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Over the past 18 months the Needs Assessment conducted by KCCTO and completed by the early childhood care and education professionals across Kansas made one very clear: these professionals want their experience, training, and growth to be recognized in meaningful ways that count toward a degree and a long-term career.
Many of you shared that you are constantly learning through professional development, credentials, and on-the-job experience, but that this learning does not always translate into progress toward higher education or career advancement. Your voices told us that the system has not always reflected the value of the work you do or the expertise you already bring to the field.

In response to that need, work began to explore credit for prior learning and stackable credentials for early childhood. Obtaining credit for prior learning & experience towards higher education credit hours for knowledge and skills they have already gained through training (i.e., CDA), reducing duplication of training or coursework when working toward a certificate and degree saving time and cost. Credentials that build upon one another, can be recorded and tracked, and can be used toward a degree pathway. With the support of the Kansas Career Pathway and Cape, we now have tools in place that make it possible to document and align these credentials in a way that supports career growth.

• This is why the Early Childhood Change Team was formed. The Change Team brings together representatives from across the early childhood field to:
• Represent different voices and roles within early childhood
• Research what is currently happening in Kansas and in other states
• Identify gaps and barriers in current systems
• Design a cohesive, aligned approach for stackable credentials
• Build a system that works with the tools already in place and supports the future of the early childhood workforce

Who is on the Kansas Early Childhood Change Team?

• Stephanie Parks Co-Lead, Associate Director, Career Pathway at KCCTO
• Darcy Hoke Co-Lead, CCDF Program Initiatives Manager, DCF
• Melissa Schoenberger, Early Childhood Systems Specialist, KCCTF
• Lorrena Kravitcz, Workforce Support Coordinator, KCCTO
• Amanda Poyser, Director of Family Connections & Community Impact, CCA
• Sherron Field, Career Pathway Coordinator, KCCTO
• Heather Campbell, Education Program Consultant, KSDE
• Jennifer Burgardt, Workforce Systems Coordinator, KDHE
• Chelsea Kusmec, Career Navigator, KCCTO
• KellyAnn Bonnell, Instructor, Coordinator, Barton County Community College
• Cathy Gray, Chair, Early Childhood Education, Butler Community College
• Mikaela Haendler, Infant Toddler Professional Development Specialist, KCCTO
• Tara Glanton , Lead PDS/Director Support Manager, KCCTO

Next Steps

• Analyze credit for prior learning practices across institutes of higher education
• Confirm IHE-specific data on CPL practices on dashboard
• Hope to offer Higher Education Scholarships through KCCTO for Fall ’26 for educators who have completed their CDA and are interested in pursuing an associate’s degree
• In the future, conduct a pilot study with surveys/interviews of faculty/ administration at IHE’s and potential students to determine awareness, interest, successes, and barriers to CPL for CDA.

This is only the beginning of the process; your continued input is essential. We invite you to:

• Ask questions
• Share your ideas or concerns
• Learn more about the work of the Change Team
• Get involved in shaping what this system becomes

If you would like to learn more or participate in future conversations, please watch for upcoming opportunities to engage, or reach out to www.kccto.org/change-team.

Together, we can build a system that values the work of early childhood professionals and supports meaningful career pathways across Kansas.

Thank you for the important work you do every day for children and families.