View in EDS

Preparing Early Childhood Teachers: Credentialing and Preparation Programs in Four States

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Preparing Early Childhood Teachers: Credentialing and Preparation Programs in Four States
Language: English
Authors: Abby Schachner, Victoria Wang, Cathy Yun, Sara Plasencia, Chris Mauerman, Cordy McJunkins, Deborah Stipek, Learning Policy Institute
Source: Learning Policy Institute. 2025.
Availability: Learning Policy Institute. 1530 Page Mill Road Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA 94304. Tel: 650-332-9797; e-mail: info@learningpolicyinstitute.org; Web site: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 128
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Ballmer Group
Heising-Simons Foundation
Kelson Foundation
Intended Audience: Policymakers; Practitioners
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Elementary Education
Kindergarten
Primary Education
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Early Childhood Teachers, Teacher Education Programs, Educational Quality, Preschool Education, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Credentials, Decision Making, Program Design, Educational Policy, State Policy, Educational Strategies, Access to Education, Teacher Effectiveness, Higher Education
Geographic Terms: Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, United States
Abstract: Almost every state in the United States has invested in expanding publicly funded preschool and developing early childhood teaching credentials to ensure a high-quality preschool workforce. Research indicates that early childhood educators' formal preparation and skills in early child development are particularly important in successful public preschool programs. Teachers of young children need a wide range of knowledge and skills that prepare them to support children's physical, social-emotional, and academic development. States need to ensure that teacher credentialing programs offer opportunities for candidates to gain these skills, and credentialing programs need to support the development of these skills through coursework and clinical experiences. Through a national scan, the authors found that 46 states (including the District of Columbia) offer a stand-alone credential that certifies teachers for early childhood grades; however, there are considerable differences in requirements. Many early childhood educator candidates face barriers to obtaining a teaching credential, including the high cost of tuition, a lack of time, and the difficulty of navigating higher education systems. These obstacles also pose challenges for preparation programs striving to recruit and retain diverse credential candidates. This report provides policymakers and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of the national landscape of early childhood teaching credentialing, identifies the key decisions states and preparation programs face when developing or revising early education credentials, and highlights common strategies that can strengthen early childhood teacher preparation programs.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678902
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED678902
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED678902
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Preparing Early Childhood Teachers: Credentialing and Preparation Programs in Four States
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abby+Schachner%22">Abby Schachner</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Victoria+Wang%22">Victoria Wang</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cathy+Yun%22">Cathy Yun</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sara+Plasencia%22">Sara Plasencia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chris+Mauerman%22">Chris Mauerman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cordy+McJunkins%22">Cordy McJunkins</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Deborah+Stipek%22">Deborah Stipek</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Learning+Policy+Institute%22">Learning Policy Institute</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Learning+Policy+Institute%22"><i>Learning Policy Institute</i></searchLink>. 2025.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Learning Policy Institute. 1530 Page Mill Road Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA 94304. Tel: 650-332-9797; e-mail: info@learningpolicyinstitute.org; Web site: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 128
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: Ballmer Group<br />Heising-Simons Foundation<br />Kelson Foundation
– Name: Audience
  Label: Intended Audience
  Group: Audnce
  Data: Policymakers; Practitioners
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+1%22">Grade 1</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+2%22">Grade 2</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+3%22">Grade 3</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Teachers%22">Early Childhood Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Education+Programs%22">Teacher Education Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Quality%22">Educational Quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+1%22">Grade 1</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+2%22">Grade 2</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+3%22">Grade 3</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Credentials%22">Credentials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Decision+Making%22">Decision Making</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Design%22">Program Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Policy%22">Educational Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22State+Policy%22">State Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Strategies%22">Educational Strategies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Education%22">Access to Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Effectiveness%22">Teacher Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Louisiana%22">Louisiana</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Massachusetts%22">Massachusetts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+Jersey%22">New Jersey</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+York%22">New York</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Almost every state in the United States has invested in expanding publicly funded preschool and developing early childhood teaching credentials to ensure a high-quality preschool workforce. Research indicates that early childhood educators' formal preparation and skills in early child development are particularly important in successful public preschool programs. Teachers of young children need a wide range of knowledge and skills that prepare them to support children's physical, social-emotional, and academic development. States need to ensure that teacher credentialing programs offer opportunities for candidates to gain these skills, and credentialing programs need to support the development of these skills through coursework and clinical experiences. Through a national scan, the authors found that 46 states (including the District of Columbia) offer a stand-alone credential that certifies teachers for early childhood grades; however, there are considerable differences in requirements. Many early childhood educator candidates face barriers to obtaining a teaching credential, including the high cost of tuition, a lack of time, and the difficulty of navigating higher education systems. These obstacles also pose challenges for preparation programs striving to recruit and retain diverse credential candidates. This report provides policymakers and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of the national landscape of early childhood teaching credentialing, identifies the key decisions states and preparation programs face when developing or revising early education credentials, and highlights common strategies that can strengthen early childhood teacher preparation programs.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: ERIC
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED678902
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678902
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 128
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Education Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kindergarten
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 1
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 2
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 3
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Credentials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Decision Making
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Design
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Strategies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Access to Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Louisiana
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Massachusetts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: New Jersey
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: New York
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United States
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Preparing Early Childhood Teachers: Credentialing and Preparation Programs in Four States
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Learning Policy Institute
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Abby Schachner
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Victoria Wang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cathy Yun
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sara Plasencia
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Chris Mauerman
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cordy McJunkins
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Deborah Stipek
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Learning Policy Institute
              Type: main
ResultId 1