Early Childhood Education

The Success of Early Childhood Education Programs

Last Updated Oct 5, 2008 01:23 AM

N.C. Americorps programs enable Pre-K teachers to earn degrees and improve quality of child care

Pre-kindergarten education is a proven strategy for preparing our children for school and increasing their academic achievement in the future. The success of early childhood education programs hinges on our ability to attract and retain motivated and qualified teachers to public and private child care centers across the state.

The challenge is that today, less than 50 percent of the nation’s early childhood work force has earned bachelor’s degree, and even fewer posses a degree in early childhood education. Many of the teachers are women balancing a full-time job and family responsibilities without time to attend classes. The turnover rate among child care teachers is high and the compensation, especially for teachers without degrees, is low.

The North Carolina AmeriCorps programs are working to change this. Two programs, T.E.A.C.H. Corps and AmeriCorps and Children Together, are working to increase the number of early childhood teachers with degrees and improve the quality of education in the state’s pre-k classrooms. The programs received a total of $471,195 in AmeriCorps grants this year. The federal funds, administered by the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, were used to place the AmeriCorps members in child care centers where many serve more than 40 hours a week for 10 months.

Last semester, 28 members working in 25 childcare centers in eight counties provided teachers with educational release time so they could attend classes at local community colleges and universities during the workday. Because of this, 174 teachers earned 239 credit hours toward degrees in early childhood education.

More than 1,600 children received consistent, top quality care from AmeriCorps members while these teachers attended classes. Members also increased the adult/child ratio in the classrooms, led and participated in the daily curriculum, attended field trips and created and implemented literacy projects.

Their service extended into the community as they encouraged parental involvement, recruited volunteers, organized and participated in service projects and assisted community nonprofits outside of the child care centers.

In exchange for their hard work and dedication, members receive monthly stipends and educational awards from AmeriCorps to repay student loans, or pay for college, graduate school or vocational training.

By improving the quality of child care in the state, T.E.A.C.H. Corps and AmeriCorps and Children Together are working to ensure that our teachers are prepared for the challenges ahead. Thanks to these programs, qualified and experienced early childhood teachers are sure to help guide our children and our state to a bright economic future. Governor Mike Easley

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