Early Childhood Career Pathways

ACF is pleased to announce a new Policy Statement on Early Childhood Career Pathways as part of our focus on elevating the early childhood workforce in policy and practice.

• A strong body of research ties the knowledge, competencies, stability, diversity, and retention of teachers and program directors directly to the quality of children's development and learning in out of home programs.
• Career pathways create a sequence of stackable, portable credentials that reflect the sophisticated science of working with young children, combined with the supports educators need to advance their individual career progression on that pathway.
• Career pathways operate on two levels: a systems approach for the workforce at large and an individual approach for each professional seeking advancement.

This policy paper focuses on teachers and program directors, with state and local recommendations.

Read the policy statement

Brief Series on the Early Childhood Workforce: Pathways to Progress

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council’s (NRC) 2015 report, Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth to Eight, offers recommendations for building a high quality early childhood workforce with the knowledge, competencies, education, and support to promote children’s development and learning. This series of briefs summarizes the findings in the report to inform early childhood programs, states, higher education, and other interested stakeholders to strengthen the support they offer the early childhood workforce.

1. Introduction
2. Science of Child Development
3. Ongoing Professional Learning
4. Workforce Knowledge
5. Workforce Development Higher Ed

See Webinar Slides — Early Childhood Career Pathways Policy Statement: What Does This Mean for State and Local Programs