FAQs

What is the purpose of the study?

The study provides program- and individual-level data on the ECE workforce. This information will help to better inform effective ECE workforce policy. We collected similar data in 2020, but with all the changes from the pandemic and beyond, it’s time for a new profile of the California ECE workforce.

Who will be included in the study?

Center directors, lead teachers, and assistants/aides from both public and private programs; family child care providers; and TK teachers, paraprofessionals, assistants/aides will be included in the study. Participants will be drawn from every region of the state.

How will center directors, center teaching staff, and family child care providers be selected?

Center directors and family child care providers will be selected from all ECE programs throughout the state. Those selected will be contacted by CSCCE and invited to participate in the current study. Teaching staff whose center directors complete the survey will be invited to participate.

When will center directors, center teaching staff, and family child care providers be contacted if they are selected?

CSCCE will contact selected educators in early 2025.

How will TK teachers, paraprofessionals and assistants/aides be selected?

Any TK teacher, paraprofessional, or assistant/aide working in California is eligible to participate in the study. We will ask principals of schools in California that offer transitional kindergarten to help us distribute the link to the online survey in early 2025.

What types of questions will be asked?

The survey asks individual-level questions. They include questions about educators’ racial and ethnic background, education and experience, job characteristics, and access to supports, as well their well-being, wages and benefits, and professional challenges. FCC providers and directors will also be asked program-level questions. These questions cover program characteristics, business challenges, and the impact of TK expansion.  

How can the surveys be completed?

All surveys are offered online as a web survey.

In what languages will the survey be available?

All surveys will be available in English, Spanish and Chinese.

How long will the survey take to complete?

For center teachers, center assistants/aides as well as TK teachers, paraprofessionals, and assistants/aides, the survey should take about 25 minutes to complete. For center directors and family child care providers, the survey should take about 45 minutes to complete.

How will you keep my information safe?

Keeping your information confidential is extremely important to us. E-mails and other personally identifiable information will be stored separately from your survey responses and connected to survey responses via code key. The code key is encrypted and kept on a password-protected computer in a locked office to which only study personnel have access. We will report all results in summary form and never for individuals or individual programs.

Will I be able to see the results of the study?

We will be publishing the findings beginning Fall 2025. To stay up-to-date on our publications, visit our website at https://cscce.berkeley.edu/