6.2 Professional Development Framework

A Lead Agency must have a professional development framework for training, professional development, and post-secondary education for caregivers, teachers, and directors in child care programs that serve children of all ages. The framework must include these components: (1) professional standards and competencies, (2) career pathways, (3) advisory structures, (4) articulation, (5) workforce information, and (6) financing. CCDF provides Lead Agencies flexibility on the strategies, breadth, and depth of the framework. The professional development framework must be developed in consultation with the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care or a similar coordinating body. 6.2.1 Updates and consultation a. Did the Lead Agency make any updates to the professional development framework since the FFY 2022-2024 CCDF Plan was submitted? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the elements of the framework that were updated and describe if and how the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (if applicable) or similar coordinating body was consulted: Florida’s Professional Learning Framework was developed in partnership with a Professional Learning Initiative Steering Committee. This committee included member representation from provider associations, higher education institutions, ELCs, training organizations, Head Start, state departments that invest in and work on professional learning issues, and non-profit organizations. The Committee/Task Force’s focus was to establish a plan that secured the framework through the adoption of the Florida Professional Development Standards and Core Competencies for Early Childhood and Afterschool Educators (ASE) in Rule 6M-4.735, F.A.C. To build upon this work, DEL has contracted with UF AZCEECS to deliver a report with recommendations to redesign and extend Florida’s informal professional learning framework or pathway for early childhood teacher professional learning and career advancement. An Advisory Board consisting of key early learning systems stakeholders will be formed to provide input and feedback on the redesign of the existing informal pathway. Focus groups and interviews will also be held with childcare program administrators and teachers to provide input and feedback to improve the framework for the informal pathway. [ ]No. b. Did the Lead Agency consult with other key groups in the development of their professional development framework? [x] Yes. If yes, identify the other key groups: Florida’s Professional Learning Framework was developed in partnership with a Professional Learning Initiative Steering Committee. This committee included member representation from provider associations, higher education institutions, ELCs, training organizations, Head Start, state departments that invest in and work on professional learning issues, and non-profit organizations. [ ] No. 6.2.2 Description of the professional development framework a. Describe how the Lead Agency’s framework for training and professional development addresses the following required elements: i. Professional standards and competencies. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about which roles in early childhood education are included (such as teachers, directors, infant and toddler specialists, mental health consultants, coaches, licensors, QIS assessors, family service workers, home visitors). The DEL has established the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards (FELDS) Birth to Kindergarten and aligned Professional Competencies for Early Learning Professionals (Educators, Directors & Administrators, Afterschool Educators, Career Advisors, Specialists Supporting Early Childhood Inclusion, and Early Learning Coaches). The Standards reflect the knowledge and skills that a child on a developmental progression should know and be able to do at the end of an age- related timeframe. The Professional Competencies describe the knowledge and skills that early childhood professionals need to know and be able to do to perform successfully in their assigned roles and support the learning and development of young children. The following courses were created to provide on-line training to assist participants in becoming familiar with the standards, understand the elements of quality instruction and explain how to integrate domain areas: Implementing the Florida Standards in Preschool Classrooms: 3 Years Old to Kindergarten, Implementing the Approaches to Learning Domain in Early Childhood Classrooms, Implementing the Scientific Inquiry Domain in Early Childhood Classrooms, Implementing the Social Studies Domain in Early Childhood Classrooms, Implementing the Creative Expression Through the Arts Domain in Early Childhood Classrooms, Implementing the Physical Development Domain in Early Childhood Classrooms, Implementing the Florida Standards in Early Learning Classroom: Birth to Kindergarten, Implementing the Florida Standards in Infant and Toddler Classroom: Birth through 2 Years Old, Florida Core Competencies for Afterschool Educators, Florida Core Competencies for Directors and Administrators, and Florida Core Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. ii. Career pathways. