For immediate release — Feb. 16, 2010
(DALLAS) — Thousands of parents go through the motions — and emotions — every day of dressing their toddlers, packing their lunches and leaving their little ones in the care of adults whom they trust at licensed child care facilities. The ritual is automatic. The reality, however, is that high turnover rates and less training for care givers — plus lower capacities in licensed facilities — could mean that children don’t receive the level of care that parents want.
In Texas, that situation can occur more frequently because state licensing standards fall below the national norm — the Child Development Associate credential (the equivalent of 12 college credit hours in child development for anyone who is responsible for a group of children).
A major part of the solution to this dilemma for children, parents and educators is more education for child care providers. Three colleges in the Dallas County Community College District have received a $987,302 grant titled “DCCCD Child Care Quality Initiative” from Workforce Solutions for Dallas County — stimulus funds provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestments Act. Eastfield, Brookhaven and Cedar Valley Colleges are collaborating on the grant, delivering credit and continuing education courses — including tuition and materials — to more than 300 individuals this spring who already are child care providers in Dallas County.
“We are excited about this unique collaboration among our three colleges,” said Nancy Beaver, Eastfield College child development program administrator, who will supervise all grant activities. “We have been working together since last summer to develop this plan to provide a comprehensive child care training initiative that will enhance the qualifications and skills of child care providers throughout Dallas County.”
The grant, which was awarded in October 2009, provides the three colleges with funds to offer credit and continuing education courses at a variety of locations both on and off campus, using multiple methods, including online instruction, webinars and hybrid classes. An internship or co-op is included as part of each specialized series of credit courses, which allows the instructor to provide on-site technical assistance and coaching for each student. Students began enrolling in classes funded by this grant for three fall 2009 credit classes (which started later that semester) and a director’s continuing education orientation meeting last December.
“Receiving this grant and being able to offer either credit or continuing education courses, plus materials, is critical,” added Beaver. “For example ... in Dallas County, the child care situation has worsened over the past five years. Licensed child care capacity has decreased three percent, while the child population has increased two percent. Staff turnover rates are high, complicating the problem, which creates a continuously untrained or undertrained workforce.
“Research has found that child care training without academic credit may produce only modest increases in quality. However, community college classes in child development can increase quality significantly, according to Child Care and Early Education Research Connections,” added Beaver. “That’s why we believe it is so important to provide classes, materials and guidance for child care providers who need more training so that they can provide better care.”
Beaver and her colleagues are focused on providing college credit courses and continuing education classes that will lead to an Associate in Applied Sciences degree in child development; certifications such as the Child Development Associate credential; college skills achievement awards and certificates; and continuing education units.
Course work will address topic areas identified among faculty that meet the staff qualification requirements outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children in their accreditation standards. Eastfield also will partner with the Dallas Association for the Education of Young Children to present a conference that focuses on the 10 NAEYC accreditation standards to help prepare child care program staff members and directors for an NAEYC accreditation self-study.
Eastfield, which received $587,738 from the total grant award, will offer both credit and continuing education courses. Brookhaven, which received $318,335, will schedule credit courses and two continuing education conferences, and Cedar Valley will provide continuing education classes, a conference and webinars from its grant funds of $81,229.
“Child care providers who complete course work at Eastfield or Brookhaven colleges will have an in-depth understanding of the needs of children and how to program daily activities to meet those needs and promote school readiness,” explained Beaver.
Eastfield and Brookhaven also plan to expand infant toddler care by training child care teachers to be prepared to offer quality care and early education for infants and toddlers; and by equipping two new and two expanded infant toddler classrooms in Eastfield’s Laboratory School. The expansion, housed in the college's new Center for Child and Family Studies, will serve 26 additional infants and toddlers over the next two years and become a model in that field.
Students already are enrolled in spring 2010 classes funded by the new grant, and the colleges will continue to recruit child care staff from across the county to enroll in courses and seek credentials so that they can provide the best care possible for youngsters at their centers.
For more information, contact Beaver at (972) 860-7685, Eastfield College; Jane Rowe at (972) 860-4144, Brookhaven College; Jennifer Johnson, (972) 860-7827, Cedar Valley College; or the grant coordinator, Carolyn Madere, at (972) 391-1046, Eastfield College.
Child Care Quality Initiative Fact Sheet
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Press contact: Ann Hatch
214-378-1819;
ahatch@dcccd.edu
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