Chapter 10: The Role of Educator Preparation Programs in the Education of Young Children

The changing landscape of the American workforce throughout the years, particularly the increase of mothers working outside of the home, has had impacts on education for young children (Laughlin, 2013; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Education, 2016). With more parents working, demands for high quality early childhood care and education for children from birth to 5 years old is increasing. Laughlin (2013) recounted the Census Bureau that noted that approximately 61% of children under Age 5 spent regular time in some type of childcare. On average, these children spent approximately 33 hours per week in childcare. Enrollment in state-funded preschool has also risen over the years, with approximately 1.5 million children attending a state-funded program (Barnett et al., 2017). Parents want assurances that their young children are not only being taken care of in a safe and nurturing environment, but they also want their children to attend high quality childcare and education programs that promote their children’s development and learning (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). This has led to an increased focus on the status of early childhood care and education programs.