Guiding Principles of The Nevada Registry
Research demonstrates the vital importance of professional education for individuals providing early care and education (ECE) experiences for children. What we do or do not do for young children makes a difference in their learning capabilities and their future success in life. Ensuring that individuals who provide these experiences have the knowledge and the skills to provide quality early care and education environments is essential. Ensuring that ECE professionals are then recognized for their professional accomplishments, formal ECE education and specialized training is essential to the growth of the field and to the public understanding of Early Care and Education as a viable and critical profession in our society. These are the guiding principles that form the foundation of The Nevada Registry’s Vision, Mission and Value Statement.
History of The Nevada Registry
In April 2002, a voluntary Career Ladder and a set of Core Knowledge Areas were formally adopted by the Nevada State Child Care Advisory Committee. The adoption of these systems was based on recommendations received from the Quality, Training and Licensing sub-committee and hundreds of Early Care and Education professionals from across the state. Since the adoption of these systems, the Office of Early Care and Education, through a contract with the Washoe County School District, has been hard at work to develop a structure to implement each of the systems. The structure has been officially named and has become what we now refer to as The Nevada Registry.
The concept of a statewide Registry is not a new one. In fact, developing and implementing a professional development system for Early Care and Education professionals in the state of Nevada has been on the agenda of many ECE organizations for years. Thankfully, this collective vision of professionals from across the state is now a reality. The Registry could not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of a diverse group of Early Care and Education professionals and programs across the state who:
- Share the desire to improve the quality of Early Care and Education environments for children;
- See the need to address the issues that lead to high staff turnover among our workforce;
- Are working to develop innovative systems that lead to increased wages for professionals in the field;
- Work to professionalize the field of Early Care and Education;
- Support the development of a central clearinghouse of information linking all professionals in the state.
Funding
The Nevada Registry is one of the various programs available through the Nevada Department of Education, Office of Early Learning and Development. The project is funded through the Federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) – Quality Improvement Dollars and is administered through a contract with the Washoe County School District.