A Framework for Reviewing Professional Development Strategies in Child Care and Early Education

State and territory CCEE leaders typically support a range of PD opportunities for CCEE providers. This highlight presents the Professional Development Matrix for Quality Improvement created by Douglass, Tout, and Doyle.¹ The matrix provides a framework for organizing and describing PD that can support CCEE leaders’ decisions about what to fund and how to support evaluation of PD efforts. The highlight also provides examples and summarizes research evidence for each type of PD in the matrix.

Key Highlights

• State/territory child care and early education (CCEE)^a leaders offer a range of professional development (PD) strategies that help providers reach their goals. Considering the “who” (who is receiving the PD?) and “why” (what is the purpose of the PD?) can help ensure that the collection of PD meets the varying needs of the CCEE workforce.
• Different types of professional development strategies support various goals, and some strategies are more effective at changing practice than others.