Survey of Early Childhood Faculty at Minnesota's Institutes of Higher Education

Abstract

Teachers are the most important component of a high-quality early care and education experience for our youngest children. Minnesota’s Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) play a critical role in preparing early educators to be able to deliver high-quality early care and education. If we are to truly transform Minnesota’s early childhood workforce, we need to transform Minnesota’s early education preparation programs as well. Not doing so is a massive disservice not only to the field but also to the children, families, and communities across the state. Higher education needs to be accessible, affordable, and tailored to meet the diverse needs of Minnesota’s early childhood educators - many of whom are working full-time, taking care of their own children, low-income, first-generation college students, and speaking languages in addition to English.