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: The Nevada Registry, NevAEYC, The Children’s Cabinet, Las Vegas Urban League, NDE-OELD, and the Nevada Child Care Licensing Program. [ ] 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 Nevada Registry published Nevada’s Core Knowledge Areas (CKA) and Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals in 2007. The CKA are a set of content areas that define what caregivers should know and understand in order to provide quality experiences for children while the Core Competencies are a set of observable skills that reflect a caregiver’s knowledge of 242 | P a g e the Core Knowledge Areas. All community-based training approved by The Nevada Registry is linked to specific CKA. The CKA support the framework of the Nevada Early Care and Education Career Ladder and provide the foundation for the professional development system. They CKA are also aligned with Nevada’s Pre-K Standards. In 2020, the Nevada Department of Education partnered with SRI Education to facilitate the Nevada Ready B5! Alignment Project. Though this work, Nevada’s Core Competencies were reviewed, and it was ultimately determined that rather than revising Nevada’s existing competencies, our state will adopt the standards and competencies created through the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Power to the Profession initiative. ii. Career pathways. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about professional development registries, career ladders, and levels. The Nevada Early Care and Education Professional Career Ladder is tailored specifically to the field of Early Care and Education (ECE) with 7 levels representing various combinations of formal education, training and direct experience (up to 4000 hours). Through the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada Scholarship Program, early childhood professionals pursue Early Childhood Education (ECE) Certificates, Associate, and Bachelor Degrees at participating Institutes of Higher Education within Nevada. The following pathways are available: Early Childhood Education Certificate; Associate of Applied Science: ECE, ECE Director/Administration, Infant/Toddler, Preschool; Associate of Arts: ECE; Bachelor of Science: ECE Administration/Non- License, ECE Pre-K2nd Grade/License, Human Development and Family Studies. 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. In addition to the Nevada ECAC, each quality initiative has developed an advisory board or committee that serves as a sounding board and helps to guide the development of the various projects (i.e. TEACH, QRIS, and The Nevada Registry). iv. Articulation. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about articulation agreements, and collaborative agreements that support progress in degree acquisition. Course titles and number are consistent between the Institutes of Higher Education. Articulation exists between ECE Associate of Arts degree pathways at community colleges and Bachelor of Science degree pathways at the universities T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada facilitates a workgroup of ECE Higher Education professionals to discuss topics related to the ECE higher education 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. The Nevada Registry publishes a biennial membership and training approval system report highlighting the demographics of the Registry membership. This report includes general demographics, wage information, educational attainment, career ladder information as well as training and trainer statistics. With over 7000 active members, this is currently the primary source of data specific to the ECE workforce. The Nevada Registry’s data is also referenced in The Children’s Cabinet’s biennial fact sheets that provide county-level data on the supply, demand, quality and availability of child care in Nevada. vi. Financing. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about strategies including scholarships, apprenticeships, wage enhancements, etc. The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada scholarship program assists approximately 165 early childhood educators with completing college coursework to pursue Associate and Bachelor’s degrees in Early Childhood Education, Birth to 2nd Grade teaching licenses through the Nevada Department of Education, and advancement on The Nevada Registry Career Ladder. The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada program offers financial support to scholarship recipients for tuition and books; as well as provides recipients with a bonus each year for completing education requirements. Additionally, the scholarship provides financial support to early childhood programs that provide paid release time for scholarship recipients to attend class, complete assignments, and/or complete daily errands. b. Does the Lead Agency use additional elements? [x] Yes. If yes, describe the element(s). Check all that apply. i. [ ] Continuing education unit trainings and credit-bearing professional development. Describe: 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: DWSS/CCDP has informally partnered with The Nevada Registry and Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) partners at the University and Community College levels to work on aligning training and educational opportunities with Nevada’s Core Competencies. 