Policy Briefs and Reports
Explore our policy briefs and reports about early child care and learning.
To view research studies conducted by the New York City Early Childhood Research Network, visit the Research Network website.
For insights into data collected by the Aspire Registry, explore New York Works for Children’s data stories.
Featured publications
Parity Compensation for New York's Early Childhood Educators: Recognition and Respect for a Vital Profession
Along with many states and cities making strides toward higher compensation for early childhood educators, New York State has an opportunity to invest in reforms that address pay disparities and systemic inequities for its early childhood education workforce. In this report, we explore efforts to improve compensation and benefits for early childhood educators.
Policy briefs
QUALITYstarsNY's Expansion Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
New York State allocated an unprecedented $35 million funds to QUALITYstarsNY from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This three-year investment has allowed QUALITYstarsNY to double its participation and build its capacity and infrastructure for future growth.
Investing in New York's Future: Early Childhood Career Development Centers
The Early Childhood Career Development Centers play a vital role across the state in empowering both working early childhood professionals and prospective educators to explore, develop and pursue their academic and career plans.
New York Early Care and Education Survey: Impact of COVID-19
To understand the impact of COVID-19 on New York’s early childhood workforce, the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute and Bank Street College of Education partnered to administer a survey to members of the Aspire Registry. We examined the perspectives of early childhood program leaders, teachers, and family child care providers about their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic to inform policy and practice.
Who Will Care for the Early Care and Education Workforce?
This follow-up brief examines issues and opportunities related to educators' emotional well-being identified in our COVID-19 impact survey.
Coaching: An Essential Innovation in Early Childhood Education
Coaching – individualized professional development grounded in the daily practice of the early childhood classroom – is one of the most effective strategies to equip our workforce for success (Kraft, Blazar, & Hogan, 2018). In this brief, we discuss:
- why we should expand access to coaching,
- what makes coaching effective in a birth-to-five context, and
- what steps New York State has taken to create a coaching infrastructure.
Building the pipeline for a successful early childhood workforce
Our policy agenda addresses key components for strengthening the early childhood workforce in New York.
Recruitment
Our recommendations for strengthening recruitment in the early childhood workforce include creating a greater understanding of the value of early childhood education, making early childhood careers more viable and attractive, and encouraging a culturally competent workforce.
Read the briefInduction
To develop a comprehensive approach to induction that will enhance the early childhood workforce, we recommend addressing early childhood educators’ need for guidance as they apply developmentally appropriate practice in action, continue their professional growth, and solidify their commitment to the field.
Read the briefTeacher Preparation
We identify recommendations for raising the caliber of early childhood teacher preparation and how to provide early childhood educators with the coursework, field experiences, and institutional supports to thrive when they enter the classroom.
Read the briefPolicy brief archive
| Title | Year | Actions |
|---|---|---|
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Raising the Bar of Quality in the Preparation of Early Childhood Educators
A discussion of the final recommendations of the 2016 CUNY Early Childhood Working Group.
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2016 | Download |
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Improving the Quality of Early Childhood Education Through System-Building
This brief examines the elements and current status of quality in early childhood programs; provides a scan of quality initiatives across the country and in New York State; and highlights the origins, progress, and promise of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems.
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2009 | Download |
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An Early Childhood Workforce for the 21st Century
This brief examines the relationship of professional development to quality; the current status of professional development across the nation; and the landscape of professional development for New York City's early childhood educators.
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2008 | Download |
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Are They Prepared? Raising the Bar for New York City's Early Childhood Workforce
This brief examines the relationship of teacher qualifications to quality; the current status of the national early childhood workforce; and how New York City's early childhood practitioners are doing, as measured by their levels of education, specialization in early childhood, and certification.
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2008 | Download |
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Compensation and Retention: Challenges for New York City's Early Childhood Workforce
This brief examines the relationship of teacher wages and retention to quality and how New York City's early childhood workforce fares in the key areas of compensation and turnover.
|
2007 | Download |
Raising the Bar of Quality in the Preparation of Early Childhood Educators
A discussion of the final recommendations of the 2016 CUNY Early Childhood Working Group.
Improving the Quality of Early Childhood Education Through System-Building
This brief examines the elements and current status of quality in early childhood programs; provides a scan of quality initiatives across the country and in New York State; and highlights the origins, progress, and promise of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems.
An Early Childhood Workforce for the 21st Century
This brief examines the relationship of professional development to quality; the current status of professional development across the nation; and the landscape of professional development for New York City's early childhood educators.
Are They Prepared? Raising the Bar for New York City's Early Childhood Workforce
This brief examines the relationship of teacher qualifications to quality; the current status of the national early childhood workforce; and how New York City's early childhood practitioners are doing, as measured by their levels of education, specialization in early childhood, and certification.
Compensation and Retention: Challenges for New York City's Early Childhood Workforce
This brief examines the relationship of teacher wages and retention to quality and how New York City's early childhood workforce fares in the key areas of compensation and turnover.