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about professional development registries, career ladders, and levels. DCF implements Florida’s voluntary Early Childhood Professional Learning Registry (Registry) that contains workforce related demographics, documents requirements to meet licensing standards, and assigns appropriate career pathway designations. The Florida Early Childhood Education Professional Learning Career Pathway builds on core knowledge and provides direction for Early Childhood Educators (ECE) and ASEs who want to move from an entry level position into a professional career in the early care and education field. In addition to credentialing or degree requirements, practitioners must complete core training requirements to earn the registry designations (ECE, ASE I, II, III). - The Foundation level includes the DCF Introductory Child Care Training. - The ECE I/ASE I level includes attaining the Florida Staff Credential. - The ECE II/ASE II level includes achieving an Associate degree or higher. - The ECE III/ASE III level includes achieving a Bachelor degree or higher. Florida has a long-established system of credentialing for teachers and directors that includes the Florida Staff Credential and the Directors Credential. For an individual to obtain a Florida Staff Credential, they must have an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development or an associate’s degree with at least six in field credits, a bachelor’s degree or higher in eligible educational topic areas, a National CDA credential, or a Birth Through Five or School-Age Child Care credential. Individuals applying to obtain a Director Credential must have an active Florida Staff Credential and other core requirements along with completion of an approved ￿Overview of Child Care Management￿ course to meet level I requirements. There are two additional levels (II and Advanced) that may be achieved with on-site child care director experience and college education. These credentials support career development and systematically build the skills of Florida’s early childhood workforce. The state college system offers credentials on key priorities in Florida’s early childhood system, including infant-toddler development, preschool development, inclusion and child care center management that include 12 college credits and can be take independently or as part of a degree course of study. CCDF investments were made to build and enhance the ability to track professional learning and advancement in Florida’s Early Childhood Professional Learning Registry. The Registry dashboard displays data for Registry participants, including the total number of participants, the highest designation awarded for our professional learning pathway and highest education reported. The Registry also captures and reports some self-reported workforce indicators (e.g., hourly wage, hours worked). Additionally, Registry users may search for early childhood education positions throughout Florida with the job board. iii. Advisory structure. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about how the professional development advisory structure interacts with the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care. DEL consulted with stakeholders that would hold council membership, such as professionals from provider associations, higher education institutions, ELCs, training organizations, Head Start, state departments that invest in and work on professional learning issues, and nonprofit organizations. These representatives are identified as a key stakeholder group to support the professional learning work in Florida. Particularly, it includes providers from a variety of settings and informs the development of the early childhood professional learning system. Additionally, DEL has entered into an agreement with the UF AZCEECS to redesign and extend Florida’s informal pathway for early childhood teacher professional learning and career advancement. The process includes extensive stakeholder input through surveys, focus groups, regular input from key partners, and the formation of an Advisory Board. This project kicked off in the fall of 2023 and will be completed by the fourth quarter of 2024. iv. Articulation. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about articulation agreements, and collaborative agreements that support progress in degree acquisition. . Florida mandates that state colleges offering ECE programs provide college credits for approved credentials to include: Florida Department of Children and Families Birth through Five (5) and Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC); FLDOE’s, Child Care Apprenticeship Certificate (CCAC) and Early Childhood Professional Certificate (ECPC); and Council for Professional Recognition National CDA credential. This articulation of early childhood credentials to Associate in Science (AS) degree programs is made even more effective by the state’s common course numbering system across the state college system, which ensures that early childhood professionals receive the same content across the state and that courses easily articulate between institutions. Florida’s state college system includes higher education institutions commonly known as community colleges in other states and can award both two- and four- year degrees. The agreement with the UF AZCEECS will deliver a report on how Florida can redesign and extend its informal pathway, to include recommendations on demonstrable competency-based, stackable content from onboarding to credentials, so more early childhood professionals access college credit and pursue meaningful career pathways. v. Workforce information. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about workforce demographics, educator well-being, retention/turnover surveys, actual wage scales, and/or access to benefits. In 2023 DEL commissioned the Florida Early Care and Education Workforce Study Report in which an unprecedented 14,252 teachers, directors, and other staff participated. This population was representative of Florida’s ECE program and workforce population on numerous geographic, programmatic, and demographic factors, supporting the generalizability of the survey findings. Despite low wages, limited benefits, and other concerns facing the workforce, survey respondents report working with young children and positive relationships with directors and coworkers are the biggest contributors of job satisfaction. Teachers reported the love of working with young children is the main reason they stay in the field. Teachers also highlighted the importance of open communication with coworkers and problem- solving as a team. Directors report emphasizing relationships and teamwork as a key staff retention strategy. These factors likely impact longevity rates which are relatively high. Teacher and director participants have been in the ECE field for a median of 10 and 20 years, respectively. In an effort to highlight the importance of the issues related to the workforce, DEL is working with the UF AZCEECS to analyze available workforce data and to design, build, and incorporate Florida’s early child care workforce data into the Sunshine Portal in an impactful, end-user driven, and interactive format such as a data dashboard. vi. Financing. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about strategies including scholarships, apprenticeships, wage enhancements, etc. The importance of the T.E.A.C.H. program was highlighted during the 2024 legislation session when an additional $7 million was allocated to expand capacity of the program during the 2024-2025 program year. DEL provides $10 million annually for the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Scholarship Program, helping over 4000 professionals a year complete courses toward degree.; Since T.E.A.C.H. funding started in 1998, 44,504 scholars have completed 296,997 college credit hours, 2,119 degrees and 23,224 CDA or staff credentials. T.E.A.C.H. is a successful three-way partnership among the employer, the teacher and the T.E.A.C.H. program to address teacher education, turnover, and compensation simultaneously. T.E.A.C.H. provides access to a counselor through the T.E.A.C.H. office to help recipients navigate the landscape of professional learning and higher education options. The INCENTIVE$ program is a partnership between The Children’s Forum and five ELCs (Broward, Hillsborough, Marion, Orange, and Osceola) to retain qualified early learning professionals. The program rewards teachers, directors and family child care providers working with children ages birth to five with financial payments based on their level of education and sustained employment. INCENTIVE$ helps educate, retain, and provide additional supports for the early childhood workforce through annual stipends of $450 to $5,000 for full-time employees; the average annual award amount is $2,472. These amounts are based upon the participant’s level of education and reflects the schedule worked during a six-month commitment period (i.e., award payments for part-time employees are prorated). Participating teachers served 45,473 children. Additionally, DEL will continue to offer stipends for the completion of training in identified early childhood topics, and for participation in coaching or communities of practice through a statewide training initiative. Authorized by s. 1003.485, F.S., and created in partnership with the DEL and UF Lastinger, the New Worlds Reading Initiative was established with a two-fold purpose: to instill a love of reading in Florida’s youngest students by providing free books for children whose literacy skills are identified as below grade level and to improve the instructional skills of early care and preschool teachers through the available Emergent and Elementary Literacy Micro-credential. $89 million was allocated in 23-24 for the implementation of this project. b. Does the Lead Agency use additional elements? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the element(s). Check all that apply. i. [x] Continuing education unit trainings and credit-bearing professional development. Describe: The Florida Registry houses DEL and DCF state-approved training that includes CEUs for each training. The registry has a CEU Training tab that allows participants to upload training certificates that reflect CEUs and these certificates are verified by the DCF Credentialing Unit. The Registry has more than 38,000 pathway participants and approximately 75 courses. In addition to the Registry, eight ELCs and one ELC contractor, Episcopal Children’s Services, are International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) accredited and offer CEUs for training they offer to child care providers. All recognized coursework and degrees are from institutions (public and non-public) that are accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. If degrees or coursework are completed in another country, participants must submit their transcripts to a third-party evaluator to determine appropriate equivalency. ii. [x] Engagement of training and professional development providers, including higher education, in aligning training and educational opportunities with the Lead Agency's framework. Describe: DEL is working with the UF AZCEECS to align training and education opportunities with the state’s framework. An Advisory Board consisting of key early learning systems stakeholders will provide input and feedback on a redesign and improvement of the existing informal pathway. Additionally, statewide input from focus groups and interviews with childcare program administrators, teachers, and college and university ECE will help review and develop a seamless framework that reflects the needs of the ECE field. The focus will be on developing a career advancement system, that includes demonstrable competency-based, stackable content from onboarding to micro- credentials, to