Early Childhood Program Administrators celebrate completion of the second year of program

 

On June 25, 2009 participants of the Early Childhood Program Administrator’s Institute (ECPAI) gathered together to celebrate the conclusion of the second year of the program.

The Early Childhood Program Administrators Institute (ECPAI) is a series of courses designed to both increase professionalism and build the capacity of childcare providers community-wide. ECPAI offers administrators the opportunity to further their knowledge of current philosophies and curricula in early childhood education; increase the effectiveness of their centers; and receive higher accreditations. Provided through a partnership with The Children’s Trust, The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation and Miami Dade College, the administrators enrolled in ECPAI are eligible to receive college-level course credits in early childhood education, providing an accessible path to a secondary degree.

In July 2008, the first group of 67 early childcare administrators completed the course requirements of ECPAI. Based on pre- and post- tests, the graduating administrators increased their knowledge of providing quality early care and education by 80% or higher and received higher accreditation points for their centers. In September, the Center launched its second Early Childhood Program Administrator’s Institute with program enrollment consisting of 82 directors from 56 centers, which reflects a significant increase from the previous year. The 2008-2009 program includes a mentorship component for early childhood program administrators, which will instruct previous year’s participants on the nuances of mentoring, allowing them to guide new participants of the program and sustain the positive impact garnered in the Institute’s first year. These accomplishments epitomize the vision of the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education; to create a universal, systemic change in the quality of early childcare centers through collaboration, instruction and education.

Through the institute, the Center hosts trainings such as:

• “Quality for Gatekeepers:” to ensure the reliability of program administration scale (PAS) and maintain accuracy of the PAS tool

• Effective mentorship for directors (5 day training): to build capacity and offer incoming directors mentorship during their participation

• Business Mentorship mini-workshops: to provide guidance on business development opportunities, such as marketing, finance and technology