Prekindergarten forms an important transition between home and formal learning in kindergarten, and prekindergarten teachers are essential contributors and influencers in their students' readiness into formal schooling. The problem addressed in this study was early childhood educators in one state in the southwestern United States are challenged…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationships among personal characteristics (i.e., age, race, marital status, education level, and years of teaching experience), work environment characteristics (i.e., pay, benefits, type of program, age group of children, and class size), job satisfaction, and turnover intention of…

An estimated 10 out of every 1,000 children in preschool are expelled from childcare programs. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental multiple case study was to explore the experiences of childcare directors with preschool expulsion and their perceptions regarding the why and how the phenomenon and the nature of their role in supporting…

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs are experiencing high turnover, resulting in lower teacher retention rates. High turnover hinders program quality, creates financial strain, and adversely affects program sustainability. Despite efforts to increase educator retention, a rural midwestern ECEC program's administrative team continues…

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of eleven early childhood educators who participated in a professional development program. The study was guided by the central research question, "What are the perceptions of early childhood educators on the professional development program as it relates to teacher efficacy, engagement,…

Collaborations between public early care and education programs and private childcare centers offer families of young children high quality education and comprehensive services in addition to full-day, full year care. This case study examined early care and education collaborations in a rural county in a Midwest state. Major research questions…

This program evaluation focused on one year of Bridges to Tomorrow, a multi-year initiative designed by Metro United Way to better prepare at-risk children for academic success upon entering kindergarten. Bridges to Tomorrow provided three child care centers operating in at-risk neighborhoods with interventions that included a structured…

Engineering education for the pre-college years is a developing academic discipline that emanates from the need to understand and improve the ways that engineers are formally educated. To date, there are no curricula available that incorporate engineering at a preschool level. The focus of this study is on the development of an early engineering…

The deluge of early child development research over the past 20 years has sparked an unprecedented public interest in the first years of children's lives. Research indicates that quality early education promotes the overall development of a healthy child. The Desired Results System, a standards-based accountability initiative of the California…