credentials that can articulate into degrees or a formal career pathway. Additionally, to provide more access to high-quality professional learning for early learning coaches, the DEL’s Coaching Network supports coaches as they work with providers to improve teacher-child interactions across the birth through five continuum; assists in building the skills necessary to support adult learners at all levels and with different learning styles; and provides a place for debriefing and reflection of experiences and emotions related to coaching, the sharing of successes and lessons learned. In addition, ELCs/RCMA provide professional learning that supports the state’s quality goals by prioritizing infants/toddlers or children with special needs depending on local trends. ELCs spend their quality dollars to continue previous DEL capacity building initiatives. With these dollars, ELCs continue their local progress and efforts. Further, ELCs participate in train-the-trainer opportunities that support professional learning initiatives for providers in their areas. iii. [ ] Other. Describe: [ ] No. 6.2.3 Impact of the Professional Development Framework Describe how the framework improves the quality, diversity, stability, and retention of caregivers, teachers, and directors and identify what data are available to assess the impact. a. Professional standards and competencies. For example, do the professional standards and competencies reflect the diversity of providers across role, child care setting, or age of children served? Florida’s competencies (explained in detail in 6.2.2.a) reflect the full diversity of the early childhood workforce across role, child care settings, and age of children served. The competencies cover diverse roles working with young children (e.g., teacher, assistant teacher) as well as related roles (e.g., directors, coaches); all settings, including centers, family day care homes and schools; and all age groups infants through school age. DCF implements Florida’s voluntary Registry that contains workforce related demographics, documents requirements to meet licensing standards, and assigns appropriate career pathway designations. b. Career pathways. For example, has the Lead Agency developed a wage ladder that provides progressively higher wages as early educators gain more experience and credentials? What types of child care settings and staff roles are addressed in career pathways, such as licensed centers and family child care homes? The Florida Early Childhood Education Professional Learning Career Pathway builds on core knowledge and provides direction for ECE and ASE who want to move from an entry level position into a professional career in the early care and education field. In addition to credentialing or degree requirements, practitioners must complete core training requirements to earn the registry designations (ECE, ASE I, II, III). - The Foundation level includes the DCF Introductory Child Care Training. - The ECE I/ASE I level includes attaining the Florida Staff Credential. - The ECE II/ASE II level includes achieving an Associate degree or higher. - The ECE III/ASE III level includes achieving a Bachelor degree or higher. The Career Pathway (explained in detail 6.2.2.b) is set up to offer many different paths for progress, including informal and formal options for training and credentialing. The Career Pathway builds on core knowledge and provides direction for ECE and ASE working at licensed centers or family day care homes who want to move from an entry level position into a professional career in the early care and education field. The framework’s financial incentives also provide financial support to those seeking a degree or credential through the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program. T.E.A.C.H. helps with addressing the problems of teacher education, turnover, and compensation in this field. It provides financial incentives linked to educational attainment and retention. Florida does not have a formal wage ladder established statewide. Labor costs vary throughout the state; independent business owners establish wage ladders at rates that can attract and retain qualified personnel. DEL analyzes data collected by the T.E.A.C.H. contractor to monitor the number of degrees and credentials that have been obtained. DEL is in the process of procuring a vendor to offer professional learning opportunities that will include developmentally appropriate, and linguistically responsive instruction, and evidence- based curricula to help design effective learning environments. c. Advisory structure. For example, has the advisory structure identified goals for child care workforce compensation, including types of staff and target compensation levels? Does the Lead Agency have a Preschool Development Birth-to-Five grant and is part of its scope of work child care compensation activities? Are they represented in the advisory structure? In 2023 the DEL entered into an agreement with the UF AZCEECS to deliver a report with recommendations on the redesign and extension of Florida’s informal pathway for early childhood teacher professional learning and career advancement. This report will include surveys, focus groups, and interviews from ECEs across Florida. An Advisory Board consisting of key early learning systems stakeholders was formed to provide input and feedback on improving the informal pathway. Focus groups and interviews were also held with childcare program administrators and teachers to provide input and feedback on a framework for the informal pathway. While this work does not provide compensation or wages directly to teachers, it does provide opportunities for teachers to increase their education