There has been a movement in recent years to beef up the credentials of early childhood teachers. New Jersey has been at the forefront, requiring bachelor’s degrees for preschool teachers who work in its poorest districts, and the federal Head Start administration is currently increasing its higher education requirements for teachers.
But do a teacher’s college credits really matter when it comes to outcomes for children? I discussed this question in a recent discussion led by Rae Pica with Valora Washington, president of Community Advocates for Young Learners, and Marcy Whitebrook, director at the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, on Bam! Radio.
“It’s not the right question,” said Whitebrook. “That education needs to be really early childhood specific to make a difference.”
So what does that mean for policy? To hear the whole discussion, click here.
