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: Utah Registry for Professional Development (URPD), OCC Advisory Committee, Institutes of Higher Education [ ] 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 has established professional standards and competencies that it utilizes in its professional development system. There are early learning standards for various age groups, including preschool-age children and infants and toddlers, as well as competencies for caregivers and instructors. The Utah Core Competencies for Early Care and Youth Education were published in 2008. The Core Competencies are based on research and best practice and have been disseminated throughout Utah to child care providers in multiple types of care settings. Utah's Core Competencies provide a continuum on which basic caregiver skills are developed first, with more complex skills built upon experience and training. Utah's professional development system aligns with the Core Competencies and provides the framework for the system as a whole. Courses submitted for approval in Utah's Career Ladder system must show evidence of addressing at least three Core Competencies in each proposed curriculum. There are plans for the Core Competencies document to be reviewed and revised in the near future. A workgroup, including the Lead Agency and other early childhood partnering agencies and stakeholders, will be established to work toward updating these competencies with the plan of aligning them more closely with the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators recently released by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Within the out-of-school time field, the Lead Agency's partner, the Utah Afterschool Network, has adopted the National Afterschool Association's Core Knowledge and Competencies (NAA CKCs) for Afterschool and Youth Development Professionals. This document is used to guide technical assistance and professional development in afterschool programs. Additionally, the NAA CKCs are incorporated into the School-Age Career Ladder Endorsement courses. The Lead Agency also produced Career Ladder Instructor Competencies for Utah's Early Childhood and Afterschool Workforce. This document was most recently updated in 2020 and is required reading for all instructors working within Utah's professional development system. Instructors in contracted partner agencies are observed annually using a rubric created from the Instructor Competencies. This observation determines annual professional development goals for each instructor. Through the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council, Utah’s Early Care and Education Coaching Competencies document is being updated. A workgroup is in the early stages of formation, with the goal to update the competencies and come to some statewide consensus around minimum qualifications, roles, and best practices for coaching. The Utah Core State Standards for Early Learning for Ages 3 to 5 were last revised in 2020 and were developed through a committee including representatives from the Lead Agency, Utah State Board of Education, local education agencies, Head Start programs and other state stakeholders. These standards vertically align with the kindergarten Utah Core Standards and inform and guide training and technical assistance for preschool caregivers and educators. In 2007, Utah adopted Minnesota's Early Childhood Indicators of Progress for Infant/Toddler standards to create Utah's Early Learning Guidelines: Birth to Age Three. Utah continues to use this document to guide professional development and training efforts for caregivers and educators working with the birth to age three age group. A workgroup is in the final phases of drafting a new, updated version of these Early Learning Standards for Birth - Three, which is an adapted version of Head Start’s Early Learning Outcomes Framework. We anticipate publication by the end of 2024. ii. Career pathways. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about professional development registries, career ladders, and levels. In 2017, the Lead Agency, in collaboration with the Head Start Collaboration Director, undertook a mapping project that culminated in the development of a Utah Early Childhood Career Pathways document. The document exists in a much simplified and more user-friendly version now, and outlines possible careers in early childhood across a variety of venues, including licensed child care (center and home based), Head Start, public school, higher education, child care resource and referral agencies and state agencies. Additionally, suggested education levels for each career are listed. This information is also found on the OCC website within the professional development pages. In addition, Utah has a 12-level Career Ladder system that supports professional development of youth and early learning professionals. The initial levels of the Career Ladder address the foundational training in multiple subject areas aligned with what is needed to earn a demonstrated competency within the field, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential awarded through the Council for Professional Recognition. The next level captures a professional's attainment of a demonstrated competency credential option. Additional higher levels consist of continued specialized training within the field, which can be earned through clock hours, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or college credits. The highest levels on the Career Ladder are attained through the completion of post- secondary degrees. The Lead Agency plans to discuss the possibility to begin taking steps that align with recommendations made in the Power to the Profession’s Unifying Framework. Impact analyses are currently underway. In partnership with the Utah Afterschool Network, the National Afterschool Association's Core Knowledge and Competencies (NAA CKCs) were used in the development of a School-Age Demonstrated Competency Credential for school- age providers in child care programs. Providers that earn this credential must complete a certain number of training hours in each of the domains listed in the NAA CKCs as well as a self-assessment covering each of these areas. Within our professional development outreach materials, the Lead Agency has included how the Career Ladder levels may align with different positions and roles within programs, organizations, agencies and institutions across the sector. 