Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

There are so many wonderful organizations out there for educators. I realized just how many when I started this program at Walden. I chose some specific ones, and will be adding two of those to my Community of Practice.


First, I have always found the National Association for the Education of the Young Child, [NAEYC] to be one of the best organizations for educators and children. They focus on the overall health and well-being of children, their safety, and encourage positive interactions with families, as well as promoting parental involvement. Initially, I felt like I already held one of the best jobs; however, after looking through this site, I would enjoy being the Program Coordinator for NAEYC. Below are the qualifications for this position. I would very much enjoy helping programs with Accreditation, and ensuring they are meeting the standards of a high quality ECE program.


Program Coordinator

"NAEYC is seeking a Program Coordinator to support the work of our early childhood program Accreditation System.  The Program Coordinator is a customer service professional in the NAEYC Academy who supports the work of the accreditation system.  Duties include providing technical assistance on the accreditation process, policies and procedures to accreditation consumers, including program staff and the public.  The Coordinator is also responsible for working with NAEYC consumers throughout all aspects of the accreditation process and providing administrative assistance to the Accreditation team.   

Knowledge of NAEYC’s early childhood program accreditation system, 1-2 years clerical/administrative experience, and experience handling a high volume calls are required.  Call center experience and an Associates degree preferred.  Experience in the field of early childhood education and a sound understanding of its practices is plus.  Excellent oral and written communication, MS Office and database skills are also required.  Must be able to meet deadlines, work independently and work as part of a team in a fast-paced environment" (National Association for the Education of the Young Child).


Next, I also want to be affiliated with the Texas Association for the Education of the Young Child, [TAEYC]. One of the main reasons would be I am a Texas educator, and I can keep up with the Texas laws and requirements for ECE programs. Second, the TAEYC is "committed to promoting professional development and evidence-based best practices in early childhood education" (TAEYC, 2010). Unfortunately, there are no job opportunities available within this organization. However, if there was another Program Monitor/Coordinator within this organization, I would apply for it. I would like to ensure all programs are high quality within the state of Texas.


Another organization that I am most interested in is the Texas Education Agency, [TEA]. They provide educators with resources. "The mission of the Texas Education Agency is to provide leadership, guidance and resources to help schools meet the educational needs of all students" (Texas Education Agency, 2013). Currently, there are no positions available that would appeal to me within this organization. The majority of positions that are currently posted are geared more toward the technology field. It is State level, but also could be considered Federal. It is a great resource for any Texas Educator, but others can certainly use it that are educators out of state for comparisons.

If there were job openings within this agency, I would like to be on a panel that reviewed ECE programs, and put laws in place that enforce high quality prekindergarten. For example, class size; teacher to student ratio; and funding for preschool.

Next, I am interested in the National Education Association, [NEA]. "The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States" (National Education Association, 2002). This association provides numerous resources for the educator. There is a wealth of publications within this site that would be great aids for all educators. They provide tools and ideas, as well as grants that may be available.

Within this organization, there is a listing for an Organizational Specialist. The summary of the position as well as job requirements are:

"Position Summary:  The incumbent serves as a member of the Center for Organizing (C40) reporting to the Director of Organizing.  The incumbent will provide organizing advice and assistance to assigned local and state affiliates on a variety of areas, such as developing and executing strategic organizing plans, organization development, strategic planning, capacity building, team building, and education reform.  The work includes partnering with other NEA Centers to organize around state and federal policy issues and develop strategies to assist affiliates in achieving NEA’s strategic goals. The incumbent will model and provide hands-on coaching and training to organizing projects and campaigns, with the intent of developing skills and capacity among field staff, UniServ staff, local leaders, worksite leaders and activists for the purpose of increasing membership and organizing successfully in new markets. The incumbent will partner with state and local affiliates to recruit and train trainers in the basics of organizing, develop a variety of materials to support, present and report on progress in the targeted sites and promote mutually developed, effective strategies and programs to affiliates and NEA.  The incumbent will also coordinate with NEA and state communications staff to deliver strategic communications in targeted sites to grow and engage membership as well as aid the field teams in assessing and sharing their learnings with our stakeholders as a basis for developing and scaling effective membership organizing strategies in all affiliates. The employee uses effective interpersonal skills and an understanding of group/human dynamics to develop and promote organizing/capacity-building strategies. To carry out these responsibilities, the incumbent submits regular reports and uses a personal computer, associated software, and other office automation technology and travels extensively by various conveyances, including driving a car.

 Minimum Education Requirement:  Bachelor's degree or equivalent.  Minimum Qualifications: Experience as an employee on an Association staff or an advocacy organization with primary duties in one or more of the following areas: organizing, strategic planning, crisis management, collective bargaining, public relations, communications, and/or legislative/political action.  Other Requirements: Writing samples (training, facilitation, strategic planning, reports, etc.) may be required at time of interview.  Must be able to work weekends and late evenings.  Extensive travel (over 90 overnights per year) is required.  Must possess a valid driver’s license" (National Education Association, 2013).

Finally, I chose National Institute for Early Education Research, [NIEER]. This organization provides research to educators that will ensure their preschool programs are high quality. Their mission statement is: "The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducts and communicates research to support high-quality, effective early childhood education for all young children. Such education enhances their physical, cognitive, and social development, and subsequent success in school and later life.The Institute offers independent, research-based advice and technical assistance to policymakers, journalists, researchers, and educators" (NIEER, 2013).

Currently, NIEER has a job opportunity titled "Senior Communications and Policy Specialist." This would certainly be a position I would enjoy. The qualifications are:

"Requires a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Education Policy, Development or Psychology. Earned doctorate strongly preferred. A minimum  of three years of experience working with others to: plan, develop and implement research-based technical assistance to a variety of early education policy-makers and practitioners, including those at the national level; contribute to ongoing strategic planning, development, management, and implementation of  programs; engage in research and policy analysis. Experience should include conducting and disseminating education research, including  developing instruments, data collection and analysis, writing and presenting research-related reports. Requires advanced knowledge of current early education policy and practice including issues of finance, governance, and assessment, and ability to develop, deliver, coordinate, and evaluate high-level technical assistance informed by the latest research (requires an ability to discern research quality in these areas), that can demonstrably increase the ability of regional and national early education entities to enhance early learning outcomes, as required per Rutgers University agreement with the Department. Requires experience that demonstrates comprehensive knowledge, skill, and understanding of writing, formatting, proofreading, publishing, promotional advertising, organization coordination, and/or facilitation" (NIEER, 2013).

While I do not hold a PhD, I would enjoy this position because I would get to view policies and practices for early childhood education.

References

National Education Association. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/

National Association for the Education of the Young Child. (2010). Retrieved from

                 http://www.naeyc.org/

 

National Institute for Early Education Research, [NIEER]. (2013). Retrieved from

                 http://nieer.org/

Texas Association for the Education of the Young Child. (2010). Retrieved from      
                 http://www.texasaeyc.org/.