Strategies to Recognize Early Educators’ Skills and Competencies Gained Through Experience

To increase retention of the ECE workforce, states and institutions of higher education (IHEs) are increasingly formally recognizing the competencies educators gain through experience in the field. This includes awarding college credits (often called “credit for prior learning”), granting state credentials/qualifications, or combining both approaches. This policy highlight describes five strategies states and IHEs are using (often in combination) to recognize educators’ skills and experience, provides practical considerations for implementing these strategies, and outlines where additional research is needed to strengthen policy and practice.