New standards that early childhood teachers must meet in the near future are going to create an opportunity for pre-K educators to stretch their cognitive muscles and tax their stamina to go the distance every day in classrooms across Mississippi.
Currently, all Head Start teachers in Mississippi are evaluated by trained observers using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS).
The observation tool assesses factors directly tied to student learning—including positive and negative classroom climate, teacher sensitivity, language modeling and behavior management. The majority of state-funded pre-kindergarten collaborative programs serving four-year-old children are using this instrument to measure teaching effectiveness and guide professional development efforts for staff.
Higher expectations for teacher performance and supports to assist them are evident in the proposed regulations to implement the federally funded Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014. This legislation sets minimum requirements for states when child care centers use federal funds to serve eligible low-income children. The new regulations, while still in the comment period, clearly address teacher quality and training and overall program quality. Newly employed teachers must undergo pre-service training within a certain time period after being hired to remain a permanent employee in addition to meeting state licensing requirements. In addition, funding to states to provide quality improvements will be increased and state plans must reflect allowed expenditures.
Title I funded pre-K classrooms in Mississippi are now monitored by the Mississippi Department of Education using the state pre-K program guidelines. The guidelines are very specific on how instruction is to be provided and provide guidance in setting the daily schedule for learning activities. Pre-K teacher requirements are changing and more early childhood classwork will be required of teachers without an early childhood teaching license or state approved certification by 2018.
Research clearly identifies the importance of highly trained teachers as a critical factors in young children’s success in learning the skills necessary for school success. Given state requirements on students reading proficiently by the end of third grade, as measured by a state test or being retained, the level of the quality of teaching for young children in pre-K programs is being examined.
Clearly, for highly effective teachers to enter, and be retained in, the early childhood workforce, they must be adequately compensated. The age-old challenge for licensed child care is how to address paying competitive salaries while “keeping the lights on.” Training is currently offered by the Early Years Network to inform owners of business practices that will help save money and result in a more stable finances. The individual consultation is part of the overall professional development system provided in the state.
Educators of early childhood teachers must also be included in the professional development system for an improved pre-K teaching staff across the state and age spans. More attention is needed on the development of learning communities among the ranks of community college and university faculty to update existing knowledge. As faculty become more informed on new research and best practices, teacher candidates will also become better prepared. New teachers will also be more likely to successfully address the challenges of teaching children in today’s world.