Defining and Advancing the Early Childhood Profession: A Necessity of High-Quality Public Education

• In Event: Early Childhood Workforce and Leadership

Abstract

This paper presents the current NAEYC Power to the Profession initiatives among individuals and organizations within the early childhood field to implement the science of early childhood development to define the early childhood profession. Goals include: 1) establishment of a unification of the birth to age eight framework for career pathways, competencies and compensation and 2) comprehensive policy and financing strategy to support this framework. The results of the research through a task force, surveys, and interviews of the first two of eight cycles are presented: 1) name of the profession, professional identity, professional boundaries; and 2) General early childhood educator competencies. The paper also enlists participants’ support in the remaining six of eight coordinated, iterative and strategic cycles.

Author

• Lynn C Hartle, The Pennsylvania State University - Brandywine