• National T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ Professional Development Symposium
• The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood National Technical Assistance & Quality Assurance Center – An Overview
• Center History
• Investment Strategies for the Early Childhood Workforce
• National Advisory Committee
  

National T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Professional Development Symposium

The National T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Professional Development Symposium is held annually in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The symposium provides an opportunity for staff of T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Projects from across the country to gather for two days of training and technical assistance on topics of importance to the day-to-day operations of T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ as well as broader issues relevant to both projects in particular and the professional preparation of the early childhood workforce in general. Each symposium features nationally known keynote speakers who address topics timely to the field. In addition to the workshops and plenary sessions, T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ staff have opportunities to schedule time for individual technical assistance to meet their program or database needs.

Below you will find a PDF statement for download about what we believe about the critical role of the early childhood workforce in the preparation of our young children, what they need to know and be able to do and how we as a nation can support their efforts. This campaign grew out of conversations during the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America convening. Co-chairs of a workgroup on professional development were Jana Fleming, Erikson Institute and Sue Russell, Child Care Services Association (CCSA). This statement has served as a framework for the “I Make a Difference for Young Children” campaign below.

The Critical Role of the Early Childhood Workforce in the Preparation of our Young Children
(78 KB PDF file | Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - Download Now

The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Technical Assistance & Quality Assurance Center – an Overview

Helping ensure accountability and successful outcomes for all T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Projects is part of the work of the national T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Technical Assistance and Quality Assurance Center. The Center is the hub of the wheel that:

• Provides of a team of dedicated experts whose institutional knowledge is foundational to the start-up, sustainability and ongoing success of T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ nationwide.
• Supports quality and accountability and fosters progress and expansion for all T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ Projects.
• Has the ability to tailor programs to meet states’ specific needs and bring them to scale effectively and cost efficiently.

Acting as organizational consultants, the Center:

• Provides technical assistance and support to states to get a T.E.A.C.H. or WAGE$ Project off the ground –The Center provides customized materials, technical assistance and deep experience to successfully and efficiently launch Projects.
• Tailors T.E.A.C.H. or WAGE$ program components to meet states’ specific needs – With a long history and national presence, the Center has experience in a variety of regional, political and educational environments. Center staff provide ready-made and state-specific strategies to help states deal with changing circumstances.
• Helps states avoid costly mistakes – Center staff knows what works, and has the experience to help states avoid serious problems.
• Helps states adapt to changing circumstances – When faced with policy changes the Center can help states identify and build new strategic partnerships and provide data to make the case.
• Helps identify and advocate for new funding opportunities – When a program is ready to expand scholarship and supplement options, the Center can help explore new funding streams.
• Keeps states informed about training and compensation innovations and changes in other T.E.A.C.H. or WAGE$ Projects around the country – States are guaranteed to always have information on innovations and the most up-to-date research from the field.
• Collects, analyzes and reports data on the impact of T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ Projects across the country – The Center provides aggregated data on positive outcomes to inform state and national efforts to sustain and expand projects. This powerful advocacy tool, when used with policymakers, funders and the media, offers proof that T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ work.
• Provides a national face and voice for the early childhood workforce – When a state begins to operate T.E.A.C.H., it becomes part of a national support system with a network of peers to learn from.

Additional Services and Products

• Ongoing, specific and readily available technical assistance to support the daily operation of both scholarship and supplement initiatives.
• Annual training and technical assistance via the National T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Professional Development Institute.
• A multi-faceted, relational database program with extensive capabilities for generating contracts and letters, keeping records and producing reports.
• A quality assurance program based on a 16-competency self-study tool and peer reviewed and validated portfolio development process.
• Fact sheets to help states make the case to funders and policy makers.

The History of the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Technical Assistance and Quality Assurance Center

In July 2000, the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Technical Assistance and Quality Assurance Center (the Center) was created in response to the growth of T.E.A.C.H. and to ensure the development, integrity and expansion of the T.E.A.C.H. Project and other integrated education and compensation initiatives. Center staff provide services and develop products that support the work of existing T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ states; coordinate and support new states operating a T.E.A.C.H. or WAGE$ Project; and conduct outreach activities and provide technical assistance to states that want to develop T.E.A.C.H. and other integrated education and compensation initiatives.

Investment Strategies for Creating a Stable, Well-Educated and Fairly Compensated Early Childhood Workforce

Are you looking for proven strategies to solve the longstanding problems facing the early childhood workforce including:

• Too little education?
• Inadequate pay and benefits?
• Short-term commitments to classrooms and the field?

Many states have found the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® or Child Care WAGE$® Projects are the right solutions for them.

With a proven track record and off-the-shelf models tailored to the individual needs of states, there is no need to re-invent the wheel. These programs may be the right solutions for your state too.

The results for the workforce speak for themselves.

• Higher educational attainment
• Better compensation
• Longer retention

And the results reach far beyond the workforce.

• Increased and flexible coursework options in higher education
• Sustainable policy changes
• New and diverse advocates

Interested in exploring what it takes to bring a T.E.A.C.H. or WAGE$® Project to your state?

The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Technical Assistance and Quality Assurance Center can help you get started now.

"T.E.A.C.H. buys outcomes. If you just throw money at it, you won’t get these outcomes. There is a systemic approach, it is monitored, and there are accountability and national standards."

National T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Professional Development Symposium

The National T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Professional Development Symposium is held annually in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The symposium provides an opportunity for staff of T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Projects from across the country to gather for two days of training and technical assistance on topics of importance to the day-to-day operations of T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ as well as broader issues relevant to both projects in particular and the professional preparation of the early childhood workforce in general. Each institute features nationally known keynote speakers who address topics timely to the field. In addition to the workshops and plenary sessions, T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ staff have opportunities to schedule time for individual technical assistance to meet their program or database needs.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Advisory Committee

The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Advisory Committee is seen as a natural extension of the Center and was formed to advise the Center on broad issues affecting the Center. The Committee is made up of five national leaders in the early childhood field and representatives from five T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® or Child Care WAGE$® Projects.

The charge of the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Advisory Committee is to promote the expansion of T.E.A.C.H. and other integrated education and compensation initiatives as national strategies for improving education and compensation of the early childhood workforce and to guide policy development and promote policies that ensure the integrity of the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Technical Assistance Quality Assurance Center.

• Advise the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Technical Assistance Quality Assurance Center and make recommendations on policies and protocols that support high standards for outcome-based performance for all T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® and Child Care WAGE$® Projects.
• Promote the expansion of the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Project and other integrated education and compensation initiatives.
• Attend meetings and actively participate in the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® National Advisory Committee for a term of three years, with renewal terms allowable.