Poster #70 - Differences in Early Childhood Training Focus Between Head Start and non-Head Start Providers

• In Event: Poster Session 08

Abstract

In nearly every state, early care providers are required to complete a number of professional development training hours per year. The goal of these requirements is to improve the quality of care and education child care professionals provide to children. To help increase the impact of trainings on child outcome, state-approved trainings are typically designed to meet some aspect of the state’s early learning standards. In addition to state requirements, some programs, like Head Start, have their own articulated professional development goals that may result in varied training for Head Start child care providers compared to non-Head Start.

This study explores data from the Missouri training data system. The trainings for each professional are recorded to ensure that each professional is in compliance. We explore the distribution of training content for professionals in Head Start compared to professionals in non-Head Start programs, including size and focus of program.

Data were from the 2021-2022 Missouri early care training data system for 26,561 childcare providers; 2,848 were from Head Start. Trainings were aggregated by individual and a distribution of content area was calculated based on the Missouri early learning standards. The early learning standards are organized in eight content areas: (1) Child and youth growth and development, (2) Learning environment and curriculum, (3) Observation and assessment, (4) Families and communities, (5) Health and safety, (6) Interactions with children and youth, (7) Program planning and development, and (8) Professional development and leadership.

Analyses exploring the distribution of content areas across all providers indicates a strong emphasis of health and safety, accounting for nearly 40% of the content covered in taken trainings. The next most frequent content area was learning environment and curriculum (~18%), followed by interactions with children and youth (~12%). The content area that was accounted for least was observation and assessment (3%).

Comparing trainings by Head Start providers with other providers revealed several significant differences. The primary differences were that Head Start providers are taking trainings that cover program planning and development and professional development and leadership at a higher proportional rate and taking trainings that cover health and safety at a lower proportional rate. Notably, these rates indicate that Head Start providers are taking a wider variety of trainings that cover a broader distribution of content compared to the non-Head Start providers. It is also worth noting that all providers took training that yielded a fairly similar distribution of child growth and development, learning environment and curriculum, and interactions with children and youth.

Further analyses will be conducted exploring these distributions, particularly in relation to other provider factors (e.g., size, focus) and to the extent that these distributions may impact care and education provided. In order to accomplish these goals, additional data from the Missouri training system as well as other available systems will be incorporated into the current dataset.

Authors

• Louis Manfra, University of Missouri - Columbia
  Presenting Author

• Francisco Palermo, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Rachel Thibodeau-Nielsen, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Shannon E Dier, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Aida Ismailova

• Christine Cord, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Prabhath W K Pallewaththa Palle Waththage, University of Missouri - Columbia