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: EEC has begun the process of developing a new credentialing system that will include ongoing professional development requirements. As part of this development work, EEC has consulted with representatives from the community colleges and other professional learning providers. The state also has a legislatively mandated Workforce Advisory Council that has been consulted along with the Board of Early Education and Care including consultation with a committee of the Board that met to consider and advise on EEC’s planning of workforce development initiatives. [ ] 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). EEC program licensing regulations define the professional standards and expectations for early education and care professionals. These standards identify a set of core areas of study for higher education courses and define the number and focus of credit-bearing courses necessary for early educators to advance professionally. Fourteen categories of study have been identified including; child growth and development, planning programs and environment, curriculum for early childhood settings, child and classroom management, advanced or specialized early childhood development, children with special needs, infant and toddler development, health and safety, families and community, child care policy , staff supervision, child observation, documentation and assessment, child care administration, and topics specific to out of school time. The Categories of Study Content Guide provides trainers and educators with the specific content, training objectives, and student learning outcomes, required for each category of study to be counted toward certification. Ongoing training hours are also required. Family child care educators are required to demonstrate experience working with children and engagement in ongoing training. Out of school time providers have requirements around minimum age and degree attainment for different roles as well as ongoing training requirements. In an effort to support workforce recruitment efforts, minimum hiring requirements have been put in place as a guide for the professional standards and competencies necessary at each level of classroom support and as a pathway to grow in skills and expertise. The requirements are also intended to support early childhood and out of school time programs in adequately staffing classrooms and meeting ratio regulations. Effective May 8, 2024, all new educators are required to take the EEC Essentials 2.0 training prior to any direct contact with children, and all educators currently in the field are required to complete the new training package no later than June 30, 2025 (annual refresher trainings will then be required of all early educators thereafter). The training covers all health and safety topics required by OCC and is accessible on the EEC learning management system in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese. New hires have up to six months post hire date to complete a three-credit Child Growth & Development course from an accredited college to meet teacher certification requirements. Those currently in the field can pursue optional certifications for teacher, lead teacher, and director roles. Importantly, the minimum hiring requirements for educators are intended to address urgent needs related to educator recruitment while EEC reestablishes and promotes optional certifications and rolls out the next stage of educator supports. Upcoming additional educator supports include a Professional Registry (a centralized resource where all records related to an educator’s employability may be stored and accessed) as well as the launch of a new teacher credentialling system. EEC strives to address the professional standards and competency needs of early education and out-of-school time educators across Massachusetts, including current and future educators. EEC is particularly committed to supporting the workforce in obtaining skills and competencies specific to the practice of providing quality care and education to children. Additionally, EEC places a strong emphasis on the development of the profession through the attainment of industry-recognized credentials, including certificates and degrees. Primary to this work is ensuring access to higher education and preparation programs through initiatives such as the Career Pathways Grant and Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Scholarships. ii. Career pathways. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about professional development registries, career ladders, and levels. Our current career pathway is delineated by requirements in licensing regulations for teachers, lead teachers, and two levels of directors in infant and toddler settings or preschool settings. For school age programs, there are a set of requirements for assistant group leaders, group leaders and two levels of administrative roles. This structure creates a very linear and hierarchical system in which professionals move from entry level educator roles to administrative roles if they choose to advance in their career. EEC has provided the fifteen Massachusetts community colleges with Career Pathways grant funding to support educators across all regions in accessing the coursework necessary to advance in this system. EEC is also committed to supporting the workforce pipeline and the recruitment of new educators into the profession as the sector works to rebuild and repair after the pandemic. EEC supports this initiative in partnership with MassHire Boards, the Massachusetts Department of Apprenticeship Standards, and Professional Pathways initiatives designed to address recruitment and higher education navigation and placement. As a result of these efforts, EEC is working to promote clear and compelling career pathways for educators working in the mixed delivery system across a variety of positions and roles. EEC is currently developing a new career pathways structure to be organized around professional competencies by level of experience, depth of knowledge, and demonstration in practice inclusive of family, group, and out of school time educators as well as roles beyond the classroom. The competency- based approach is intended to support educators in expanding and deepening professional skills across multiple pathways. The development and organization of these pathways is currently in process with a plan to pilot competency expectations and professional learning opportunities for advancement across educator and administrator levels (both credit bearing and non-credit bearing) in FY25. Development of the higher levels of this credential as well as specialized endorsements aimed at supporting a wide range of expertise are in early development in FY25. 