Kelly Twibell Sanchez, MS

Center for Child and Family Studies

Department of Human Ecology
My Journey
Small-group Discussion
Did you attend a child care center or preschool
program as a young child?

If yes, what do you remember about…

 The environment (indoors and out)?
 The adult caregivers or teachers?
 The activities?

If not, what do you remember about your early

childhood experiences?
 What were your daily routines?
 How did you and your family spend time together?
Investing in Young Children
 Early Years are Learning Years

https://www.google.com/search?q=brain+development+in+first+five+years&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS821US823&source=lnms&t
bm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU7fici_reAhW8HDQIHelkDSAQ_AUIDygC&biw=1600&bih=1080#imgrc=AhMWHBo3gBuPI
M:
 The Problem—Inequality of
Opportunity

https://impactnw.org/news/early-childhood-inequality-infographic/
 At-risk children who don’t receive a high-
quality early childhood education are:

 25% more likely to drop out of school

 40% more likely to become a teen parent
 50% more likely to be placed in special
education
 60% more likely to never attend college
 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent
crime

https://www.theounce.org/problem/
Solutions

The Perry Preschool The Abecedarian Project

Project
 High Return on Investment

https://www.impact.upenn.edu/our-analysis/opportunities-to-achieve-impact/early-
childhood-toolkit/why-invest/what-is-the-return-on-investment/
Preschool as an Entry Point for
Early Intervention

 Screening is a brief,
simple procedure
used to identify
potential health or
developmental
problems in infants
and young children
Early Childhood Professionals
Effective Educators…
 Work effectively and equitably with children
from diverse backgrounds
 Create and use supportive learning
environments that nurture children’s
learning and development across multiple
domains
 Know how to assess children appropriately
and use results to inform practice
 Engage in professional learning
opportunities to improve practice
 Partner with family members
 Compensation and Status

https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/our-
work/public-policy-advocacy/201NAEYC_Childhood%20Educators.pdf
 Preparation and Education
 There is significant variation in how
educators are prepared depending on
which setting they work in and the
age group they serve
 Pre-k vs. Elementary school educators
 Child development vs.
Academics/Knowledge

https://www.newamerica.org/in-depth/transforming-early-education-
workforce/higher-education-and-professional-learning/
 Diversity and Inclusion
 Does requiring early
childhood teachers
to get four-year
degrees push out
teachers of color
and threaten the
racial and linguistic
diversity of the
workforce?

https://www.newamerica.org/in-depth/transforming-early-education-
workforce/higher-education-and-professional-learning/
 Do preschool teachers really
need to be college graduates?

https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/our-
work/public-policy-advocacy/201NAEYC_Childhood%20Educators.pdf
Setting the Stage for Success
 Fund cross-sector, integrated professional
development systems that will have a
significant impact on quality
 Encourage states to design and approve
credentials for the early childhood
workforce
 Increase the accessibility of higher
education and expansion of nontraditional
courses
 Support grant programs to provide
scholarships, increase compensation, and
improve retention of ECE providers
https://naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/our-work/public-policy-
advocacy/Workforce%20Handout%203%204%2015.pdf
A Model of Promising Practices
Research to Practice

Design Implement Evaluate Disseminate

Sharing our successes and
“outcomes”
Practicum: HDE 140/140L

Purpose of this course

is to provide
opportunities for
students to learn about
relationships with
young children as they
relate to optimal
development.
Mapping the Work
Change the First Five Years and You Change Everything
Small-group Discussion
 Reference your own early childhood
reflections—what opportunities or
resources may have supported your
development?

 If you had an opportunity to influence

policy, what recommendations would
you make? What key points would you
highlight?
Questions?

Kelly Twibell Sanchez

kktwibell@ucdavis.edu

https://ccfs.ucdavis.edu/