The Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children strives to increase public awareness about issues surrounding high quality early care and education through preparing the workforce, creating opportunities that recognize diversity and inclusion, and understanding the importance and impacts of family engagement. With a firm commitment to being a high performing inclusive organization, to strong membership engagement, and to collaborative efforts of community partners, we are dedicated to the following:
- Increasing the number of high-quality practices and environments through advocating for the early care and education workforce.
- Improving workforce competency through high-quality professional development opportunities.
- Participating in public private partnerships that increase the availability and quality of child care and education in Iowa.
- Encouraging participation in Iowa’s quality rating system and nationally recognized best practices.
- Promoting implementation of developmentally appropriate practices, the Iowa Early Learning Standards, and play as central to learning in all programs that serve children from birth through 3rd grade (age 8) as a critical part of the birth through 12th grade learning continuum.
- Engaging in national efforts that support a unifying framework establishing professional preparation pathways for early care and education professionals.
- Ensuring fair compensation for an equally educated early care and education workforce.
- Creating opportunities where the early care and education workforce accurately reflects populations served.
- Crafting leadership opportunities where all roles in the early care and education workforce actively contribute to the field in meaningful ways.
