Carolyn T. Cobb on North Carolina’s “More at Four” initiative

North Carolina’s statewide preK program for at-risk four-year-olds started mid-year in 2001-02, serving slightly over 1200 children. The More at Four (MAF) Pre-K Program has grown to approximately 15,500 children and over $66 million for 2005-06.

This rapid expansion requires that some of our high standards be phased in. One key standard is the requirement for classrooms to have a teacher with a Birth-Kindergarten (or Preschool Add-On) License within four years. Time extensions are possible if progress is demonstrated. This teacher licensing standard applies for community settings and Head Start, as well as public schools. Our guidelines also specify that, once teachers reach the same credentials as required in public schools, they should be paid comparable salaries and benefits.

The state of teacher degree and salary for child care has been well documented by Herzenberg, et. al. ("Degrees of Improvement"). North Carolina faces similar challenges, although a statewide workforce study conducted in 2001 and again in 2003 (Child Care Services Association and FPG Child Development Institute) showed some gains in teacher credentials in child care and salary. These improvements are likely due to the emphasis on a star-rated license system (that includes staff credentials as one component) implemented in 1999 that includes tiered subsidy reimbursements, as well as quality improvement initiatives by the public-private venture Smart Start. In addition, the standards set by MAF have influenced both star ratings of centers in many counties and teacher pay for preK classes. Even so, progress is incremental.

Based on the data collected since the MAF Program inception, between 80 and 84 percent of lead teachers in the MAF classrooms have held a BA degree or higher each year. Because of the rapid expansion and need for teachers, quite a few lead teachers have started with a two-year degree and are working toward the MAF standard. However, the percentage of lead teachers attaining the B-K/Preschool Add-On credential has grown from 28.6 percent in 2002-03 to 51.5 percent in 2005-06. That does not reflect some teachers in public schools who report a provisional license.

Supports for Teacher Credentials

In an effort to facilitate obtaining the B-K license, the MAF Program has established several support strategies. We provide approximately one million dollars annually specifically for MAF teachers to the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps Program (T.E.A.C.H.) run by the Child Care Services Association for various scholarship assistance programs, as well as health insurance support. TEACH provides partial funding for tuition, books and travel, with commitments by the provider for release time and bonuses or pay raises upon completion of requirements. For 2004-05, 277 teachers participated in one of the scholarship programs, and 158 semester stipends were awarded for collage students pursuing an early childhood degree and agreeing to work in a MAF classroom (or other classroom for at-risk children).

These resources are critical in maintaining progress toward higher teacher standards and pay. Still, we are facing the challenge of being able to support salary and benefit levels comparable to public school teachers. MAF funding is estimated to be about half the cost of a high quality preK classroom, and providers – especially private child care – are finding it difficult to meet those salary and benefit requirements. Other resources are becoming harder to access or there are other demands for their use (e.g., Title I in public schools or subsidy in child care). More state dollars will be required to maintain this high and important standard.

Carolyn T. Cobb is executive director of North Carolina’s Office of School Readiness.