The Early Childhood Personnel Preparation (ECPP) Project is a statewide study of the capacity and effectiveness of Minnesota's 2- and 4-year Institutes of Higher Education to prepare childhood educators and child care providers. The project's goal is to support the development of early childhood educators throughout Minnesota and to fulfill one of the core responsibilities of Minnesota's former Early Childhood Advisory Council, mandated by former Governor Tim Pawlenty in September 2008.

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Minnesota is among the first states to undertake a statewide assessment of early childhood preparation programs with the intent of both determining effectiveness and identifying gaps for further study. In addition, the project can serve as a model for other states and additional study within Minnesota for assessing the capacity and effectiveness of the Institutes of Higher Education. The project is a collaborative effort and brings together multiple state agencies, partners, and other stakeholders.

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5 Ways to Use the Findings

   • Improve collaboration between Institutes of Higher Education to prepare early childhood personnel

   • Increase student enrollment in effective early childhood preparation programs

   • Coordinate efforts between early childhood and child care programs

   • Develop statewide professional development and career advancement plans

   • Propose legislation to facilitate the creation of a high-quality, early childhood system in Minnesota

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State Agency Partners

   • Debbie Hewitt and Amanda Varley, Early Learning Services, Minnesota Department of Education

   • Mary Vanderwert, Minnesota Head Start Collaboration Project, Minnesota Department of Education

   • Catharine Cuddeback, Child Development Services, Minnesota Department of Human Services

   • Cheryl Smoot, Community & Family Health, Minnesota Department of Health

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Project Framework

   • Project Background

   • Evaluation Framework

   • Advisory Group Meeting Agendas

   • Advisory Group Meeting Notes

   • ECPP Cover Letter

   • ECPP Inventory

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ECPP Reports

   • Map of Early Childhood Majors

   • Report Brief

   • Technical Report

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Online Directories

   • Minnesota Child Care Resource & Referral Network, T.E.A.C.H., Minnesota College Online Directory

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Articulation Agreements

   • MnSCU, MnTransfer

   • Metropolitan State University, Minnesota Center for Professional Development (Excel file)

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Online Databases

   • National: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences

   • National: National Center for Education Statistics, College Navigator

   • National: CollegeSource Online

   • Minnesota: iSEEK Solutions, Education Search Tools

   • Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (MnSCU): College Search and Online Education Search

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