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? [ ] 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: [x]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: In 2022, the Lead Agency convened a Workforce Taskforce to make recommendations about continued workforce development and professional learning across the state. The taskforce included representatives from advocacy organizations, higher education, family child care, center directors and teachers, and professional organizations. Taskforce recommendations will be used to inform expansion of and updates to the state’s professional development framework during the next state plan period. [ ] 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). Georgia's Workforce Knowledge and Competencies (WKCs) are a set of professional standards that guide the development of professional learning opportunities for early learning and school-age professionals across the state. The WKCs answer the question, "What should early learning and school-age professionals know and be able to do?" The Lead Agency has recently revised the WKCs for child care administrators, technical assistance providers, and trainers. The Lead Agency has started a review of the WKCs for teachers (last revised in 2017) to determine what updates are required to ensure the WKCs continue to align with best practices in ECE. Additionally, the Lead Agency has ten master’s level mental health professionals who are certified by Georgetown University in Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC). This workforce development effort supports the IECMHC pilot and increases access to mental health services for children and their caregivers. The Lead Agency contracts with the IECMH Consultants to support child care center staff, teachers, children, and their families, providing resources and referring for mental health treatment as needed. ii. Career pathways. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about professional development registries, career ladders, and levels. The Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS) tracks the education, training, and career experiences of the state's early learning professionals. Participants in GaPDS are assigned a Career Level that aligns with the state's Career Level Lattice. GaPDS is used by teachers, assistant teachers, child care administrators, family child care providers, state approved trainers, home visitors, technical assistance providers and coaches, and Lead Agency staff. Based on recommendations from the previously mentioned Workforce Taskforce, the career levels will be updated during the state plan period. 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. The Lead Agency convenes advisory committees that include representatives from state education agencies, technical colleges, universities, and early learning professionals working directly with children for professional development projects. Advisory committee makeup depends on the specific project or initiative. The committees review and make recommendations on the state's professional learning initiatives. iv. Articulation. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about articulation agreements, and collaborative agreements that support progress in degree acquisition. Georgia has collaboratively developed a strong articulation system from the community-based child development associate (CDA) to technical college credentials to four-year degrees. The 120 clock hours of early learning coursework required for the CDA, earned from the Council for Professional Recognition, may be used for credit toward a certificate, diploma, or degree program from a technical college. The technical certificates will articulate into an associate's degree. Many of Georgia's technical colleges have individual agreements with regional four-year institutions. As part of the state's ongoing work in this area, the Lead Agency is working collaboratively with the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia to expand articulation and to embed the previously mentioned WKCs into coursework across participating institutions. Further, the Lead Agency has established strong relationships with the Georgia Department of Education to support the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program, which includes a track for high school students to receive initial training in early childhood education. 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. The Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS) tracks the credentials, degrees, trainings, and work history of the state's early learning workforce. While the information provided in GaPDS is self-reported by each individual user, degrees, credentials, and trainings are verified by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC), the same state agency that verifies degrees and credentials for K-12 teacher certification. GaPDS also allows users to search and register for trainings offered by the Lead Agency. GaPDS provides the Lead Agency with one central system to gather data on the professional learning pathways of the early learning workforce. vi. Financing. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about strategies including scholarships, apprenticeships, wage enhancements, etc. As described in section 6.1.5, the Lead Agency's Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) Scholars program provides scholarships and financial incentives for qualifying early learning professionals to obtain an initial or higher degree or credential in early learning. In addition to providing scholarships to attend public or private state institutions, the DECAL Scholars program also provides participants with stipends to help purchase books and materials needed to adequately participate in their chosen degree or credential program. Upon completing a degree or credential, qualified participants may also receive financial bonuses to reward successful completion of the program and to encourage retention with their same employer. Using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, the Lead Agency has also expanded work with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to support Early childhood and education (ECE) credential attainment in adult education programs. Students in adult education are pursuing a credential while also earning a high school equivalency. The Lead Agency has partnered with TCSG to offer grants to technical colleges to embed either the Child Development Associate (CDA) or Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC) into adult learning programs. Through this effort, the Lead Agency has worked with the Council for Professional Recognition (the organization that oversees the CDA) to change policies from accepting only a GED to accepting any state-approved