Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches Initiative for New Professional Development Opportunities for Early Education Professionals

Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration has launched a request from the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) for vendors to support a statewide professional development program for early education and child care professionals. EEC has opened two applications with approximately $4.8 million in total funding available to increase access to high-quality professional learning opportunities for early education and care educators. EEC is procuring vendors to manage a Statewide Professional Development Academy and five regional Professional Development Centers (PDCs). Through these efforts, the Commonwealth will be able to enhance early education and out-of-school time program stability, support professional advancement of the workforce, and promote program leadership and educator engagement in meaningful and sustainable continuous program quality improvement.

“As part of our efforts to support and grow the early education and care workforce, we need to increase opportunities for professional development for early education and care professionals,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We delivered historic investments in early education and child care in the FY24 budget, and I’m thrilled to see that funding at work, increasing opportunities for providers and reinforcing a pipeline of high-quality early education professionals. We’re grateful to the Legislature for their partnership in this important work.”

“Our administration is fully committed to supporting and expanding the early education workforce. When programs have high-quality providers, they can offer better care to even more families. Improving the opportunities within the early education and care workforce is directly related to our goal of improving access to child care for Massachusetts’ youngest children and their families,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.

“These funding opportunities are going to support our educators and program leaders to advance their careers and ensure that our youngest learners are receiving the highest quality education they deserve, setting them up for school and lifetime success. By investing in our educators and children, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is investing in the future of the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler.

“The Statewide Professional Development Academy and Professional Development Centers will support our early education and care programs across the Commonwealth to provide high quality environments that are culturally responsive, inclusive, and support children’s learning and social-emotional development,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “We look forward to working with these critical partners to strengthen professional development opportunities for our educators and promote continuous quality improvement that sets the foundation for children to be successful in school and life.”

The new Statewide Professional Development Academy will work in collaboration with EEC and the regional Professional Development Centers to further build and support a statewide professional development system. This will include managing professional development opportunities on EEC’s online Learning Management System, recruiting and training new coaches and instructors, maintaining a database of all trained and approved coaches and facilitators, and reviewing and validating professional development content to be offered through the regional Professional Development Centers.

Within the statewide professional development system, the regional Professional Development Centers will provide high-quality professional learning, training, technical assistance, and coaching services to programs and staff members in center-based and family child care programs, as well as out-of-school-time programs. They will also work with programs to promote reflection and sustainable practice improvements. The updated regional structure will further strengthen the collaboration between EEC and its licensed programs, helping to identify and implement actionable goals for improvement and support access to new professional opportunities.

The applications opened on October 13, 2023 and closes November 09, 2023.

Eligible vendors can learn more on Commbuys. Use bid solicitation numbers BD-24-1037-1CEN0-C0000-94057 for the Professional Development Centers and BD-24-1037-1CEN0-C0000-94045 for the Professional Development Academy.

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