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 Office of Child Care Advisory Committee meets bi-monthly to receive updates and provide feedback regarding initiatives. The Advisory Committee consists of the following representatives: corporate community, public-at-large, parents receiving a child care subsidy, the Utah Private Child Care Association, the Utah Professional Family Child Care Association, small business, children with disabilities, Utah Afterschool Network, Department of Health and Human Services (Child Care Licensing and the Office of Early Childhood), Care About Childcare (child care resource and referral), Utah State Board of Education, Utah Head Start Association and child care advocates. The meeting is open to the public and is often attended by additional early childhood community members, stakeholders and child care directors. A subcommittee of this group, the Professional Development Subcommittee, meets tri-annually to discuss professional development topics. The Subcommittee's regular attendees include representatives from higher education, Care About Childcare agencies, the Utah Afterschool Network, Child Care Licensing, the Utah Association for the Education of Young Children, a Head Start Program representative, the Head Start Collaboration Office, private child care program directors and a statewide early childhood mental health organization. Additional early childhood community members and independent consultants also attend when schedules allow. Any proposed changes to the framework of the professional development system are discussed in the subcommittee and must also be brought to the Advisory Committee. Proposals to edit or create professional development programs or policies may be presented to the Advisory Committee for feedback. The Advisory Chair evaluates whether a proposal rises to the level of the Advisory Committee for comment. For projects or proposals in need of more attention than a tri-annual meeting, workgroups may be created. The results of workgroups are presented to the Professional Development Subcommittee for discussion. iv. Articulation. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about articulation agreements, and collaborative agreements that support progress in degree acquisition. Since 2018, the Lead Agency has utilized the Early EdU Alliance curriculum to host online college-level courses in a partnership with the Utah Education Network and Southern Utah University as well as other state stakeholders such as the Utah State Board of Education and the Head Start Collaboration Office. An average of two courses are offered each fall and spring semester through this program. After successful completion of an Early EdU course, participants can apply to earn college credits through a partnership with Southern Utah University's Continuing Education department. Institutions of higher education within the state were surveyed regarding which Early EdU courses they would accept and whether the courses would be accepted as major or elective credit. This information has been compiled and provided to students enrolled in the Early EdU online courses. The Lead Agency continues to work with institutes of higher education on better alignment of articulation for these courses. The Lead Agency provides information on our consumer education website regarding Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential articulation agreements for three of the eight public institutions offering early childhood degrees in the state. Additionally, the Lead Agency is included on Utah Systems of Higher Education (USHE) Early Childhood Education emails and takes part in annual meetings regarding course alignment and articulation across institutions. The Lead Agency joins any additional USHE Early Childhood Education meetings regarding alignment of institutions' policies on Early EdU and CDA articulation and awarding credit for other prior learning. The Lead Agency's input and involvement is ongoing as it advocates for clear educational pathways for individuals working toward a post-secondary degree. 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 Utah Registry for Professional Development: Early Childhood and Youth Care Workforce (URPD) collects and shares data on recruitment, retention, demographics, training hours, credentials and degrees earned. The registry is linked to the Child Care Licensing program database, allowing data to be collected through both agencies. The Lead Agency hosts the registry and can pull reports as needed. Additionally, the Lead Agency has utilized research resources within the Department of Workforce Services to obtain wage data. In 2022, The Lead Agency provided a one-time bonus payment of $2,000 to professionals who worked in center and home-based child care programs, afterschool programs and some public preschools and required participation in a survey in order to receive these funds. 10,186 Individuals completed the survey. This resulted in a comprehensive, 52-page report on the working conditions, wages, and motivations of Utah’s child care workforce. This report is currently being used to help guide our decision making efforts, continued funding and marketing and outreach efforts. vi. Financing. For example, Lead Agencies can include information about strategies including scholarships, apprenticeships, wage enhancements, etc. Utah's professional development system is funded through CCDF and TANF funding. TANF funds support professional development for those working with children ages 13 to 18. CCDF funds are allocated to support Care About Childcare community training classes, online training subscriptions, Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential cohorts, demonstrated competency scholarships (including CDA scholarships), professional development incentives, professional development conferences, professional development advising and consultation, Early EdU college credits and TEACH scholarships for 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: The Career Ladder system accepts any Early Childhood training that awards participants Continuing Education Unit (CEUs). This helps providers to participate who prefer to accomplish their training online or through community organizations that offer CEUs without additional approval steps. Utah currently funds a no-cost membership to Quorum eLearning for all early childhood professionals to have access to online, asynchronous training. CEUs are awarded for completion of these online courses. Through Care About Childcare partnering agencies, the Lead Agency offers an online, asynchronous option to earn the CDA Credential through the aforementioned Quorum eLearning platform. Participants are assigned courses to take monthly and meet with their cohort