THREAD: Our new report on the #earlyeducation workforce in Massachusetts has been submitted to the Mass.gov Department of Early Education and Care. umb.edu/news/detail/ne…
2/For this study, we interviewed > 70 experts from across the state to collect information on the strengths, challenges & needs of the #ECE workforce.
3/Key findings from our report will be explored further in a major statewide survey of educators slated to be launched in 2019 (the first comprehensive survey of MA #ECE workforce in 15 yrs)
4/Key findings include: ECE compensation does not match professional credentials & significant portion of the workforce qualify for public assistance benefits. 
5/#Earlyeducators are driven to keep current with the science of the field and use it in the classroom. Despite challenges related to compensation, they are deeply motivated by the importance of caring for and educating young children and the joy they receive from it.
6/We found signs that the field is experiencing a significant shortage of both qualified educators & center directors & some early care programs are not operating at full capacity
7/#ECE educators face increasingly complicated needs in the classroom related to children living with the effects of trauma such as homelessness and parent death
8/Educators want professional development opportunities at the entry, mid-career, and advanced career levels to increase their overall skills and deal more effectively with emerging needs, but there are few available.
9/ Full report here: umb.edu/editor_uploads… FIN
