Training and Retaining Early Care and Education Staff Training Projects
Summary
According to accumulating evidence, children benefit when they are served by stable and highly trained center-based staff and caregivers. But we have much to learn about how community colleges and local training organizations can recruit a more diverse early care and education (ECE) staff, provide training in a cost-effective manner, and facilitate job placement.
Responding to the unequal distribution of childcare supply across the state and a need for well-trained caregivers, First 5 California approved an initiative to train ECE staff using different project models. The initiative aims to increase the number of individuals entering and remaining in the workforce by developing or expanding preservice or inservice training opportunities. The geographic focus is on regions with a scarcity of childcare supply. Another important goal of this program is to increase the number of ECE staff working with infants and children with disabilities and other special needs.
PACE developed a request for proposals process, and in January 2001 distributed $4.8 million of First 5 California funds to six training projects representing various program designs, geographic locations, and target populations. The six demonstration projects selected for study are
- The Chicano Federation
- Inland Empire CONNECTIONS Project
- Early Childhood Job Training Project (ECJTP)
- Enhanced Mentor Program (EMP)
- Nevada County Educator Support Program (Nevada ESP)
- San Mateo Career Development Program (San Mateo CDP)
Although all of the projects offer training in community colleges, several also provide additional trainings on a shorter-term or one-time basis.