leader to discuss application and implementation. Additionally, the Lead Agency offers online, college credit-bearing courses hosted through the Early EdU program in partnership with the Utah Education Network and Southern Utah University. Participants are selected through an application process and do not have to be formally admitted to a university to participate in the course. The Lead Agency sees Early EdU as a stepping stone to get non- traditional students on a path to a post-secondary degree. At the end of each course, additional information is provided to participants regarding ECE degree programs, educational pathways and opportunities, and the T.E.A.C.H. associate degree scholarship program. The Lead Agency contracts with the Utah Association for the Education of Young Children (UAEYC) to fund T.E.A.C.H. associate degree scholarships for providers employed at a licensed child care center or family child care program. In addition to funding scholarships, UAEYC provides assistance with the enrollment process, counseling services and other resources to assist recipients with completing credit bearing courses as they work toward a post-secondary degree. 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: Representatives from higher education, Child Care Licensing and Care About Childcare agencies (host agencies of most Career Ladder face-to-face courses) participate on the Professional Development Subcommittee and in discussions regarding curriculum and policy changes that impact the professional development framework (Career Ladder). The Lead Agency's professional development team hosts a monthly meeting with the Care About Childcare professional development staff who schedule classes, prepare class materials and recruit, train and oversee local instructors to discuss courses and implementation. In Utah, instructors become Career Ladder approved through a sponsoring agency in collaboration with the Lead Agency and teach courses that have been approved for Career Ladder credit. If an approved instructor would like to teach a class that is not on the Career Ladder approval list, there is a process to apply for approval. Classes are approved through an application and a rubric assessment that determines whether the content aligns with the competencies outlined in the Utah Core Competencies document. Lastly, the Career Ladder accepts all early childhood college credits and CEUs as equivalencies for clock hours. In these ways, the Lead Agency ensures that professional development providers teach courses that are aligned with the Career Ladder framework. 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? Utah has established professional standards and competencies that were developed and are maintained by a variety of agencies, stakeholders and experts in the field. There are standards for various age groups, including preschool-age children and infants and toddlers, as well as competencies for caregivers and instructors. The Utah Core Competencies for Early Care and Youth Education (published in 2008) are in need of a review and revision process. A workgroup, including the Lead Agency and other early childhood partnering agencies and stakeholders, will be established in the future to work toward updating these competencies. During the revision process, the Lead Agency will work to ensure that the updated competencies reflect the diversity of providers across role, child care setting, and age of children served. The Lead Agency will also ensure that data is identified that can assess the impact of these Core Competencies. The Career Ladder Instructor Competencies (published in 2020) are used to outline the minimum qualifications for any instructors of Career Ladder approved synchronous training options. Best practices for facilitating in-person and virtual training are covered. These competencies reflect a diverse workforce and take into consideration the varied landscape of early childhood programs statewide. The impact is assessed through our Course and Instructor Evaluation process, as well as through an annual professional development-centered survey. The Career Ladder Coaching Competencies are currently being updated. A workgroup is in the early stages of formation, with the goal to come to some statewide consensus around minimum qualifications, roles, and best practices for coaching. Not only will these competencies reflect the diversity of the coaches that will be utilizing them, but also of the providers they will be coaching. Part of the revision process will include identifying what data will be collected to assess the impact. The Utah Core State Standards for Early Learning for Ages 3 to 5 (published in 2020) were developed through a committee including representatives from the Lead Agency, Utah State Board of Education, local education agencies, Head Start programs and other state stakeholders. These standards provide a foundation for ensuring learning within Utah’s diverse pre-kindergarten classrooms. The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) regularly updates the standards, while parents, teachers, and local school boards control the curriculum choices that reflect local values. The Utah Core Standards are aligned to scientifically based content standards, and are published in both English and Spanish. Diverse committees of subject matter experts are formed each year to advise USBE in updating each content area, and those changes must be approved by the State Board. Data used to assess the impact include statewide prekindergarten and kindergarten entry and exit assessments. The new Utah Core State Standards for Early Learning for Birth - 3 (to be published in 2024) is an adapted version of the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF.) These standards are aligned with the Utah Core State Standards for Early Learning for Ages 3 to 5 as well as the K-12 Core Standards. This document is being collaboratively developed by multiple sectors in early childhood education including the Lead Agency, the Utah State Board of Education, Head Start, family and private child care and higher education. These standards aim to enhance understanding of child development for families and professionals, assist in designing tailored activities for children and establish a common language for discussing children's growth. Data used to assess the impact include statewide prekindergarten entry assessments. 