Cabrini University is one of 10 institutions of higher education to receive funding as part of a $1.5 million investment in early childcare education (ECE) by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Cabrini’s $158,493 Preschool Development Grant, awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning, is helping the University improve the preparation of ECE teachers.
“The grant is part of an effort to professionalize the early childhood education workforce by ensuring that teachers have the pedagogy and skills,” said Thomas Conway, EdD, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education and project director for the grant.
Cabrini is using the grant to strengthen strategic approaches toward Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Standards and to implement early intervention strategies. A team of Education faculty and staff has worked with representatives from Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) and the Children’s School—a laboratory school for Cabrini students majoring in early childhood education—to redevelop components of the Bachelor of Science in Education, specifically the Teacher Education PreK–4 program, to closely align with ECE knowledge, skills, and pedagogy. The grant has enabled curriculum revisions that will ensure a smooth pathway for MCCC Education students to complete their teaching degrees at Cabrini and is providing students with professional development opportunities to work with infants and toddlers at the Children’s School.
In addition to a particular focus on infants and toddlers, the Early Learning Standards also include the acquisition of knowledge and skills to educate young children whose primary language is not English, who aren’t part of the dominant culture, who have special needs or come from vulnerable populations, or who have persistent challenging behaviors.
“It is vital that our children are being served by educators who have access to coursework and degrees grounded in the most recent research around children’s learning and development,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera in a press release from the state. “This grant program builds on the Commonwealth’s commitment to increase the number of high-quality, effective professionals in our early childhood programs, ultimately benefiting children and families for years to come.”
As a result of the grant, Cabrini has:
- Redesigned components and courses of Cabrini’s PreK–4 program to align with Pennsylvania Infant, Toddler, and PreKindergarten Learning Standards for Early Childhood.
- Developed a certificate in early intervention strategies for the ECE workforce and Elementary Education teacher candidates.
- Strengthened the Education bachelor’s degree off-site program with MCCC.
- Prepared and trained current faculty and staff to teach and prepare ECE workforce candidates.
Other recipients of the grant were Chestnut Hill College, Community College of Allegheny County, Delaware County Community College, Eastern University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.