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	Regional Keys (hover mouse over region for contact information) Central Central Regional Key 2138 Lincoln Street Williamsport, PA 17701 Ph: 800-346-3020 Fax: 570-323-7510 John LaRose, Director Northeast Northeast Regional Key 1520 Hanover Avenue Allentown, PA 18109 Ph: 800-528-7222 Fax: 610-437-6500 Raine Neal, Director Northwest Northwest Regional Key 3823 West 12th Street Erie, PA 16505 Ph: 800-860-2281 Fax: 814-836-9615 Darlene Hamilton, Director PA Key Pennsylvania Key 301 Market Street, 8th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17101 Ph: 800-284-6031 Fax: 717-213-0585 Gail Nourse, Director South Central South Central Regional Key 13 West Market Street York, PA 17401 Ph: 800-864-4925 Fax: 717-843-4158 Maureen Murphy, Director Southeast Southeast Regional Key 1500 S. Columbus Blvd, 2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19147 Ph: 877-660-2273 Fax: 215-271-1607 Debra Lawrence, Director Southwest Southwest Regional Key 305 Wood Street Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Ph: 877-349-4850 Fax: 412-255-1178 Nedra Perkins, Director

 

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WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM?

The Pennsylvania Keys to Professional Development System is a comprehensive statewide framework for professionals serving children and families in early childhood and school age settings, including:

• Child Care
• Early Head Start and Head Start
• Early Intervention
• Public School
• Private Academic School
• School Age

This system provides a continuum of professional development opportunities and on-going support to practitioners in order to improve outcomes for children in early childhood and school age programs.  It is a clearly articulated framework that defines pathways which are tied to certification, leading to qualifications and credentials, and addresses the needs of individuals and adult learners.  Elements of the Pennsylvania Keys to Professional Development system include: a core body of knowledge, qualifications and credentials, quality assurances, access and outreach and funding.

INTRODUCTION:

The climate for building an early learning system in Pennsylvania was energized by the inauguration of Governor Edward G. Rendell in January 2003.  As a strong supporter of education reform, including a commitment to early childhood education and care, Governor Rendell has created the impetus for positive change in the early learning field in Pennsylvania.  Governor Rendell’s vision is that every child in the Commonwealth deserves the opportunity to learn and succeed – and that an educated citizenry is our most effective economic development tool.  Decades of research have clearly shown that quality early childhood programs are critical to a child’s later success in school and in life.  National, state and local studies have established linkages between practitioner qualifications, program quality and children’s positive outcomes.  These studies indicate that practitioner education and specialized professional development opportunities are keys to providing quality developmental experiences for children and that children who have benefited from high quality early childhood education programs are more ready to enter school, stay in school,  and succeed in school and in later life

• NEIER December, 2005 Report, focusing on five states (Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia) provides compelling evidence of the value added to children’s development and learning in such areas as vocabulary, mathematics, print awareness and concepts by high quality early childhood programs.
• C.M. Connor et al., “Teacher Qualifications, Classroom Practices, Family Characteristics, and Preschool Experiences”, Journal of School Psychology, 2005. 
• “Better Teachers, Better Preschools: Student Achievement Linked to Teacher Qualifications”, Barnett, W.S , 2004; “Preschool Policy Matters, 2. New Brunswick, N.J., National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University, 2004.
• The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study, November, 2004 also strongly demonstrates the long term economic and social gains in children (now adults) who received high quality early childhood education.
• Burchinal et al, “Caregiver Training and Classroom Quality in Childcare Centers”, Applied developmental Science, 6, 2-11, 2002

The quality of early learning experiences for children determines its educational value.  Working with children requires specialized education and knowledge of how children grow and develop, and skills to communicate effectively with children and families. 

Good teachers are also actively engaged in planning their professional development

GOALS

The goal for building a professional development system is to create a quality improvement system in which all early childhood programs and practitioners are supported and encouraged to improve child outcomes.  The Pennsylvania professional development system aims to strengthen early childhood and school age programs through the development of a well qualified, skilled and diverse workforce.  Program improvements are designed to:

• Strengthen the capacity to support children’s development and learning.
• Increase positive outcomes for all Pennsylvania children in all early childhood and school-age settings.
• Enhance the overall quality of early childhood and school-age programs through education and training of its workforce.
• Establish and implement a professional development system for early childhood and school-age practitioners and providers based on levels of training and education.
• Create, promote and coordinate a clear career pathway for professionals working with children, birth through third grade, in all out-of-home early learning settings.
• Ensure that all early childhood and school-age practitioners and providers are well-prepared to nurture, educate, and meet the needs of children and families.
• Facilitate communication, collaboration and participation among all key stakeholders concerned with early childhood and school-age professional development.
• Develop and implement a statewide system of on-going evaluation and quality assurances.
• Coordinate and maintain a system of information, resources and technical assistance for the early childhood and school-age professionals.
• Enhance public recognition of early childhood and school-age practitioners and providers as professionals.

Professional development for early childhood practitioners is essential to improving the quality of education and care for children and their families.  Quality of staff is a critical criterion for parents in choosing an early childhood program for their children.  The main focus of professional development for early childhood practitioners is to support and educate credentialed individuals to work with children and families. The Pennsylvania Keys to Professional Development System for early childhood professionals comprises five major elements, namely: core professional knowledge, qualifications and credentials, quality assurances, access and outreach and funding.

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