high school equivalency as a perquisite for earning the CDA. Data from the first round of grants will be used to inform program changes, and CCDF funds will be used to continue the program as appropriate. The Lead Agency is also exploring methods for embedding registered apprenticeships into the state’s professional development framework. b. Does the Lead Agency use additional elements? [ ] Yes. If yes, describe the element(s). Check all that apply. i. [ ] Continuing education unit trainings and credit-bearing professional development. Describe: ii. [ ] Engagement of training and professional development providers, including higher education, in aligning training and educational opportunities with the Lead Agency's framework. Describe: iii. [ ] Other. Describe: [x] No. 6.2.3 Impact of the Professional Development Framework Describe how the framework improves the quality, 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 range of providers across role, child care setting, or age of children served? Georgia regularly reviews and, as necessary, updates its Workforce Knowledge and Competencies (WKCs) to ensure they align with best practices in early childhood. Guiding principles for each set of competencies include a focus on respect for and recognition of professionals working in early childhood. Georgia has WKCs for early learning and school age professionals; child care administrators and educational leaders; technical assistance providers and coaches; and trainers. 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? Any early childhood education professional who completes a profile in the Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS) and submits an official transcript receives a career level. Georgia’s Career Levels are based on the highest level of education earned, beginning with a high school diploma or high school equivalency at Level I and ending with a doctoral degree at Level XII. The Career Levels are applicable to early childhood professionals in all program types including child care centers, family child care learning homes, Head Start and Early State, and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. All early childhood professionals, regardless of role, are assigned a Career Level using the same criteria. The Career Levels support the quality, stability, and retention of caregivers, teachers, and directors. The levels provide individuals concrete information on their current career levels based on their credit hours, credentials and degrees; and illustrate a career pathway for pursuing higher levels and advanced positions. Data associated with the Career Levels is available in the Georgia Professional Development System (GAPDS). The data provides a more comprehensive understanding of the workforce demographics, credentials and degree obtainment, and workforce retention. The Workforce Taskforce, convened in 2023, provided recommendations to address workforce issues in the state. The final recommendations included revising the Career Levels, which will be done in the new state plan period. The Workforce Taskforce recommended creating a path to entry for professionals who have not yet earned an early childhood education degree or credential as well as honoring both experience and formal training for pathway progression. 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? The Georgia Children’s Cabinet serves as the state advisory committee. The work of the Children’s Cabinet broadly influences the Lead Agency’s strategic plan. The current strategic plan includes goals and strategies for supporting the workforce, specifically Goal 3: Develop, professionalize, and retain a highly skilled workforce for the early care and education industry. Additionally, short-term taskforces or committees are formed to provide additional feedback and discussion on specific topics or areas of concern. In 2023, the Lead Agency convened a Workforce Taskforce to advise on workforce development in the state. The Workforce Taskforce is the primary advisory group for recommending workforce improvement activities for the Lead Agency and is made up of representatives from advocacy organizations, child care center directors, family child care learning home operators, teachers, university faculty, technical college faculty, Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) staff, and approved trainers. The current priority developed with the Workforce Taskforce is to publish an annual workforce report that includes data on compensation, turnover, credentials/degrees, and other relevant workforce data as appropriate. The Lead Agency is currently working on this activity. 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? Georgia has existing early childhood articulation agreements among technical colleges and four-year colleges that support professionals moving from a certificate, diploma, two-year and four-year degree. The agreements are strongest within programs in the same geographic region in the state. The Workforce Taskforce included representatives from advocacy organizations, child care center directors, family child care learning home operators, teachers, university faculty, technical college faculty, Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) staff, and approved trainers. 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)? The Lead Agency has data on the existing wages and benefits available to the child care workforce. Currently, no partners collect this data on behalf of the Lead Agency. The current data was collected through quarterly child care stabilization reporting from February 2022 through July 2024. The Lead Agency is currently implementing a comprehensive data strategy to continue regular monitoring and collection of child care workforce data since the stabilization reporting has ended. The available data can identify existing compensation and benefits by various geography, role, and child care setting. 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? Through its Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) Scholars program, the Lead Agency provides wage supplements to child care staff who are pursuing a degree or credential in early childhood education. Recipients receive a $1,000 supplement for each semester they are enrolled in an eligible program. Additionally, upon graduation, recipients are eligible to receive an annual retention bonus (up to five years after graduation) for each year they remain with the same employer. The Lead Agency is responsible for administering Georgia’s Pre-K Program. The minimum salary for Georgia’s Pre-K lead and assistant teachers is set by the Lead Agency. The funds for salary and benefits for Georgia’s Pre-K lead and assistant teachers is included in the Pre-K grant funding provided by the Lead Agency.