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? [ ] Yes. If yes, identify the other key groups: [x] 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 Kentucky Early Childhood (EC) Core Content is defined as the specific knowledge competencies, and characteristics needed by early childhood practitioners to work effectively with young children and families. EC Core Content is the foundation for determining training content, college coursework content, and competency standards for professional performance. The EC Core Content includes seven essential competency subject areas of early childhood education that are organized into five levels of increasing mastery. Individuals planning early childhood education and training programs can use the EC Core content to correlate program content with the expected skill levels and desired competency outcomes of the participants. EC Core Content subject areas are captured within ECE-TRIS to reflect competencies and assist with professional development planning to increase mastery in each content by learner in each area and identify areas where training is needed. Link to PD Framework: https://kyecac.ky.gov/families/Documents/pd-framework- 2011.pdf ii. Career pathways. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about professional development registries, career ladders, and levels. The Kentucky Professional Development (PD) Framework includes a mechanism for linking various EC training and education programs, allows for multiple pathways for entering EC education, and promotes and supports continuous professional development. The EC core competencies are organized from basic to high-level skills across five levels that build on each other with increasing knowledge and skills attained at each level. To ensure professional development frameworks are sensitive to the needs of school-age professionals, the Lead Agency will seek feedback from the Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance (KYOSA) on the integration of a framework for staff working in school-age settings based on the Core Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies for Out-of-School Time Professionals, put forth by the National Afterschool Association (NAA). 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 Governor's Office of Early Childhood Professional Development Sub-Committee is charged with formulating and submitting recommendations to the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) for professional development to support and promote quality standards, while responding to federal and state mandates and increasing capacity through workforce development. This Committee includes representation from the DCC, the state's professional ECE registry, the Child Care Resource and Referral Network, and other system-level partners that represent early childhood projects and initiatives. iv. Articulation. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about articulation agreements, and collaborative agreements that support progress in degree acquisition. This PD Framework includes a process which blends the system for credentialing and training of early childhood professionals. It includes five levels of competency, each of which articulate into the next level. At lower levels of competency, the completion of a particular credential, program, or certificate can be transferred into college credit between secondary schools, community and technical colleges, training programs, and four-year institution Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education programs of study. 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 Child Care Resource and Referral Network conducts a workforce study that collects and analyzes child care provider educational preparation, experience, professional development, wages, benefits, and retention efforts. Findings are used to inform policy and promote quality improvement. 2020 Workforce Study: Published in 2021: https://www.childcareawareky.org/wp- content/uploads/2021/06/Workforce-Report-2020-FINAL.pdf KY STATS: https://kystats.ky.gov/Reports/Reports (Click on Early Childhood) vi. Financing. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about strategies including scholarships, apprenticeships, wage enhancements, etc. Based on annual availability of funds, early childhood development scholarships, incentives, and related expense reimbursement is available to support programs seeking accreditation ( e.g., NAEYC, NAFCC, and COA) and individual providers pursuing credentials and degrees. 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: Kentucky's ECE credentialed trainers design and deliver state-approved high quality professional development that results in the transfer of knowledge to promote quality and support better outcomes for children and families. Professional development activities delivered by non-credentialed trainers are submitted to DCC for review and approval. The Early Care and Education Training Records Information System (ECE-TRIS) provides a centralized database to track and store individual training records for early care and education professionals. ECE-TRIS is free to providers and supports DCC in meeting regulatory requirements and managing professional development data. ECETRIS training calendar provides users with a listing of available professional development opportunities with search capabilities to seek by topic or certain content area. (https://tris.eku.edu/ece ) The Lead Agency will monitor and support the availability of training opportunities to staff working with school-age children over the course of the next state plan cycle to ensure that staff working with school-age children have access to an equitable supply of free or low-cost approved trainings and professional development opportunities. Monitoring through the next state plan cycle will allow the lead agency to assess the training needs of staff serving school age compared to staff serving other age groups. This outcome can be measured utilizing achieved SAYD badges and credentials over the next state plan cycle. 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: Higher education representatives participate in the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Professional Development Sub-Committee to formulate and submit recommendations to the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) for professional development. The Child Care Resource and Referral Network collaborates with higher education to support providers participating in early care and education programs of study. 