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 Board of Early Education and Care is also the State Advisory Council for Early Childhood Education and Care. EEC meets with the Board ten times a year and consults regularly on the development of workforce expectations. EEC also works with a legislatively mandated Workforce Council that includes representation from across the field of early education, higher education, the business community and the formal workforce development system. EEC also has an Advisory Council on early education and care. The Advisory Council members represent a reasonable geographic balance and reflect the diversity of the Commonwealth in race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. All appointees have a special expertise or interest in high quality early childhood education and care and represent a mix of representatives of the early childhood community, the civic, labor, and business communities, academics, parents, teachers, social service providers, and health care providers. The Advisory Council reviews and offers comments on any rules or regulations before promulgation by the Board and makes recommendations to the Board that it considers appropriate for changes and improvements in early education and care programs and services. EEC staff meet with the Council quarterly. iv. Articulation. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about articulation agreements, and collaborative agreements that support progress in degree acquisition. EEC has established Career Pathways programs with the fifteen Massachusetts community colleges and Urban College. The Career Pathways programs aim to support early educators in the pursuit of their individual professional career aspirations. As part of this partnership, EEC and the colleges are currently identifying opportunities where credit for prior learning can be counted toward credit attainment and formalized in articulation agreements. In addition, the fifteen community colleges and Urban College are engaged in a collaborative effort to establish a foundational certificate in early childhood education available across the Commonwealth, consisting of a comprehensive sequence of courses designed to meet the needs of newcomers to the field, and support those currently in the field and interested in going beyond a certificate to earn a degree. The newly developed foundational certificate comprised of 16- credits, is designed in alignment with the MassTransfer Compact. MassTransfer is a well-established transfer agreement among the fifteen community colleges, the state universities, and the UMass University system, and is rooted in associate to bachelor￿s degree pathways (A2B Mapped Pathways). The ECE Foundational Certificate is structured to seamlessly contribute to the requirements within the ECE associates degree at each of the community colleges and meet the transfer articulation agreements. Graduates from a Massachusetts community college with at least a ￿B’ average are guaranteed admission to a state university or UMass to complete the junior and senior year with no application fees or essays. In addition, EEC works collaboratively with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) on an ongoing basis, in the implementation and dissemination of the EEC Scholarship. The scholarship is inclusive of family, group, out of school time, and residential program positions, with funding for up to nine credits per semester, books, materials, and related costs. Recipients of the scholarship may pursue certificates, associates, bachelors’, or masters’ degrees. Mass Reconnect and Mass Educate have also been established to offer free community college throughout the Commonwealth. Mass Reconnect is a new program designed for MA residents that are 25 years or older that have not previously earned an associate or bachelor’s degree, and are willing to enroll in at least six credits per semester, and Mass Educate, has been established to include all ages and intended for Massachusetts residents who have not yet earned a bachelor￿s degree, and includes tuition, fees, and an allowance for books and supplies. 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 demand for courses in languages other than English, along with supports for English language learning, remains high. The early education and care profession is culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse. This diversity brings incredible value to the field as children and families can connect with providers where they feel represented. Additionally, ensuring access to high quality credit-bearing coursework in languages other than English supports equity and inclusion of educators within the professional pathways EEC has designed and funded. As a result, EEC has established funding and collaboration with institutions of higher education (fifteen community colleges and Urban College of Boston) to provide courses, academic supports, cohort development, and the build out of pathways for educators who speak languages other than English. The programmatic design aims to engage a range of educator types (family child care, center-based and out of school time) in professional growth and optional attainment of a higher education degree in early childhood education. Educators working in EEC-licensed or funded programs serving children from birth through school age, regardless of setting, must create an individual educator profile in EEC's Professional Qualifications Registry (PQR) and update it annually. EEC's PQR gathers important information on the size, composition, education, and experience of our current workforce. It also stores information about the retention and turnover of educators working in early education and out-of-school time programs. The information collected from the PQR will help EEC respond to the needs of all early educators and programs in Massachusetts. EEC intends to build a new registry and credentialing system to correspond with the launch of a new credentialing system. Participation in the registry will be required for credentialling and program staff rosters will link by role to individuals in the registry. vi. Financing. