Workforce Pathways LA is a workforce development model administered by the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education in partnership with Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA), which is a county wide quality improvement initiative. It is funded through a partnership between Los Angeles County and the California Department of Education, the California Department of Social Services, and First 5 California.
The Workforce Pathways LA Stipend Program creates financial incentives that help early educators obtain Child Development Permits or college degrees, including both associate and bachelor’s degrees. It aims to increase the skills and knowledge of early educators across the county, increase the number of early childhood professionals with Child Development Permits, and increase the number of professionals with degrees in early childhood. To be eligible, an educator must be working in a program that accepts some form of CA Early Learning subsidy.
Sources:
County of Los Angeles Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education. (n.d.). Workforce Pathways LA.
Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:
The early education workforce is the foundation upon which all daily work and any expansion and quality improvement efforts rest. Research suggests that states and cities should invest in the workforce across all early education setting types, focusing on enhancing educators’ professional learning, compensation, and workplace conditions.
Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:
- Early educators play a critical role in supporting the well-being of young children and families across setting types.
- Yet their pay, benefits, and other professional supports are often inadequate in light of the job demands and their cost of living.