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 Nevada Registry published Nevada’s Core Knowledge Areas (CKA) and Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals in 2007. The CKA are a set of content areas that define what caregivers should know and understand in order to provide quality experiences for children while the Core Competencies are a set of observable skills that reflect a caregiver’s knowledge of the Core Knowledge Areas. Competencies tied to the CKAs define the skills contributing to high quality care, when caregivers possess those competencies. All community-based training approved by The Nevada Registry is linked to specific CKA. The CKA support the framework of the Nevada Early Care and Education Career Ladder and provide the foundation for the professional development system. They CKA are also aligned with Nevada’s Pre-K Standards. In 2020, the Nevada Department of Education partnered with SRI Education to facilitate the Nevada Ready B5! Alignment Project. Through this work, Nevada’s Core Competencies were reviewed, and it was ultimately determined that rather than revising Nevada’s existing competencies, our state will adopt the standards and competencies created through the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Power to the Profession initiative. 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 Nevada Early Care and Education Professional Career Ladder is tailored specifically to the field of Early Care and Education (ECE) with 7 levels representing various combinations of formal education, training and direct experience (up to 4000 hours). Though the ladder is not currently tied to increase compensation based on levels, opportunities exist through the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada Scholarship Program, allowing early childhood professionals to pursue Early Childhood Education (ECE) Certificates, Associate, and Bachelor degrees at participating Institutes of Higher Education within Nevada. The following pathways are available: Early Childhood Education Certificate; Associate of Applied Science: ECE, ECE Director/Administration, Infant/Toddler, Preschool; Associate of Arts: ECE; Bachelor of Science: ECE Administration/Non-License, ECE Pre-K2nd Grade/License, Human Development and Family Studies. Completion of ECE certificate and degree programs (including the Child Development Associate) results in an increase in Career Ladder levels which could result in higher wages as determined by an employer and/or future wage compensation initiatives tied to Career Ladder placement. 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 addition to the State Early Childhood Advisory Council, each quality initiative in the State of Nevada has developed an advisory board or committee that serves as a sounding board and helps to guide the development of the various projects (i.e. TEACH, QRIS, and The Nevada Registry). A separate Workforce Framework Committee was convened to create a plan to recruit, retain, and provide comprehensive supports to Nevada's Early Childhood Workforce. This plan was developed with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Child Care funds and the action plan to implement the framework is part of Nevada's PDG grant. Progress on the action plan is reported to the Early Childhood 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? Course titles and numbers are consistent between the Institutes of Higher Education. Articulation exists between ECE Associate of Arts degree pathways at community colleges and Bachelor of Science degree pathways at the universities T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada facilitates a workgroup of ECE Higher Education professionals to discuss topics related to the ECE higher education pathways. 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 Nevada Registry collects wage and benefits data as part of the membership application and renewal process. This data was formerly published on a biennial basis in a series of membership and training approval system reports to highlight membership and training approval system report highlighting the demographics of the Registry membership. The reports include general demographics, wage information, educational attainment, career ladder information as well as training and trainer statistics. Demographic data is now published on a quarterly basis on the ￿Reports and Statistics’ page of The Nevada Registry. The Nevada Registry is currently developing a data dashboard/report generator tool which is a public-facing reporting interface and data dashboard designed to allow visitors to The Nevada Registry’s website to generate real-time reports on pre-determined data points related to Early Childhood workforce data (primarily related to Registry membership and the Training Approval System). With over 9,200 active members, this is currently the primary source of data specific to the ECE workforce. The Nevada Registry’s data is also referenced in The Children’s Cabinet’s biennial fact sheets that provide county-level data on the supply, demand, quality and availability of child care in Nevada. 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 T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada program provides scholarship recipients with a bonus upon completing a minimum of nine credits successfully with a C grade or better. The bonus ranges from $375 to $500, depending on the type of scholarship the recipient receives. Additionally, child care programs provide scholarship recipients with a $300 bonus or 2% raise upon successful complete of the annual scholarship. Additionally, between FY22 - FY24, COVID relief funds have supported the distribution of financial stipends to early childhood educators, in the amount of $1,000. Self-sufficiency data has also been updated to provide Nevada-specific information to determine a sustainable wage for child care staff without reliance on social assistance programs. Link: https://nvecac.com/nevada-self-sufficiency-data/