The professional development movement has a number of goals, one of which is to increase the stability of the early childhood workforce. Turnover is currently high, and continuous change in caregivers interferes with bonding and hinders a child's learning and development. A second goal of the professional development movement is to establish wage compensation for increased training. A third goal is to establish a career ladder that offers upward mobility to early child care workers. Now, formal education is required in addition to the 480 hours of work experience.
Training providers establish the formal requirements.
To be eligible for CDA renewal, candidates must now participate in continuing education in two ways. Second, candidates must take at least one post-secondary class or complete 4.5 continuing education units within five years of their initial certification. The Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition believes that these measures will enhance the quality of professional development and help to ensure that early child care workers have the knowledge base they need to do their jobs effectively. A new handbook on professional development in Head Start, Learning and Growing Together, has just been published by The Center for Career and Early Childhood Professional Development, in partnership with the Head Start Bureau. Together also provides descriptive information on a number of professional development partnerships that have been developed by Head Start programs around the country.