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? The professional standards and competencies in the Professional Development Framework for ECE in Kentucky have not been updated since 2011. While the standards and competencies encompass many varying roles and child care settings, we have recognized that there are necessary updates to be made based on our ever- changing landscape and state's needs. The current standards reflect different provider roles, settings and ages of children served in a limited capacity. The framework mostly reflects licensed child care (Type 1 and 2) programs and their roles/positions. Family child care providers, and groups such as infants and school-aged children, are underrepresented. We are communicating with the KY Governor's Office of Early Childhood (who manages the Early Childhood Advisory Council) to update the PD Framework and KY ECE Career Lattice, which are "overseen" by that agency. Our goal is to layer the standards and competencies with best practice in the field and obtain up-to-date information pertaining to diversity in provider roles, child care settings and age of children served. We acknowledge this is a critical component of moving our field forward and supporting high- quality child care settings. 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 Professional Development Framework does articulate career pathways from secondary education through advanced diplomas. The Division of Child Care and the Child Care Resource and Referral Network collaborate with the Kentucky Department of Education to coordinate and deliver the Secondary Education ECE Career and Technical Program which allows high school students to graduate career ready through the completion of a planned program of instruction. However, Kentucky has created more pathways, like the Registered Apprenticeship program and credentials specific to Infants and Toddlers and School Age Youth Development, that are not depicted in the PD Framework/Career Lattice from 2011. Kentucky does not have a specific wage ladder, but the QRIS system, KY All-STARS is layered to promote advancement along the KY Career Lattice. There are monetary incentives tied to certain levels corresponding to the Career Lattice and within a provider's rating in All-STARS. Citation: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/922/002/270/ (KY All- STARS regulation) 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 Kentucky Early Childhood Professional Development (PD) Framework has been endorsed by the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC), which is the state authority charged with coordination and collaboration of a high-quality system of early care and education. The KY Governor's Office of Early Childhood (GOEC) oversees ECAC, and also holds the Preschool Development Birth-to-Five grant. GOEC maintains and promotes the Registered ECE Apprenticeships in the state. The KY Division of Child Care is represented in the advisory structure and consistently participates in conversations around workforce compensation, retention and benefits. 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? The PD Framework from 2011 is now disjointed from alignment with current articulations in the ECE landscape. As mentioned previously, there are new professional development programs, pathways and credentials that are not mentioned in the current framework/ECE Career Lattice. Our goal as a state is to create layered achievements that can be earned along a provider's career journey, from micro- credentialing through Master's degrees. Adding the credentials, badges and degree articulations that have come into play since 2011 will improve the quality, diversity, stability and retention of caregivers, teachers and directors. 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)? Our partners with Child Care Aware complete a Workforce Report that details the status of the child care workforce, however this has not been completed since the COVID-19 pandemic; the last report provided was published in 2021 with 2020 data: https://www.childcareawareky.org/wp- content/uploads/2021/06/Workforce-Report-2020-FINAL.pdf KY STATS displays an Early Childhood Workforce Report (Jan 2024) and an Early Childhood Profile (Aug 2023). "The Early Childhood Workforce Dashboard examines workforce traits and trends regarding Kentucky’s early child care education instructors. This dashboard examines overall student and instructor counts, teacher preparatory program completion rates, instructor turnover rates, and what areas of employment instructors tend to move into if they change jobs. These figures are filterable by Public Preschool Instructors and Head Start Instructors." "The Early Childhood Profile provides data about early childhood metrics in each Kentucky county. The report allows users to view kindergarten readiness scores from 2014-2023 and to match third grade reading and math scores to the same cohort of kindergarten students through the 2019 academic year. It also provides information about local access to high-quality early childhood programs and enrollment numbers for child care programs in all 120 counties." Webpage here: https://kystats.ky.gov/Reports/Reports > select "Early Childhood" and both reports will display. O*NET Online uses Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023) to examine data and trends in the workforce to compare Kentucky and the national averages: https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/39-9011.00%20%20%20%20%20?st=KY Data obtained from these sources does tell us about disparities, especially when compared to national and regional differences, and across child care settings. 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? Kentucky supported providers with direct funding and stipends to support the workforce during ARPA, however that funding stream has ended. Effective October 2022, Kentucky passed regulation amendments that added child care staff to a "protected population" of employees, making any child care professional in a licensed or certified setting eligible to receive CCAP, despite their household income on a case-by-case basis. (922 KAR 2:160 Section 4 (3): https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/922/002/160/).