EARLY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS: AN EXAMINATION OF CAREGIVERS' KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT AND NEEDS

University Of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro NC

Investigators

Abstract

This research study examines the amount and types of professional development North Carolina caregivers have received, and whether their participation varies by sector. Furthermore, the study explores caregivers' knowledge of The North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development (Foundations), as well as their use of standards in their work with families and children, including children with disabilities and dual language learners (DLL). These topics will be further explored to examine whether caregivers' knowledge and use of Foundations vary by the type and amount of professional development they receive. Additionally, the study will identify caregivers' self-reported barriers or challenges to using Foundations as well as supports they believe will help them to use standards more effectively. Using a community engaged research approach, this descriptive study will use mixed methods design to explore these topics using survey data collected from 150 caregivers and interview data collected from nine caregivers who have engaged in different forms of Foundations professional development within the last year. Data generated from this study can be used to inform CCDF Administrators as they plan for Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) implementation as well as make decisions about requirements and resources to support ELDS implementation.