Learning Together: A Study of Six B.A. Completion Cohort Programs in Early Care and Education. Year 2 Report. Research Report
Author: Whitebook, Marcy
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Organizational Change,Program Development,Adult Students,Bachelors Degrees,Caregiver Training,Child Care,Child Caregivers,Cultural Pluralism,Educational Opportunities,Grouping (Instructional Purposes),Higher Education,Interviews,Nontraditional Education,Nontraditional Students,Program Descriptions,Program Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Student Diversity,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Education Programs,Teacher Education,Feedback (Response)

Interest in expanding access to higher education has been driven by concerns about ethnic and linguistic stratification within the early childhood workforce, and building a pipeline for diversifying the early care and education (ECE) field's leadership. &quot;Cohort&quot; B.A. completion programs, which target small groups of adults working in ECE to pursue a course of study together and receive a variety of support services including classes scheduled at convenient times and locations, have emerged across California in recent years. This study focuses on six programs in Alameda, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Santa Clara Counties operating at Antioch University, California State University-East Bay, Mills College, San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, and the University of La Verne. To demonstrate the outcomes of these efforts, and to inform further policy and program development, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) is conducting a five-year study of all six student cohorts, as well as periodic examinations of institutional change at selected colleges and universities. The Year 1 study found that cohort students participating in the study demonstrated a strong commitment to the early care and education field. Most were women and among the first generation in their families to attend college. Most were also Latino or other people of color. Nearly one-half identified their primary language spoken at home as being other than English--most often Spanish. In Year 2, from both students and faculty, the study team heard a resoundingly positive message about the success of these programs. There was also a striking congruence between the students and institutional perspectives on aspects of these programs that were working well and on the adjustments or improvements that were still needed. In addition to confirming previous research findings about higher education cohort programs for &quot;non-traditional&quot; students, this study is also identifying important issues to consider in future planning of such programs in the ECE field, and in further investigations of this particular student population. For example, students reported that support and encouragement from family members were critical to their ability to juggle the demands of family, work and school--an important advising and counseling issue for institutions to consider when assessing students' readiness to succeed in B.A. completion programs. The authors also learned that students need substantial support, flexibility, and buy-in from their ECE employers. (Contains 6 tables and 11 figures.) [Support for this publication was provided by First 5 Alameda County--Every Child Counts, First 5 San Francisco, First 5 Santa Barbara County, and WestEd's E3 Institute (Advancing Excellence in Early Education). For the Year 1 Report, see ED505291.]