Speaking Up and Speaking Out: The Director as Advocate for the Early Childhood Workforce

McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY McCormick Center | January 22, 2012

As a field we have several decades of accumulated research about the early childhood workforce. A reoccurring theme across studies is that early childhood practitioners are not compensated as well as workers with similar qualifications in other occupations. Meager benefits, poor working conditions, low professional standards, and limited support for professional development are some of the additional challenges facing the early childhood workforce. These issues clearly impact recruitment and retention and other concerns that early childhood center directors face. In such a climate, what steps are directors taking to advocate for change? … Download this resource to read the rest of the research.


This resource is part of our Research Note series.

McCormick Institute for Early Childhood logo in blue text on a white-to-light-blue background
By Robyn Kelton & Nudrat Hassan June 25, 2026
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