Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and education of young children bear a great responsibility for these children’s health, development, and learning.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC) were commissioned to explore the implications of the science of child development for the professionals who work with children birth through age 8.

In the resulting report, Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation, the committee finds that much is known about what professionals who pro­vide care and education for children need to know and be able to do and what professional learning supports they need. However, that knowledge is not fully reflected in the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government and other funders who support and oversee these systems.

The report offers recommendations to build a workforce that is unified by the foundation of the science of child development and early learning and the shared knowledge and competencies that are needed to provide consistent, high-quality support for the development and early learning of children from birth through age 8.

Full Report: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=19401&page=R1

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Early Edge Montana http://earlyedge.mt.gov/

Montana is currently one of eight states without a publicly funded pre-kindergarten option for four year-olds.

Studies have shown the benefits that high-quality, early childhood education has on student success. Children who take part in high-quality early childhood education programs are:

More likely to read at grade level,

Less likely to repeat a grade or require special education,

More likely to earn a high school diploma,

Less likely to become teenage parents, require public assistance, abuse drugs, or end up in jail.

In addition, these programs have been shown to help ensure that every child enters kindergarten ready to learn with appropriate social and behavioral habits that will allow teachers to focus on teaching rather than managing distractions.

High-quality early childhood education programs have shown a significant economic impact as well. On average, for every dollar spent on these programs, communities see a $7-$9 return on investment through savings and increased economic activity.

http://earlyedge.mt.gov/