Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

498

Date

2012

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Instr and Curr Leadership

Concentration

Early Childhood Education

Committee Chair

Vivian Morris

Committee Member

John Johnston

Committee Member

Beverly Cross

Committee Member

Laurie MacGillivary

Abstract

This study was designed to explore 4 childcare providers' descriptions and perceptions of their state-funded public academic prekindergarten partnerships with a mid-southern public school district. The 2 main research questions were: 1.) How do 4 childcare providers describe their participation as community partners with a public school systems' state-funded academic 4-year-old prekindergarten program?, and 2.) How do 4 childcare providers' perceptions portray the state-funded academic 4-year-old program partnerships? This study revealed the school district and childcare providers' partnerships held opportunities to become more sustainable over time as the resolved barriers such as hiring all certified prekindergarten teachers for the partnerships to alleviate indirect salary competitions and center hopping (I coined the term center hopping to point out staffing issues centered on higher wages and compensation conditions influenced the uncertified teachers' decisions to remain or seek higher pay from other providers; while obtaining state requirements for employment with school districts). Recent studies show additional academic prekindergarten programs are on the rise across given states (Grehan et al., 2011). The bigger picture presents public academic prekindergarten program expansions will serve more children statewide; however, bigger questions to be asked include: Are community childcare provider partnerships included because of the abundance of evidence their participation adds? Or are the community childcare providers' needs too costly to sustain in the long run?

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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