About PDFRC
The PDFRC is a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the Administration for Children and Families supporting a collaboration between the University of Kentucky Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute and Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling and the University of Louisville, in collaboration with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Division of Child Care, and the Kentucky Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Development. The research team will build on the current statewide evaluation of the state KIDS NOW Initiative by conducting research investigating the degree to which a statewide unified professional development system impacts the educational level of early care and education providers and subsequent classroom quality. Moreover, the influence of these indicators will be examined to determine their impact on child outcomes. The research design will include a multi-site, mixed-methods design with 79 centers and 330 classrooms and teachers that represent three types of classroom settings (child care, Head Start, and state preschool). Child level outcome data will be collected on 395 children across these settings. Data collection will be coordinated with members of the KIDS NOW Evaluation team so that resources are maximized.
The primary objective of the Professional Development Research Collaborative (PDFRC) is to 1) determine the degree to which a unified professional development system developed at the state level results in positive child outcomes and 2) the degree to which educational level of early childhood and education providers enhances the quality of classroom environments. Specifically:
a) Are there some components of a professional development system that are more effective in encouraging and supporting individuals to remain working in early care and education settings (i.e., scholarship programs, a system of credentialed trainers, articulation agreements, training standards, early childhood core content, a trainer registry)?
b) Are there some components of a professional development system that are more effective than others in supporting early care and education professionals in enhancing program quality and child outcomes (i.e., scholarship programs, a system of credentialed trainers, articulation agreements, training standards, early childhood core content, a trainer registry)?
c) Are there specific factors that impact early care and education professionals’ ability to participate in professional development activities at various levels (e.g., administrative support, financial incentives, motivation for the field)?
d) Does the level and intensity of professional development experiences impact classroom quality and child outcomes?
e) What personnel factors have the highest impact on quality classroom environments and child outcomes (i.e., professional development, education and experience, personal attributes)?
f) What is the interaction between the personnel, professional development and program variables on program quality and improved child outcomes?
View Diagram of Theoretical Model of Research