Teaching the Teachers of Our Youngest Children: The State of Early Childhood Higher Education in Indiana, 2015
Author: Kipnis, Fran
Date: 2015-09-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Teacher Education Programs,Teacher Competencies,Alignment (Education),Student Teaching,Teacher Educators,Teacher Surveys,Administrator Surveys,Academic Degrees,Educational Change,Educational Objectives,Practicums,Faculty Development,Academic Support Services,Student Personnel Services,Barriers,Family Involvement,Mathematics Instruction,Kindergarten,Preschool Teachers,Transitional Programs

Midway through the second decade of this century, the importance of early care and education (ECE) to children's lifelong learning and to our nation's economic well-being is recognized up to the highest levels of government, and in businesses, schools, and living rooms across the country. This understanding represents a dramatic shift from earlier decades, and carries with it heightened expectations for what teachers of young children should know and be able to do, particularly in light of mounting evidence about inadequate and unequal educational quality for many children, particularly those of color and those living in low-income families. In recent years, Indiana, like many states, has committed public and private resources toward multiple efforts to improve educational services and to ensure that teacher education degree and certification programs can better prepare their graduates to meet the complex needs of young children of all ages. Yet, there remains a demand for close to 15,000 new early childhood professionals to provide quality care and education to Indiana's most at-risk children. This report examines the status of early childhood higher education offerings in Indiana, in order to allow policy makers, institutions of higher education, and other stakeholders to assess the capacity of the state's higher education system and inform policy, practice, and investment. To undertake this assessment, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) implemented the &quot;Early Childhood Higher Education Inventory.&quot; This report examines the extent to which Indiana ECE higher education programs: (1) offer the knowledge, skills, and experiences associated with effective teaching practice and program leadership; (2) have a faculty workforce prepared to provide early childhood practitioners with the necessary knowledge and skills associated with effective teaching practice and program leadership; and (3) have the resources to support student and faculty success. The report explores the extent to which Indiana ECE higher education programs have incorporated recent findings related to: (1) the importance of promoting early mathematical understanding; and (2) engaging families to support young children's optimal development, learning, and school success. [This report was commissioned by the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children, Inc. For the highlights to this report, &quot;Teaching the Teachers of Our Youngest Children: The State of Early Childhood Higher Education in Indiana, 2015. Highlights,&quot; see ED574297. For the technical report, &quot;The State of Early Childhood Higher Education in Indiana. Technical Report,&quot; see ED574298.]