020 to teachers and administrators in the study. The surveys included broadly-used survey instruments with acceptable psychometric properties, as well as items developed specifically for the survey to understand the effects of the pandemic on centers and staff. Table 1 shows the constructs measured and the scales targeting each construct.

Hypotheses: The research team hypothesizes that early care and education centers will have had to make drastic changes to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the pandemic will adversely affect staff’s wellbeing, with reports of high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress; reduced opportunities for socializing; as well as receipt of public assistance, food insecurity, and material hardship in cases where staff had reduced hours.

Sample and Response Rates: The Teacher Survey was completed by 185 teachers (lead and assistant) in all four localities, with a combined 79% response rate (see Table 2 for response rates by teacher role and locality). The Administrator Survey was completed by 44 administrators in all four localities, with an 83% response rate.

Results: This presentation will summarize the data gathered from the surveys on how early care and education centers adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning, as well as how teachers’ and administrators’ health and wellbeing were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection ended shortly before the time of this submission, however, the team anticipates completing analyses by the time of the biennial meeting. Descriptive statistics will be calculated for all constructs and we will examine patterns by locality, auspice, and staff characteristics (e.g., receipt of public assistance, reports of food insecurity, how material hardships are associated with depression, anxiety, and stress). The findings from the ExCEL Quality study will add to our understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected early childcare and education staff and center operations.

Authors