Early Childhood Education Workforce Development Position Statement

The national and state-wide focus on the importance of the first five years of life has led to an increasing emphasis on early childhood programs as a key element in preparing children for success in school and in our increasingly complex society. This emphasis is dependent on the often unspoken assumption that the early childhood program environment is high quality, with excellent ratios, clear outcomes and, most importantly, skilled and knowledgeable staff. Unfortunately, the issue of staff preparedness, workforce development, has not received the same focus of attention (other than the call for a B.A. degree) as has the call for more programs to serve more children.

This document is designed to look at the issues within the early childhood workforce and make recommendations for Santa Cruz County to meet the challenge of providing quality programs for infants to five year olds in our community. We begin with statements reflecting the challenges facing the workforce and the community, and then present a series of recommendations.