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: The Career Pathways were updated to align to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Power to the Profession. The North Dakota Early Childhood Higher Education Consortium has also aligned NAEYC Power to the Profession. Career Pathways were aligned to three professional development preparatory options: informal, formal, and alternative. Training options in the informal paraprofessional category was expanded allowing both level 1 and level 2 training to apply toward Career Pathways placement. The Lead Agency’s Professional Development Administrator presented the professional development framework to the Early Childhood Council. [ ]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: The Lead Agency gathered a Professional Development Work Group (PDWG) comprised of early childhood stakeholders from all parts of the mixed delivery early childhood system (special education, head start, higher education, four-year old programs, quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) programs, and licensed programs, along with trainers) to review the North Dakota Core Competencies for Early Childhood Educators and Practitioners. The work group will review the current competencies and compare them to national standards and bring forth recommendations to the State. [ ] 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 Lead Agency uses the North Dakota Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Practitioners as a foundation for noncredit training development and approval. The North Dakota Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Practitioners define what practitioners need to know and be able to do to provide quality education and care. A current version can be found https://www.ndgrowingfutures.org/career-development. ii. Career pathways. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about professional development registries, career ladders, and levels. The Lead Agency’s Early Childhood Workforce Registry calculates career pathways, recognizing professional development of early childhood providers. The Workforce Registry has aligned the career pathways to National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Power to the Profession. The Career Pathways identify ten levels of preparation beginning with Category A which is achieved with completion of the required 15-hour health and safety training. Progression on the Career Pathways is based on completion of 120 hours of informal Core Competency training, aligning to the national Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential education requirements. (Categories B-D), verification of current early childhood credentials and certificates (Categories E-F), and formal coursework (Categories G-J). Career Pathway placement is awarded to current members of the Workforce Registry and calculates each time the individual renews their membership or submits additional qualifications. 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 met regularly with the Early Childhood Council (ECC) to discuss CCDF-related strategies and initiatives, including the professional development framework and workforce grants and incentives. The ECC’s priorities include identifying ways to assist with the recruitment and retention of individuals interested in working as providers of early childhood education, care, and services, including training and continuing education or professional development opportunities. The ECC meetings provide opportunities for public input and interagency collaboration with representation from other state departments, as well as other private and public sector agencies involved either directly or peripherally with early childhood services. The ECC meetings are published in advance and are open to the public. iv. Articulation. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about articulation agreements, and collaborative agreements that support progress in degree acquisition. An agreement was finalized to articulate a current Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential to specific North Dakota higher education degree programs for nine (9) degree specific credits. The agreement allows a student with a CDA to be credited with three degree-required courses including 210 Introduction to Early Childhood, 237 Special Needs in ECE, and 320 Infants and Toddlers. These courses have common course numbers across the higher education system and so can be easily transferred between institutions. 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 Lead Agency’s Workforce Registry is the primary source of workforce information for the field of Early Childhood. Child care operators and employees must complete a minimum number of approved training hours each licensing year. The number of training hours needed depends on provider type and the number of hours worked. The Workforce Registry approves all training accepted for licensing, promotes approved training on an online statewide calendar, tracks training attendance at all approved events, and provides reports of training completion to individuals, employers, and licensers to verify annual training compliance. The Workforce Registry maintains permanent records of training completion (since 2012). Licensing Specialists can access that information via a private login for DHHS in the Registry system. The Workforce Registry also tracks workforce data including demographics, Registry participation by region, education, and other career qualifications (verified), training hours and content, and Career Pathways placement. This data is updated and posted quarterly. vi. Financing. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about strategies including scholarships, apprenticeships, wage enhancements, etc. The Lead Agency through the North Dakota State Child Care Initiative offers training incentives for early childhood providers seeking to earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) Certificate or a Center Director’s Credential. The Lead Agency with Preschool Development Funds seeks to implement Pyramid Model to fidelity and offers training incentives for pyramid model related trainings. The Lead Agency’s contracted resource and referral vendor offers CDA scholarships to cover the cost of the CDA application for both the initial CDA or CDA Renewal. 