Resources- Equity & Excellence + A Call to Action

While I did not receive a NAEYC newsletter, I did receive a newsletter I have never noticed in my email, it is for Maryland Family Network. It is an organization of Maryland that partners with families, communities and child care providers to provide programs and services, trainings and resources, as well as advocate for public policy. Most notably, I see that they operate 25 Family Support Centers in areas with high poverty. The centers offer home visiting, parent education, health education, infant/toddler care, and other beneficial services. Overall Maryland Family Network’s main purpose seems to be to help those with children understand that “the first five years last forever.” As a resident, child care provider and advocate within Maryland I was pleased to look more closely at an organization I had generally ignored previously. The organization offers resources and trainings to encourage quality care, as well as supports programs such as Early Head Start with a focus on reaching equity.

While browsing the Resources on the NAEYC site, I found an article written by two of The Perry Preschool teachers (Derman-Sparks & Moore, 2016). It is a fascinating account from a perspective previously unshared; and if the amazing Perry Preschool study has ever piqued your interest you should certainly read it. I have shared the link in the resources below. The article referenced a Part 2 to the story shared in a later issue of the journal, so I went looking for that link to share as well.

On a page within the NAEYC site, I found an overview of an initiative called Power to the Profession. The initiative intends to “establish a shared framework of career pathways, knowledge and competencies, qualifications, standards, and compensation that unifies the entire profession, which will lead to a comprehensive policy and financing strategy for their systemic adoption and implementation.” (NAEYC, n.d.) As spark for the initiative, the site referenced a 2015 report titled Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation, by The Institute of Medicine and National Research Council (Allen & Kelly, 2015). The report is said to have “highlighted the urgent and important need for a collective effort to address the fragmented early childhood workforce.” (NAEYC, n.d.) As this sounded very important and interesting in regard to our studies, I went in search of the report through Walden’s library. It is a huge report, very thorough. I managed only to skim the report, and download several sections of interest to me for future reading, particularly the “Blue Print for Action” section. The work of the NAEYC and the detailed suggestions within the report are all aimed at the common goal of establishing equity and excellence.

References:

Allen, L. & Kelly, B. (2015). Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation. The Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. Retrieved from: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/waldenu/reader.action?docID=3439877&query=

Derman-Sparks, L. & Moore, E. (2016). Two Teachers Look Back- The Ypsilanti Perry Preschool, Part I. Young Children. 82-87. Retrieved from: https://www.naeyc.org/system/files/Ypsilanti%20Perry%20Preschool%20Part%201.pdf

Part II - https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2016/ypsilanti-perry-part-2

NAEYC. (n.d.) Power to the Profession Overview. Retrieved from: https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/initiatives/profession/overview