Coming in 2017: New Leadership Clearinghouse Aimed at Closing the ECE Leadership Gap

Coming in 2017: New Leadership Clearinghouse Aimed at Closing the ECE Leadership Gap

When Transforming the Workforce for Children from Birth through Age 8 was published last year, we all heard the call to increase the knowledge and competency of early childhood program leaders in all sectors of the field. But how can we know where to go, if we don’t know where we are?


To address this data gap, the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University has committed to creating a dynamic, interactive national clearinghouse to collect and distribute information on the status of the early childhood leadership workforce; national and state professional standards for leaders; and programs that educate, support, and enhance the competency of individuals who lead programs serving children birth through age 8.


The creation of the L.E.A.D. Early Childhood™ Clearinghouse is part of a Clinton Global Initiative America commitment made by the McCormick Center, in collaboration with the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute and the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood National Center. Together, these organizations have formed the L.E.A.D. Early Childhood™ Collaborative, a partnership open to organizations who share the goal of closing the leadership gap in early childhood education.


The L.E.A.D. Early Childhood Clearinghouse will house data on:


Early childhood program leaders

  • Number and percent by role, sector, program type, accreditation and licensing status
  • Demographic characteristics
  • Wages and compensation
  • Qualifications (education, specialized training, credentials/certification, years of experience)

Leadership Institutes/Academies

  • Number of programs by state, sector, and funding source
  • Specific leadership competencies addressed
  • Alignment to state professional development systems (SPDS) and quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS)

Formal leadership education programs

  • Degrees offered by major or concentration
  • Specialized education in instructional leadership
  • Specialized education in administrative leadership
  • Accreditation status


You’ll be able to interactively explore the clearinghouse’s data in a variety of ways, at both the state and national levels. Profiles will feature infographic and narrative descriptions in standardized templates so you’ll be able to easily compare and analyze the data.


Annually, at our Leadership Connections™ National Conference, we’ll release the publication of the data in a 50-state Profile Report. We hope these reports will advance the understanding of competency standards for early childhood program leaders across settings, sectors, and states, and, over time, will promote alignment of standards and adoption of policies that support consistent and effective program leadership.


The clearinghouse will officially launch at the 2017 Leadership Connections conference.


The McCormick Center is grateful for the funding provided by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation to initiate this project.


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Let’s Talk About Bullying

By Sherry Rocha • June 12, 2025
Bullying has been around for ages. That doesn’t mean it’s ok, or we should get used to it. It is a persistent problem for all ages, and now it’s reaching into our early childhood programs. What can program administrators do? Some definitions and tips are below. WHAT IS BULLYING? Bullying has been described as a student’s repeated exposure to negative actions on the part of one or more students in which there is an imbalance of power between bullies and the victim. Some children learn that by bullying others, they can get ahead. It can affect the goals of education if not handled well. While the behaviors of young children can sometimes be aggressive, they lack the more strategic and deliberate actions that typically define bullying. Still, early behaviors can be precursors to later behavior, so awareness and positive interventions are needed . Bullying prevention can be embedded into SEL practices, diversity awareness, and behavior guidance practices of early childhood programs. HOW COMMON IS BULLYING? Most studies look at bullying as something that involves older children. Research on early childhood bullying is still developing. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is considered one of the most effective school-based anti-bullying programs that schools and centers study. Its founder, Dan Olweus, Ph.D, found that 35-40% of boys characterized as bullies in grades 6-9 had been convicted of at least three officially registered crimes by the age of 24. Bullies sometimes teach their children to be bullies. PREVENTION AND GUIDANCE CONCERNING BULLYING There are things parents, teachers, and friends can do to prevent or stop bullying . During the early childhood years, programs to help prevent bullying are helpful. Teachers and parents should be role models of caring behavior. Children raised in safe and nurturing environments will learn to be caring individuals. As children’s abilities develop, they can learn anger management, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills. TEACHERS AND PARENTS CAN ALSO: Dispel myths that bullying is part of childhood. Encourage a positive environment by stating desirable behavior instead of negative behavior. Emphasize respect, fairness, caring, and responsibility in classrooms. Incorporate lessons about appropriate social skills in classrooms and everywhere; provide words for children to use. Understand the seriousness of bullying. Encourage children to consider the needs of others. Parents can arrange play groups for their children. A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM SHOULD: Promote a caring, respectful environment Help victims help themselves Challenge the bullies’ thinking Consider the effects of peer pressure Elicit students’ input FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). (2025, February 5). Get help now. StopBullying.gov. https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/get-help-now The Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life. (n.d.). Olweus bullying prevention program, Clemson University. Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, Clemson University. https://clemsonolweus.org/ Temkin, D., & Snow, K. (2015, August 18). To prevent bullying, focus on early childhood. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/prevent-bullying-focus-early-childhood
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