The Early Childhood Personnel Center

The ECPC I grant established a capacity building technical assistance (TA) center that addressed ECI personnel needs through the development of six interrelated subcomponents of an integrated and coordinated CSPD. ECPC I provided intensive TA through a strategic planning process to 12 states to facilitate the development and implementation of integrated EC CSPDs.

The ECPC I also provided targeted TA to Part C and 619 state administrators on subcomponents of the CSPD: the alignment of state and national personnel standards and the development of leadership skills in the areas of collaboration and systems reform for inclusive EC systems for all infants, young children, and their families. Additionally, the ECPC website was created to include a database of all EC personnel standards by discipline and state.

This work of ECPC I also included the revision of the personnel standards of the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC), and the alignment of them with personnel standards from the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the DEC RP. The purpose being to facilitate the alignment of in-service professional development to personnel standards and practices, and, to assist institute’s of higher education faculty to meet EC and ECSE accreditation standards and plan cohesive and evidenced-based courses of study for EC and ECSE teachers.

The requirements for our ECPC II grant continue and expand the work that was initiated and implemented by the ECPC I. With the ECPC II grant, we aim to:

• Achieve increased capacity of State IDEA Part C, Part B, section 619 (619), and other early childhood programs to implement, scale up, and sustain a coordinated comprehensive system of personnel development (CSPD) to ensure local personnel have the competencies to deliver high-quality services and inclusive programs to improve outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families.
• Increase the knowledge, skills, and competencies of State (and territory) IDEA Part C and 619 administrators to lead systemic improvement efforts, actively engage in broader early childhood initiatives, use TA effectively, and build more effective and sustainable State systems that can support a competent early childhood workforce that can improve outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families.
• Increase knowledge, skills, and competencies of early childhood IHE faculty and other professional development (PD) staff to align programs of study to State and national professional organization personnel standards, integrate Division of Early Childhood recommended practices (RP) into programs of study, and utilize adult learning principles.

The Center to Inform Personnel Preparation was a five-year project funded by the Office of Special Education Programs in 2003. The purpose of the Center was to collect, synthesize and analyze information related to (a) certification and licensure requirements for personnel working with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who have special needs and their families, (b) the quality of training programs that prepare these professionals, and (c) the supply and demand of professionals representing all disciplines who provide both ECSE and EI services.