Early Childhood Studies Wins Grant to Recruit and Train Diverse Teachers

As California moves forward in providing institutions with unprecedented funding to expand access to early learning programs, a group of Cal Poly Pomona community members along with their strategic partners will play a pivotal role in meeting critical early education workforce needs.    

The Department of Early Childhood Studies at CPP has recently received a $325,000 grant to increase the number of well-prepared racially, ethnically and linguistically diverse candidates in early childhood education. The award is part of a $10.4 million contribution from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative, which seeks to bolster early education programs throughout the nation. Associate Professor Denise Kennedy will serve as the project’s principal investigator and Professor Nancy Hurlbut, chair of the ECS department, will serve as the co-principal investigator.    

“Close to 60% of young children in California live in households where English is not their primary language,” said Kennedy. “It is therefore vital to prepare teachers to support the development and learning of children who are exposed to more than one language during their first five years, commonly referred to as dual language or multilingual learners. This grant will create a model of teacher preparation programs of early childhood (birth-3rd grade) to recruit diverse students, prepare them to teach in multilingual classrooms, and collaborate between community colleges, CSUs and community partners such as school districts and centers as well as with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, to ensure that we close achievement gaps that are usually seen in dual language learners.”  

California is home to the largest population of dual language learners in the nation according to a report issued by First 5 California. When it comes to bilingual education, California has historically held various positions regarding its implementation. Back in 1998, voters approved Proposition 227, which nearly dissolved bilingual education programs but in 2016 reversed course with the passage of Proposition 58, which restored bilingual instruction. As the number of dual language learners continue to rise, it has become increasingly critical for the state to enact policies and provide funding to support educational opportunities for dual language learners.    

Over the next 2.5 years, the ECS department will work with its university and community partners to diversify the teacher candidate pipeline, primarily focusing on recruiting African American and Native American students. They will also work with future educators to develop the pedagogical and family engagement skills needed to support dual language learners; strengthen and increase fieldwork opportunities; align its program with state adopted standards for early childhood educators; and provide guidance to its faculty in developing high-quality early childhood educators.   

According to Kennedy, ECS students will start to see the changes in 2022.   

 “At CPP, we are leading dual language /multilinguistic teacher preparation for this grant,” said Kennedy. “We are working with Baldwin Park Unified School District and Norco Community College to ensure we are preparing teachers in multilinguistic settings.”  

Kennedy and Hurlbut will be joined by additional team members including ECS faculty Eden Haywood-Bird, Marybeth Murray, Giselle Navarro-Cruz and Soon Young Jang; Professor Sandy Dixon, Department of Ethnic and Women’s Studies; Department of Education staff member Jeanne Reynaga; and China Pour in the Office of Outreach, Recruitment, and Educational Partnerships at CPP.   

“We are thrilled to be a part of this grant,” said Kennedy, “and look forward to working with our partners to make a positive difference in the lives of young children.”   

For more information, contact Associate Professor Kennedy at dekennedy@cpp.edu.