level to become more marketable. d. Articulation. For example, how does the advisory structure include training and professional development for providers, including higher education, to assist in aligning training and education opportunities? DEL provides scholarships for center-based staff and family child care providers through the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program. (see 6.2.2.f for more detail). These scholarships provide financial support, which includes tuition, books, travel expenses, completion bonus, etc., for all provider types seeking a degree or credential. DEL also provides stipends for completed training in identified early childhood topics through a statewide training initiative. There are not additional funds available for student loan debt relief or loan repayment for early childhood professionals. A major purpose of the agreement with UF AZCEECS is to deliver a report with recommendations for the informal pathway and career advancement system that includes demonstrable competency-based, stackable content from onboarding to micro-credentials and summative credentials that can articulate into degrees. The extant articulation of CDA Credential to AS degree programs is a firm foundation to build upon, with a common course numbering system across the state college system and a mandated articulation of at least nine (9) college credits toward an AS, as defined by s. 1007.23(6), F.S., for approved credentials to include: FCCPC; FLDOE’s CCAC and ECPC; and Council for Professional Recognition’s National Child Development Associate. e. Workforce information. For example, does the Lead Agency have data on the existing wages and benefits available to the child care workforce? Do any partners such as the Quality Improvement System, child care resource and referral agencies, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and universities and research organizations collect compensation and benefits data? Does the Lead Agency monitor child care workforce wages and access to benefits through ongoing data collection and evaluation? Can the data identify any disparities in the existing compensation and benefits (by geography, role, child care setting, race, ethnicity, gender, or age of children served)? Florida’s Registry is a voluntary system that contains workforce related demographic data about the caregivers, teachers, and directors in our facilities and homes including education level, credentials and more detailed employment information entered by the individual. The voluntary self-reported demographic data includes age, employee sponsored insurance, certification type, years of experience, wage, highest career pathway designation, race, sex, ethnicity, language spoken, highest education level, type of employment (full- or part-time), and race/ethnicity. There is a dashboard on the Registry homepage that displays the total number of participants, the highest designation awarded for our professional learning pathway, and highest education reported. DEL has strategically invested in enhancing the functionality of the Registry to enable more comprehensive and detailed reporting and to inform strategic investments in support of Florida’s early childhood workforce. DEL also invests in the Sunshine Portal that receives an ongoing data feed from the Registry and integrates data on Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) scores by program. The Sunshine Portal has extensive automated reports and customized data analysis capacity that help to inform the workforce strategies of ELCs and DEL, including professional learning opportunities on key topics and for specific programs based on CLASS scores and other program/workforce data. DEL utilizes data from the Department of Economic Opportunity’s Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research on the average salary for child care personnel to include, at a minimum, child care instructors and child care directors. DEL is also working with the UF AZCEECS to analyze available workforce data and to design, build, and incorporate Florida’s early child care workforce data into the Sunshine Portal in an impactful, end-user driven, and interactive format such as a data dashboard. DEL will use this information as we implement programs such as T.E.A.C.H. and INCETIVE$. Further, information from this dashboard will be critical as the DEL explores and implements policies to positively impact the child care workforce. f. Financing. For example, has the Lead Agency set a minimum or living wage as a floor for all child care staff? Do Lead Agency-provider subsidy agreements contain requirements for staff compensation levels? Do Lead Agencies provide program-level compensation grants to support staff base salaries and benefits? Does the Lead Agency administer bonuses or stipends directly to workers? DEL and the local ELCs/RCMA do not have specific wage or staff compensation levels required as part of our subsidy agreements. We have integrated specific quality requirements that programs must meet to receive a subsidy (SR) contract. Individual business owners set their own wages that reflect local requirements to attract and retain professionals who can meet or exceed the quality requirements. Florida has a current minimum wage of $12.00/hour and the minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula. The Florida minimum wage will increase by $1.00 every September 30th until reaching $15.00 on September 30, 2026. This requirement has further positively impacted the early childhood workforce, increasing wages in areas that were lower. Some local ELCs choose to invest some of their quality funds into stipends; see 6.2.2.f for more information on the INCENTIVE$ program.