Mia Tuan, Ph.D.
Dean, University of Washington College of Education
Research shows that high-quality, culturally responsive early learning education sets the foundation for lifelong well-being. Yet research also highlights severe shortages in the early learning workforce, limiting access to rich early learning experiences for many of the nation’s youth. At the University of Washington College of Education, we are committed to addressing gaps in the early childhood education workforce through targeted scholarships and innovative community partnerships that prepare aspiring educators and support working professionals to be advocates for anti-racist early learning care.
Our dual-pronged effort includes providing funding for more than 1,500 scholarships over the next eight years for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and high school internships in early childhood education. Reducing or removing financial barriers for students pursuing careers in early learning supports a more diverse workforce — with studies showing that diversity among teachers results in better outcomes for all students, and especially those from historically marginalized communities. Indeed, when students see teachers who look like them, studies demonstrate a positive impact on engagement and achievement in the classroom.
Specifically, our Early Learning Equity (ELE) Scholarship supports students accepted into our online Early Care and Education and on-campus Early Childhood and Family Studies undergraduate programs while our Early Childhood Policy (ECP) Fellowship supports students enrolled in our on-campus Early Childhood Policy master’s degree specialization. We know that the early years of life are a critical time for brain and social-emotional development, and knowledgeable, well-prepared early learning educators are vital to positively shaping the formative experiences of our youth. To offer rich early learning experiences, we focus on cultivating the next generation of culturally responsive educators and removing obstacles to their success. Our graduates will be equipped to recognize and challenge inequity, embrace family-community partnerships, engage in collective care and action, and disrupt the cradle-to-prison pipeline.
Additionally, the College of Education has partnered with community to co-design an early learning resource and workforce development hub that will support the vibrant neighborhoods of Seattle’s Rainier Valley and serve as a national model for innovative university-community partnerships. The Rainier Valley Early Learning Campus (RVELC) will address historical injustices and inequities in early learning by expanding access to affordable, culturally sustaining childcare and preschool, center anti-racist care and curricula, and provide tools and professional development to an industry led by practitioners of color. Partnerships with tribal communities will ensure the RVELC effectively serves families most in need of educational justice. We will also welcome Indigenous student cohorts to meet the need for Native early childhood educators and ensure they can show up fully and incorporate cultural wealth into their practice as aspiring educators.
Furthermore, ELE Scholarship and ECP Fellowship recipients will train alongside early learning practitioners inside the RVELC, gaining experience in community-centered practices that reflect the wisdom of diverse families and educators. Providing culturally responsive, hands-on learning opportunities for both aspiring early childhood educators and working professionals ensures that we are preparing and retaining responsive early learning educators and can successfully carry out Washington state’s Fair Start for Kids Act, which includes expanding trauma-informed care supports to aid early childhood providers and language access efforts to support Spanish- and Somali-speaking providers. Our targeted scholarships and equity-centered training opportunities at the RVELC make our approach innovative and laser-focused on meeting our community’s needs.
Our commitment to high-quality, culturally responsive early learning education will ensure that all children have opportunities to thrive. This begins with investing in current and aspiring early childhood educators, and we’ve learned that the best way to do this is to center the wisdom and knowledge of the students, practitioners and communities we serve. Achieving this vision for equitable access to high-quality early learning strengthens families and communities and will require our collective investment in doing what’s best for putting our youngest learners on a path to lifelong health and well-being.
