A significant body of research indicates that young children, especially those with high needs or from vulnerable populations, can benefit from high-quality early learning experiences.
Stronger Workforce
The Foundation for Child Development believes that the quality of early care and education programs and the strongest outcomes for young children depend on early care and education professionals who are well-prepared, appropriately compensated, and supported in their professional practice. The early care and education workforce plays an integral role in promoting children’s learning—especially through their interactions with children and through the enriching and nurturing learning environments they create. These professionals include lead teachers, teacher assistants, home-based providers, coaches, master teachers, and administrators. The quality of programs and positive child outcomes we seek will not be realized without a much more strategic focus on unifying, preparing, and compensating these practitioners.
Within this frame, we are committed to a grantmaking strategy dedicated to supporting the ECE workforce and to identifying and promoting research, policy, and practice that will:
- Professionalize and advance the status of the early care and education workforce;
- Improve preparation and ongoing professional learning; and,
- Enhance the quality of professional practice through implementation research.