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 Lead Agency’s Workforce Registry verifies continuing education, training, and credit bearing coursework as part of member profiles and uses this information toward determination of Career Pathways placement. Formal credits are included on an individual's training record and displayed on the Health and Human Services (HHS) Licensing Report that is available online to licensers to verify annual training compliance. The Lead Agency promotes the higher education early childhood degree programs available across the state with a direct link to the North Dakota University System (NDUS) from the Workforce Registry webpage. Training and credit-based education is offered online, by correspondence, and in face-to-face environments. 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: The Workforce Registry approves training sponsors and trainers that offer content, methods, and assessments of training specifically designed to support the early childhood workforce toward greater efficacy and professionalism in their work with young children. They are required to know and reference North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) licensing rules and ensure that training content in no way conflicts with the regulations in place for licensed and regulated child care in the state. They must also know and reference the North Dakota Core Competencies for Early Education and Care Practitioners. Level 1 trainers are typically occasional trainers who have professional expertise in a field unrelated to early care and education (e.g. tax preparers, first responders, health care, etc.). They may also be one-time conference keynotes or presenters. Trainers for Level 1 Basic Licensing training must be currently employed in a professional capacity in the field related to the training content. For Level 2 Professional Training, the trainer must be pre- approved as an Early Childhood Instructor or Content Specialist. Early Childhood Instructors must have direct care experience with children ages birth to eight. Content Specialist are not required to have experience in an early childhood setting, but they must have professional experience in their field. Content Specialists are approved to train in their area of specialization only. iii. [ ] Other. Describe: [ ] 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? The North Dakota Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Practitioners provide guidance on how they may be used regardless of your role in the early childhood system: provider, practitioner, teacher, director, program administrator, trainer or training organization, higher education, or a state and local agency. The core competencies are divided into eight content areas. Each of the eight areas contains five levels that range from the skills and knowledge of a beginning practitioner to the more advanced skills and knowledge possessed by a professional with a master’s degree. The Lead Agency’s Workforce Registry requires alignment of core competencies to the training. The Workforce Registry can track hours delivered by competency area. 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 Career Pathways are recognized as the early childhood education framework to support providers working in any early care and education settings. The Career Pathways are designed to assist with the planning and preparation for career growth, which improves the quality and retention of caregivers, teachers and directors. The courses offered cover a wide array of topic areas, known as core competencies. The variety of competencies and content provides opportunities for a beginning practitioner to the more advanced skills and knowledge possessed by a professional with a master’s degree. On a quarterly basis, the Lead Agency’s Workforce Registry tracks Career Pathway placement which allows the Early Childhood Section to track trends and patterns. 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 Lead Agency met regularly with the Early Childhood Council (ECC) and the Early Childhood Services Advisory Board to discuss CCDF-related strategies and initiatives, including the professional development framework and workforce grants and incentives. The ECC’s priorities include identifying ways to assist with the recruitment and retention of individuals interested in working as providers of early childhood education, care, and services, including training and continuing education or professional development opportunities. The Lead Agency was awarded a Preschool Development Birth-to-Five renewal grant which focuses on establishing a comprehensive early childhood system to work alongside North Dakota￿s Child Care Initiative to support working families and address workforce challenges, focused on affordability, availability, and quality child care services. 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 Lead Agency’s Professional Development Administrator is included in Higher Education’s Early Childhood’s Consortium meetings, allowing for alignment between the delivery of informal training and the goals of higher education’s teacher preparation. In turn, Higher Education has a seat on the Early Childhood Council (ECC). 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’s Workforce Registry collects self-reported wage data, however, it is not a requirement of participation in the Registry. The Workforce Registry can sort wage data by geography, role, child care setting, and ethnicity. 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? The Lead Agency through the North Dakota Child Care Initiative offers a Workforce Benefit Program for child care employees who are working a minimum of 25 hours a week. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Child Care Workforce Benefit aims to alleviate financial burdens for child care programs and their staff with young children. This program will pay up to the full-time state max rate for the children of employees who qualify, regardless of their household income. Providers also have the option to use the CCAP Infant/Toddler Bonus and Quality Tiered Bonus to support compensation strategies.