Head Start Joins Allies in Giving Power to the Profession

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Head Start Association (NHSA) joined more than a dozen leading national organizations today in releasing a first-of-its-kind framework defining standards, qualifications, roles, supports, and compensation for members of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) profession. NHSA represented the Head Start community on the Power to the Profession task force that developed this Unifying Framework for the Early Childhood Education Profession.

“We are proud of the work that Power to the Profession has undertaken to unify the diverse early childhood field into a clear and consistent professional pathway,” NHSA Executive Director Yasmina Vinci said. “Throughout this process, we have been mindful of the unique aspects and strengths of the existing workforce and are hopeful that the framework will serve as a bridge from the present to the future, empowering the current workforce, shaping tomorrow’s workforce, and ensuring quality early learning experiences for all children.”

A large focus of the task force’s work was on ways to move the profession toward higher compensation, as nearly half of early childhood educators live in families that currently depend on public assistance. Through the framework, the ECE profession establishes recommendations for policymakers that would set in motion increased compensation that reflects the value, importance, and return on investment generated by early childhood educators’ highly skilled work.