As more attention and funding is directed towards early childhood education, early educators must elevate the profession to ensure current and future resources deliver the best outcomes for children. To maintain and build investments in early childhood education, the public and policymakers need to understand what they are paying for and why. In order to promote this understanding, we need to come together to establish a unified framework for required competencies, qualifications and compensation.

DEC is pleased to join other national organizations and participate in Power to the Profession, a twoyear collaborative initiative to establish these professional guidelines for early childhood educators across all states and settings.

Power to the Profession will give early educators an opportunity to contribute to a comprehensive set of the guidelines that advance their livelihoods and improve their lives. NAEYC has identified a national taskforce of organizations that represent and engage large groups of early childhood professionals. The collaboration will also include national stakeholder organizations with systems-level influence on the profession, as well as virtual and local in-person town hall meetings to provide opportunities for early childhood educators and other experts to contribute their critical on-theground perspectives.

It’s time for early educators to define the profession on their terms. While there have been many efforts to set professional standards within programs, organizations and some states, Power to the Profession is the first national collaboration designed to move the entire profession forward with a unified voice.

In the coming months, there will be opportunities to engage in this national initiative, and we encourage you to participate. Your voice is needed! Together, we can define the professional field of practice for early childhood educators to advance our work for children—and advance the livelihoods of early childhood educators.

Sincerely,

The Division for Early Childhood