The majority of U.S. early childhood education (ECE) programs are offered by community colleges, with three-quarters of community colleges nationally providing some kind of early childhood education training. Students who are able to transfer and complete an ECE bachelor’s degree gain access to career opportunities with higher wages. However, obtaining a higher credential in ECE, such as a bachelor’s degree, comes with challenges, including financial barriers, a lack of aligned transfer programs, and the personal costs of pursuing a college degree while working as full-time educators.
This research project examines ECE Associate of Applied Science (AAS) transfer pathways facilitated through the Illinois Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE or the Consortium). ECACE is a statewide initiative that aims to provide access and support to working adults and other historically marginalized populations pursuing early childhood degree and credential programs. The Consortium is working to create transfer pathways for students with ECE AAS degrees, provide financial and advising supports, and increase access to early childhood courses through regional hubs, among other efforts.
Through an institutional survey and interviews and focus groups with varied stakeholders, this study will generate insights into how four-year universities have redesigned their early childhood education programs to support the seamless transfer of students with an AAS degree to a bachelor’s degree program. It will also explore how these changes vary by institution, as well as the degree to which community colleges have adjusted their programs to support new transfer pathways. The goals are to produce findings about progress and innovative practices that help institutions continue to evolve their programs to better meet the needs of the incumbent ECE workforce and transfer students; identify areas where the Consortium or other agencies might be able to provide additional support; and address logistical, policy, and institutional barriers that are impacting the initiative. This study will also inform transfer pathways work in other states and help them learn from ECACE’s experience.
This project is conducted in partnership with the Illinois Board of Higher Education and is funded by Schreiber Philanthropy and the Steans Family Foundation.