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about strategies including scholarships, apprenticeships, wage enhancements, etc. EEC in partnership with the Department of Higher Education has established several funding streams to support the early childhood workforce in obtaining credit- bearing professional development, certificates, and degrees. The Career Pathways programs have been strategically developed within the fifteen Massachusetts community colleges and Urban College. It was designed to provide an entry point to higher education whereby early educators can begin with one course, leverage wrap-around supports (tutoring, academic advising, coaching, etc.) and build upon their success with subsequent courses. Educators seeking degree attainment are then encouraged to apply for the DHE EEC Scholarship. This funding provides the opportunity for educators to pursue associates, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees at both public and private colleges provided they are living and working in Massachusetts. Educators are awarded scholarships for up to nine credits per semester with awards that go beyond the cost of tuition and fees so that materials, books, and related costs are covered. In addition to Career Pathways and the DHE EEC Scholarship, Mass Reconnect has been established to offer free community college throughout the Commonwealth. Mass Reconnect is a new program designed for MA residents that are 25 years or older that have not previously earned an associate or bachelor’s degree, and are willing to enroll in at least six credits per semester 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: Credit bearing course work or continuing education units are required for certification to work as an educator or director in the field. 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: All state funded professional learning providers consult regularly with EEC around statewide needs for the early education workforce and ongoing training development. Similarly, EEC provides grant funding to all community colleges with early education departments and works in a similar manner to coordinate access to courses and ongoing planning and development of the new credential. 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 current certification requirements apply to educators working in center-based early education programs only. This system ensures educators in these programs have training in core areas of study related to their professional responsibilities and, not that educators do not have to have certification to work in the field, those that meet these qualifications are recruited and provided incentives to remain in programs, supporting retention. PQR data demonstrates that our current field of certified educators reflects the diversity of families served. In addition, the regional organization of professional learning supports allows for tailoring to the unique needs of the communities. This system does not fully support family child care educators and school age educators. EEC is in the process of developing a credential that will apply to educators in all programs, including out of school time and family child care and will provide multiple pathways to advancement to reflect the diversity of the field. EEC will ensure that school age after-school credentialing reflects the unique aspect of the out-of-school time workforce compared to the early education workforce. 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 current career pathways do not have a required wage ladder associated with it, but data collected as part of the Commonwealth Care for Children (C3) program demonstrates that salaries do create a defacto ladder, with directors making higher salaries, on average, than lead teachers who make higher salaries, on average than teachers. This wage ladder can be identified for both center-based early education professionals as well as out of school time staff. In family child care, it is more difficult to identify wages, as FCC owners typically do not receive a salary, but benefit from the profits of their business. The one structure that does shape the opportunities FCC educators have to increase revenues are licensing requirements that increase professional qualifications expectations as FCC educators increase the licensed capacity of their program. EEC is in the process of developing a recommended salary scale tied to the new credential, which will support all program types. 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 diversity of representation of the Workforce Council ensures that their consultation supports EEC in recognizing the needs of a diverse workforce across program types and attends to issues related to recruitment and retention. EEC does have PDG funding and is using that grant to support the development of recommended salary expectations. An initial cost analysis reviewed current salaries and compared these to a variety of benchmarks including living wage estimates and public-school salaries to develop a preliminary set of recommendations that informed cost modelling. These were reviewed by the EEC Board (the State Advisory Council). 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? Representatives of higher education and professional learning providers are included on the state’s Workforce Council. EEC is currently supporting expansion of opportunities for early educators coming to the field with different levels of experience with higher education and supporting pathways to enter higher education, including credit for prior learning, entry scholarships and other mechanisms. These efforts better support a diversity of educators and build access to higher education opportunities to foster stable careers and ongoing professional learning. 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)? EEC currently collects salary and benefits information at the program level through the monthly C3 grant application process. Almost 90% of early education and care providers participate. This data is helping EEC track the extent to which programs are successfully retaining educators and filling open positions with qualified staff, thereby supporting improved program quality and workforce stability in the field. Professional qualification registry data is available to support the agency in identifying the diversity of the field, but is limited in the extent to which changes over time can be tracked. Because this information is at the program level, disparities across individual educator characteristics cannot be identified but EEC is developing a new educator registry which will include salary information and will support such analyses. 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? EEC does not currently set any salary or benefit requirements. However, the C3 grants are available to all programs and have demonstrated effectiveness at supporting salary increases while mitigating tuition increases. Programs currently report growing success at recruiting and retaining educators with this funding and data collected indicate that salaries have increased for all educators across the three years that this funding has been available. In particular, programs serving diverse families who also typically hire educators reflective of the families they serve have been able to improve compensation and retain educators. Programs also report using funding to support ongoing professional learning opportunities for educators, thereby increasing the quality of the education provided.