Supporting a Diverse, Qualified Early Educator Workforce: Aligning Policy with Research and Realities

This blog post by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) shows that despite a growing recognition that more consistent qualifications are needed for early educators, states still have varying and low requirements for the early care and education (ECE) workforce when compared to K-12 educators. The low minimum qualifications for early educators perpetuates the false notion that teaching in early education requires fewer skills than teaching older children, and as a result, early educators are paid lower wages despite many being highly educated. Readers will walk away with an understanding of the need for higher minimum qualifications for early educators and recommendations to support higher education among the ECE workforce.