Like many states, Massachusetts is attempting to develop a comprehensive early education and care system. One of the first steps towards that was bringing most of the providers into one department - known in this state as the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).
EEC is currently sponsoring a public-private Workforce Development Task Force, which I am participating in. One of my motivations in electing to be part of the Task Force was the potential the work offered for addressing the lack of males involved in EEC professions. While doing background research, I came across the original legislation which enabled the creation of the new department. I was struck by the document's directive regarding the diversity of the workforce.
It reads:
"Diversity - The recruitment and retention of individuals into the early education and care workforce who reflect the ethnic, racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity of Massachusetts families based on the current census data."
As we began to develop an agreed upon shared glossary of EEC terms, I suggested to the Task Force that we add the following word to our definition (and goals)
"Diversity - The recruitment and retention of individuals into the early education and care workforce who reflect the gender, ethnic, racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity of Massachusetts families based on the current census data."
I plan to undertake a trip or two to the State House to find a legislator or two willing to support a similar amendment to the enabling legislation. I'll keep you posted on any progress.
In the meantime, I'd be interested in hearing about EEC diversity policies in other states or countries.
Is there an existing model out there that Massachusetts could follow?
I look forward to any information folks are able to provide.
Thanks (or Mahalo for those of you headed to Hawaii next spring!)
Kitt
Mr. Kitt Cox
Program Coordinator
Birth To Three Family Center
Massachusetts Family Network
15 Market Street
Ipswich, MA 01938
Encouraging more men to work in ECE
I work with groups of ECE professionals all over the Country - Head Start & AEYC associations ... groups of licensed child care providers ... ECE'ers with school districts ... and always encourage the few men I meet to talk up their work with more men ... If you never ask, the answer is always "no" - and there ARE men out there who think about this and are inhibited because of the stigmas and stereotypes some people will throw up in front of them ... they need to hear words of encouragement and support or they will stay on the sidelines and wonder if they could make a difference (and of course they could!) ... children need lots of positive male role models during their developmental years ... more men in ECE and education in general (other than as administrators) can only help ... and I'm sorry to say that adding more men to ECE payrolls may be key to finally addressing the issue of pay equity in this important profession! We still have a l-o-n-g way to go here ...