Published by CounciLINK on August 23, 2018
High-Quality Infant/Toddler Educators Need Good Training and Public Support to Promote Child Development
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“High-Quality Infant/Toddler Educators Need Good Training and Public Support to Promote Child Development,” a white paper by the Council, sheds light on the gaps between what the 12 million children from birth to age 3 in the United States need for successful development and what education and care are available and accessible.
This white paper, now available in both Spanish and English, examines the learning and social-emotional needs of infants and toddlers and the training requirements and needs of early childhood educators. All infants and toddlers deserve the best opportunities for learning because these are crucial years for cognitive, social and emotional, language, and physical development. The current uneven quality of center- and home-based care and education stem from high costs, too little public-sector support, and the different caliber of preparation of infant/toddler educators.
Professionalizing Early Childhood Education Requires National Standards and Strong Career Pathways
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| English | En español |
High-quality early childhood education starts with the accessibility and availability of training for early childhood educators.
The Council’s white paper, available in Spanish and English, supports the need for national standards and strong career pathways as essential elements in the effort to professionalize the field. Our white paper addresses two foundational requirements:
Results from a recent CDA holders’ survey developed by the Council and The University of Virginia also show the level of impact the CDA has on these early childhood educators’ career pathways, education levels, and continuing education.
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Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
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