2 out of 3 state-funded preschool programs lack adequate standards for assistant teachers
Assistant teacher training and professional development are least commonly met quality benchmarks
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – According to a new report from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), most states fail to provide assistant pre-k teachers with the pay, training, and other supports that recognize the importance of their role as full team members in high quality classrooms.
In Help Wanted: Assistant Teacher Policies in State-Funded Preschool, NIEER examined state preschool policies that encourage the preparedness and support of assistant teachers, who are often overlooked.
“Assistant teachers are an integral part of the teaching team in an early childhood classroom and take on many responsibilities, including planning and implementing educational activities and supporting individual children and small groups. They also often bring linguistic, cultural, and racial/ethnic diversity to the classroom,” said researcher GG Weisenfeld, lead author of the report. “Unfortunately, many assistant teachers come to the classroom unprepared to fully support children’s learning and development. Low assistant teacher qualifications and support not only affect children’s classroom experiences but also limit assistant teachers’ ability to earn a living wage and reduce their reliance on public assistance programs.”
Using data from NIEER’s 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook, researchers found that only one third of state-funded preschool programs (21 of 64) required the pre-employment qualification of a CDA (Child Development Associate) credential or the equivalent (at least 9 to 12 credits) for assistant teachers. This percentage has not changed in the two decades that NIEER has been studying state preschool policies.
By comparison, nearly half of state-funded preschool programs (31 of 64) required lead teachers to have a BA degree, and almost 75 percent (47 of 64 programs) required lead teachers to have specialized training in early childhood education or child development.
Just 19 programs (30%) met or exceeded NIEER’s staff professional development (PD) benchmark, meaning less than one-third of programs are offering what research has suggested is the minimum adequate support needed for both lead and assistant teachers in terms of ongoing PD hours, coaching, and PD plans.
In addition to not requiring adequate qualifications, most state preschool programs do not include assistant teachers in salary scales or offer similar starting salaries to their K-3 public school equivalents.
The new report identifies research-based policy strategies states could employ to better support assistant teachers, some of which are already happening:
• Raise assistant teacher qualifications to a CDA or equivalent. North Carolina made a policy change that now requires assistant teachers in the NC Pre-K program to have a CDA or 9 ECE/CD credits at the time of hire.
• Increase pay and benefits aligned with qualifications. New Mexico and the District of Columbia have established pay parity funds that are inclusive of assistant teachers, leading to increased salaries.
• Offer, require, and support assistant teachers to participate in ongoing professional development. States can strengthen preschool teaching teams by prioritizing access to ongoing learning opportunities, including job-embedded coaching and mentoring. Alabama does this by reserving about 8% of state preschool funding for coaching and instructional supports, as well as providing paid planning time so that all teachers can actively participate in coaching. Oregon has developed Coaching Competencies that explicitly promote a teaching-team approach to coaching.
• Provide resources to complete PD and education qualifications. Some states have intentionally included assistant teachers in state-developed tuition reimbursement programs, e.g., Georgia’s DECAL Scholars Program, Hawaii’s Early Childhood Educator Stipend Program, New Mexico’s Opportunity Scholarship, Virginia’s G3 tuition assistance program, and Washington’s Early Achievers Grant.
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The National Institute for Early Education Research at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education, New Brunswick, NJ, supports early childhood education policy and practice through independent, objective research and the translation of research to policy and practice.