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? While there is not a wage ladder in place, the Lead Agency has a Career Ladder system that aims to provide a professional career pathway for youth and early learning professionals in all child care settings and across all roles. The initial levels of the Career Ladder address the foundational training in multiple subject areas aligned with what is needed to earn a demonstrated competency within the field, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential awarded through the Council for Professional Recognition. The highest levels on the Career Ladder are attained through the completion of post-secondary degrees. Within our professional development outreach materials, the Lead Agency has included how the Career Ladder levels may align with different positions and roles within programs, organizations, agencies and institutions across the sector. Once professionals have attained a new level on the Career Ladder, they are eligible for a financial award known as the Professional Development Incentive (PDI). The Career Ladder offers flexibility in how to obtain many of the levels. CEUs, college credits and approved clock hours can be used for many of the levels, allowing for flexibility and choice to best meet the needs of a diverse workforce. The demonstrated competency level may be achieved through earning an approved credential, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential, or through a college practicum course or a high school early childhood education certificate. We also distribute a document that outlines possible careers in early childhood across a variety of venues, including licensed child care (center and home based), Head Start, public school, higher education, child care resource and referral agencies and state agencies. This information is also found on the OCC webpages, within the professional development tabs. Data is gathered from the Utah Registry for Professional Development (URPD) to assess the impact that the Career Ladder and financial incentives have. 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 Early Childhood Utah (ECU) Advisory Council has a subcommittee working on workforce development alignment strategies across early care and education settings. The subcommittee is in the early stages of collecting data and baseline information on the workforce and identifying steps to address workforce issues and alignment across settings. The subcommittee and Advisory Council will be reviewing and approving updates and revisions to competencies documents used across early care and education settings to promote alignment and encourage universal use. The Preschool Development Birth - Five grant is held by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), not the Lead Agency. However, DHHS has representation in the ECU Advisory Council and the Office of Child Care Advisory Committee. Additionally, the Office of Child Care Advisory Committee is a public meeting that discusses OCC’s initiatives for youth and early learning professionals. This Advisory Committee holds a Professional Development Subcommittee meeting prior to the larger Committee meeting that focuses on workforce support. 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? Additional funding is offered to child care providers for higher education opportunities through the EarlyEdU online college course program, UAEYC’s TEACH scholarship program and reimbursement scholarships through the Utah Registry for Professional Development. TEACH scholarship recipients may select which degree program at our state institutions of higher education will best meet their needs. Rubrics used to determine acceptance into the TEACH and EarlyEdU programs aim to prioritize underrepresented populations and those that serve a higher percentage of children whose families receive child care subsidies. All of these opportunities promote and improve quality and make the cost of furthering education in the field more affordable and ultimately affect stability and retention within the workforce. Data available to assess the impact includes the participation rates and successful completion rates in TEACH and Early EdU. 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)? In 2022, The Lead Agency provided a one- time bonus payment of $2,000 to professionals who worked in center and home-based child care programs, afterschool programs and some public preschools and required participation in a survey in order to receive these funds. 10,186 Individuals completed the survey. This resulted in a comprehensive, 52-page report on the working conditions, wages, and motivations of Utah’s child care workforce. This report is currently being used to help guide our decision making efforts, continued funding and marketing and outreach efforts. The Lead Agency plans to continue utilizing the data to identify any disparities in the existing compensation and benefits. The CAC agencies and many of the other entities we have approved within our system offer professional development in English and Spanish. CAC courses and other approved courses are offered in multiple formats and options, including in-person, virtual synchronous and virtual asynchronous. This assists the Lead Agency in improving diversity, stability and retention as well as we can reach child care providers with differing schedules and availability in both rural and urban 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? The Lead Agency administers bonuses or stipends directly to workers who successfully complete new levels on the Career Ladder, in the form of a Professional Development Incentive (PDI). The PDI is available to a wide variety of regulated child care programs, regardless of role or age of children served. Additionally, programs receiving a certified High Quality or High Quality Plus rating in the Child Care Quality System are eligible for a monthly Enhanced Subsidy Grant based on the average number of children receiving subsidy that they serve. The grant is meant to assist programs with maintaining the quality in their programs. Programs may choose how the grant funding is used, which could include both staff compensation and benefits to assist with retention of well-qualified staff. Programs participating in the Child Care Quality System (CCQS) are also eligible for funding that supports staff compensation during professional development activities as well as financial awards for each classroom where high quality observation scores are achieved. Data available to assess the impact of these financing efforts include the number of programs receiving an Enhanced Subsidy Grant, the number of classrooms receiving high quality observation scores, the number of Professional Development Cost Sharing awards distributed, and the number of PDI distributed.